It's unrelenting and unsparing in its depiction of the film industry as a hellscape where the worst of capitalism meets the worst of the arts. Box office Aldrich later claimed that although the film cost $400,000 and made over $1 million it lost him money because the distributor took the profits. Awards Wins Venice Film Festival: Silver Lion, Robert Aldrich; 1955. Nominations Venice Film Festival: Golden Lion, Robert Aldrich; 1955 Stage play The Big Knife premiered on Broadway at the National Theatre on February 24, 1949 and closed on May 28, 1949 after 109 performances. Directed by Lee Strasberg, the play starred John Garfield as Charles Castle. The first Broadway revival opened at the American Airlines Theatre on April 16, 2013, produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, directed by Doug Hughes and starring Bobby Cannavale and Richard Kind. Home media The Big Knife was released to DVD by MGM Home Video on April 1, 2003 as a Region 1 widescreen DVD. Gallery See also List of American films of 1955 References External links 1955 films 1955 drama films American black-and-white films American drama films American films based on plays 1950s English-language films Film noir Films about actors Films about Hollywood, Los Angeles Films based on works by Clifford Odets Films directed by Robert Aldrich Films scored by Frank De Vol Films set in Beverly Hills, California Films with screenplays by James Poe United Artists films 1950s American films Melodrama films