The Big Heat

This article is about the 1953 Fritz Lang film. For other uses, see Big Heat.
The Big Heat
Theatrical release poster
Directed byFritz Lang
Screenplay bySydney Boehm
Based onthe Saturday Evening Post serial and 1953 novel
by William P. McGivern
Produced byRobert Arthur
Starring
CinematographyCharles Lang
Edited byCharles Nelson
Color processBlack and white
Production
company
Columbia Pictures
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • October 14, 1953 (1953-10-14) (New York City)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.25 million (US)[2]

The Big Heat is a 1953 American film noir crime film directed by Fritz Lang starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, and Jocelyn Brando[3] about a cop who takes on the crime syndicate that controls his city.

William P. McGivern's serial in The Saturday Evening Post, published as a novel in 1953, was the basis for the screenplay, written by former crime reporter Sydney Boehm.

The film was selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2011.[4][5]

  1. ^ Ebert, Roger (2004-06-06). "The Big Heat". The Great Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
  2. ^ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
  3. ^ "The 100 Best Film Noirs of All Time". Paste. November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  4. ^ "Complete National Film Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  5. ^ "2011 National Film Registry More Than a Box of Chocolates". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-09-17.