text: From the crash of the opening theme, "The Man With the Golden Arm" is classic 1950's entertainment. No subtlety here, Frank comes home from prison with a monkey on his back and goes right back to the old neighborhood, where the old scumbags still lurk. This is a tale of his dark ride with all of his emotional baggage intact. The performances are all a bit overripe, but that's part of the fun of watching. Darren McGavin and Arnold Stang are unforgettable, and almost steal the show. This and "The Manchurian Candidate" are the two greatest Chairman of the Board films, in my humble opinion. Don't miss either one of them.