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The Big Knife ()

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Hollywood actor Charles Castle is pressured by his studio boss into a criminal cover-up to protect his valuable career.
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100 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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Charlie Castle
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Marion Castle
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Smiley Coy
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Connie Bliss
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Stanley Hoff
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Dixie Evans (as Miss Shelley Winters)
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Patty Benedict
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Nat Danziger
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Hank Teagle
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Buddy Bliss
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Mickey Feeney
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Russell
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Billy Castle (as Mike Winkelman)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Narrator (uncredited) (voice)
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Nick (uncredited)
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Bit Part (uncredited)
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Prize Fight Announcer (uncredited)
Paula Kyle ...
Party guest (uncredited)
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Stillman (uncredited)
Robert Sherman ...
Bongo Player (uncredited)
Ralph Volkie ...
Referee (uncredited)
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Mustachioed Party Guest (uncredited)

Directed by

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Robert Aldrich

Written by

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James Poe ... (adapted for the screen by)
 
Clifford Odets ... (stage play)

Produced by

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Robert Aldrich ... producer

Music by

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Frank De Vol ... (as Frank DeVol)

Cinematography by

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Ernest Laszlo ... (photographed by)

Editing by

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Michael Luciano

Art Direction by

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William Glasgow

Set Decoration by

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Edward G. Boyle

Makeup Department

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Louis Hippe ... makeup artist (as Louis H. Hippe)

Production Management

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Jack R. Berne ... production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Nate D. Slott ... assistant director (as Nate Slott)
Robert H. Justman ... second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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John Orlando ... prop master (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Jack Solomon ... sound

Camera and Electrical Department

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John Livesley ... head grip (uncredited)

Casting Department

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Jack Murton ... casting supervisor

Music Department

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Frank De Vol ... conductor (as Frank DeVol)

Script and Continuity Department

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Joe Franklin ... script supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department

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Bob Russell ... transportation captain (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Saul Bass ... title designer
Robert Sherman ... assistant to producer / dialogue coach (uncredited)
Crew believed to be complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Charles Castle is a successful Hollywood actor who has opted for screen success over art. He must make critical decisions regarding his career, his marriage, his art & morality. In this screen adaptation of a Clifford Odets play, Castle is pressured by his studio boss and manipulated into a potentially murderous cover-up to protect his career. An indictment of the amoral world of 50's Hollywood and its corrosive effect upon the artist. Written by Thomas Robbin

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Taglines The hottest hunk of film Hollywood ever shot ! See more »
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Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Le grand couteau (France)
  • El gran cuchillo (Spain)
  • La podadora (Spain)
  • No Reino da Calúnia (Portugal)
  • Angeloi me matomena heria (Greece)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 111 min
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Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $423,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia The scandalous cover-up depicted in the film is supposedly based on a real-life incident involving a young John Huston. Louis B. Mayer apparently paid gossip columnist Louella Parsons a large sum of money not to disclose the incident in her column. See more »
Goofs The camera and operator are visibly reflected in one scene in the living room. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Les coulisses du cinéma (1970). See more »
Crazy Credits In the opening credits: Upholstered furniture by Martin/ Brattrud. See more »
Quotes Smiley Coy: A woman with six martinis can ruin a city.
See more »
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