Tonight's Movie: The Big Combo (1955) - An Ignite Films Blu-ray Review

I first saw THE BIG COMBO (1955) in 2012, as part of a special "noir" evening at the historic Million Dollar Theater in Downtown Los Angeles.

I was relatively new to film noir then, and THE BIG COMBO initially baffled me a bit, but before very long I was completely caught up in its magic.

As I wrote 14 years ago: "...as the film went on, I found myself falling under its spell, thanks to a combination of unforgettably staged set pieces and the stunning black and white cinematography of John Alton. For anyone who wants to know what film noir looks like, this film is Exhibit A. What at first had appeared cartoonish gradually seemed to morph into high style, taking the viewer on something of a noir thrill ride."

My love for THE BIG COMBO has only deepened with successive viewings over the years, so I'm especially happy to say that the film is now available in an impressive 70th Anniversary edition from Ignite Films.

The print is a digital restoration from the 35mm "fine grain," with audio sourced from a UCLA-Film Foundation restoration.

It's available from Ignite in four different formats, utilizing various combinations of 4K, Blu-ray, and steel books, as outlined at the Ignite site; this review is of the 2-disc Blu-ray Standard Edition.

It bears noting near the top of this review that this set also contains a separate feature film, THE CROOKED WAY (1949), starring John Payne and Ellen Drew, directed by Robert Florey and, like THE BIG COMBO, filmed by John Alton.

THE BIG COMBO, directed by Joseph H. Lewis and written by Philip Yordan, drops viewers right into the middle of dramatic conflicts, very memorably filmed by Alton and scored by David Raksin.

Lt. Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde) is obsessed with bringing down a mobster known in the film only as "Mr. Brown" (Richard Conte).

Diamond is also more than a little obsessed with Brown's troubled, gorgeous mistress Susan (Jean Wallace, who was then Mrs. Wilde offscreen). He's determined to bring down Brown and save Susan, despite budgetary pressures from his boss (Robert Middleton) and having a sometime girlfriend of his own (Helene Stanton).

That's really the entire plot of this fast-paced 87-minute film in a nutshell, but it's how the film is presented which makes it truly unique; as I also wrote in 2012, "The film has a constant capacity to surprise." This ranges from creatively staged murders to character relationships to one of the steamiest scenes ever put on film -- and it does all of this without being graphic in the least.

The superb supporting cast includes Brian Donlevy, Helen Walker, Lee Van Cleef, Earl Holliman, Jay Adler, and John Hoyt, who all sketch indelible characters.

Rather than reinventing the proverbial wheel, I'd like to suggest that readers briefly click over to my extensive 2012 piece for deeper character and performance analysis, while my main focus here is detailing Ignite's spectacular new set.

Ignite's restored print is outstanding, with excellent sound. Discs don't come any better, especially factoring in the wealth of extras along with a top-quality print.

As mentioned above, I've reviewed the two-disc standard Blu-ray edition. THE BIG COMBO and all new extras are on Disc One. The new supplements include a commentary track by the always-excellent historian Imogen Sara Smith and an interview with author Philippe Garnier, plus a featurette on the making of the film. Finally, Disc One includes the trailer.

Eddie Muller's commentary track, originally recorded for a 2018 Arrow Academy release, is also included on Disc One.

Disc Two features the film THE CROOKED WAY (1949), mentioned near the top of this review, along with older "legacy" extras on THE BIG COMBO, including a featurette on director Joseph H. Lewis and another featurette with film historian Geoff Andrew.

The Standard Edition Blu-ray comes in a plastic case with reversible cover art and a cardboard slipcover, which also features distinctive art on each side.

A glossy booklet with half a dozen essays on the film is included, as well as five postcards representing some of the movie's most memorable scenes.

Both THE BIG COMBO and Ignite's release are very highly recommended.

Thanks to Ignite Films for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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