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He built the perfect manhunt machine. Oops, it's hunting him.
TMDB
73
IMDb
76
Rotten Tomatoes
100
Audience Score
84
Google
86
Watch(US)

The Big Clock (1948)

Noir chess matchCorporate anxietyClockwork tension

Overview

ThrillerCrime

George Stroud, a crime magazine's crusading editor, has to postpone a vacation with his wife - again - when a glamorous blonde is murdered and he is assigned by his publishing boss to find the killer. As the investigation proceeds to its conclusion, Stroud must try to disrupt his ordinarily brilliant investigative team as they increasingly build evidence that he is the killer.

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Content warning
based on novel or booknew york citymurderpublisherfilm noirmagazineclockframed for a crimecrime fiction writersundial

Standout Aspects

Direction

Farrow squeezes dread from every ticking clock

Production

That massive clock set — Art Deco anxiety monument

Acting

Laughton's volcanic ego vs Milland's sweating desperation

Best for:Solo: Late night, rain on windows, whiskey optional·Date Night: Stress-bonding over his terrible boss decisions·Rewatch: Catch every ironic clue you missed first time
Heads up:Disturbing: One off-screen murder, heavy psychological manipulation
John Farrow

Director

John Farrow

ReleasedMar 18, 1948
Runtime1h 35m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensityhigh
Tonedark
Feelmedium
Paramount Pictures

Top Cast

Ray Milland

Ray Milland

George Stroud

Charles Laughton

Charles Laughton

Earl Janoth

Maureen O'Sullivan

Maureen O'Sullivan

Georgette Stroud

George Macready

George Macready

Steve Hagen

Rita Johnson

Rita Johnson

Pauline York

Elsa Lanchester

Elsa Lanchester

Louise Patterson

Harold Vermilyea

Harold Vermilyea

Don Klausmeyer

Dan Tobin

Dan Tobin

Roy Cordette

Harry Morgan

Harry Morgan

Bill Womack

Richard Webb

Richard Webb

Nat Sperling

Elaine Riley

Elaine Riley

Lily Gold

Luis van Rooten

Luis van Rooten

Edwin Orlin

Lloyd Corrigan

Lloyd Corrigan

McKinley

Frank Orth

Frank Orth

Burt

Margaret Field

Margaret Field

Second Secretary

Ask about The Big Clock

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

The massive clock set cost $40,000 — roughly half a million today — and was later reused in other films.

Trivia

Orson Welles allegedly saw this and wanted to remake it; the 1987 film 'No Way Out' is essentially the same plot with Cold War paranoia.

YouTube

The Big Clock Trailer 1948

The Big Clock Trailer 1948

Gallery(13 images)

Reviews

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