The Big Combo, 1955

The Big Combo is a 1955 American crime film noir directed by Joseph H. Lewis, written by Philip Yordan and photographed by cinematographer John Alton, with music by David Raksin.

The film stars Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte and Brian Donlevy, as well as Jean Wallace, who was Wilde’s wife at the time. The supporting cast features Lee Van Cleef, Earl Holliman and the final screen appearance of actress Helen Walker. The Big Combo received positive reviews from critics.

While the film’s title cards feature a copyright claim, a notice was not properly filed. In 2007 the United States Copyright Office ultimately rejected the notice, leaving the film in the public domain.