The Big Combo

The Big Combo is a nervous, claustrophobic gangster picture directed by the always fascinating Joseph H. Lewis. Cornel Wilde is an honest 90-buck-per-week cop who runs afoul of mob boss Richard Conte. Failing to bribe Wilde into laying off, Conte has the cop beaten up by his thugs. Wilde persists, even daring to pay attention to Conte's mistress Jean Wallace. Wilde eventually comes by the evidence he needs to bring the law down of Conte's operation. The best scene in the film -- indeed, one...