The Big Combo

Cornel Wilde is quite good as the detective charged with investigating a local crime boss (Richard Conte) who thus far has proved a bit Teflon. After a few years of this relentless pursuit, he has managed to fall for the hoodlum's lady (Susan Wallace) and his captain deduces that he has become too close to remain objective and so the case is to be stopped. That all changes when Conte's thugs accidentally kill the woman (instead of him) and it all becomes truly personal! It's a well directed, pacy and, at times, suspenseful crime drama from the pen of Philip Yordan that could perhaps have been just ten minutes shorter to tighten it up.