<P> The Man with the Golden Arm is a 1955 American drama film with elements of film noir , based on the novel of the same name by Nelson Algren , which tells the story of a drug addict who gets clean while in prison , but struggles to stay that way in the outside world . Although the addictive drug is never identified in the film , according to the American Film Institute `` most contemporary and modern sources assume that it is heroin '' , in contrast to Algren 's book which named the drug as morphine . The film stars Frank Sinatra , Eleanor Parker , Kim Novak , Arnold Stang and Darren McGavin . It was adapted for the screen by Walter Newman , Lewis Meltzer and Ben Hecht ( uncredited ) , and directed by Otto Preminger . The film 's initial release sparked controversy due to its serious , in - depth treatment of the then - taboo subject of drug addiction . </P>
<P> The Man with the Golden Arm is a 1955 American drama film with elements of film noir , based on the novel of the same name by Nelson Algren , which tells the story of a drug addict who gets clean while in prison , but struggles to stay that way in the outside world . Although the addictive drug is never identified in the film , according to the American Film Institute `` most contemporary and modern sources assume that it is heroin '' , in contrast to Algren 's book which named the drug as morphine . The film stars Frank Sinatra , Eleanor Parker , Kim Novak , Arnold Stang and Darren McGavin . It was adapted for the screen by Walter Newman , Lewis Meltzer and Ben Hecht ( uncredited ) , and directed by Otto Preminger . The film 's initial release sparked controversy due to its serious , in - depth treatment of the then - taboo subject of drug addiction . </P>
frank sinatra film the man with the golden
frank sinatra film the man with the golden
Arm
Arm