| The Big Knife | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:The_Big_Knife_-_2019_-_Stella_Adler_Academy_of_Acting_Los_Angeles_66.jpg) Scene from "The Big Knife" | |
| Written by | Clifford Odets |
| Characters | Charlie Castle, Marcus Hoff, Marion Castle, Buddy Bliss, et al. |
| Date premiered | 1949 |
| Place premiered | National Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Corrupting influence of money |
| Genre | Drama |
| Setting | Beverly Hills, California |
The Big Knife is an American play by Clifford Odets. The original production was directed by Lee Strasberg, who had worked with Odets at the Group Theatre, and starring fellow Group Theatre alumnus John Garfield. The play debuted at Broadway's National Theatre on 24 February 1949 before closing on May 28 after 109 performances. The Big Knife marked the return of Odets to Broadway after a six-year hiatus in which he toiled in Hollywood as a screenwriter and motion picture director. The play concerns the disillusionment of a movie star with the Hollywood's studio system and disgust with himself, as he has lost his idealism in the pursuit of success.