How did I end up in this mess? Publisher Earl Janoth (played by Charles Laughton) kills his lover during an outburst of anger. He then uses every resource at his disposal to frame another man who was seen nearby. George Stroud (Ray Milland), the editor of Janoth’s magazine, Crimeways, is assigned to track down this mysterious individual. Things get complicated when he discovers that as he investigates, all signs point toward himself being set up! While it can be classified as film noir, The Big Clock has something for everyone. Directed by John Farrow, who deserves more recognition, the movie shares similarities with Alfred Hitchcock’s “wrong man” narratives. Adapted from a novel by Kenneth Fearing, Farrow and writer Jonathan Latimer have created a story that is both full of twists and stands out due to how it's presented, leading to a clever and suspenseful conclusion. Like the best film noir has to offer, The Big Clock features an elaborate plot filled with questionable people and sexual uncertainty. Led by Laughton’s domineering and unfaithful Janoth (apparently inspired by real-life publisher Henry Luce), the movie includes characters like what appears to be a gay man with scars (George Macready) and a tough masseur working as a bodyguard (Harry Morgan in an unexpected role). Only in film noir can such people exist and be so captivating within the story. The movie is also surprisingly funny, especially when Elsa Lanchester portrays the eccentric artist Louise Patterson; I nearly lost my seat laughing during one scene where she submits a sketch of the wanted man—Picasso would have approved! Ultimately, it’s the narrative itself and Ray Milland's performance in bringing it to life that make it worthwhile. Despite some minor issues, like Maureen O’ Sullivan’s character, Stroud’s wife Georgette, being underutilized, which makes their marital problems feel unnecessary, The Big Clock remains a well-made film with interesting themes about time (which each viewer may interpret differently) set against the backdrop of a media empire. It was successfully remade in 1987 as a political thriller (No Way Out), but The Big Clock is still the one to see. With elements of crime, mystery, drama, comedy and suspense, it offers something for everyone—even if it’s fundamentally a film noir experience. 9/10

Source on TMDB