You are here:

The Big Clock

Name: The Big Clock
Director: John Farrow
Released: 1948
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

1948

Approved

Director

John Farrow

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The Big Clock is a sophisticated piece of film noir that delves into professional ethics and the corruptive influence of corporate power. It focuses on the tension between personal integrity and systemic greed. However, the film operates within the constraints of its time, reinforcing traditional social structures and lacking the multi-layered approach to diversity seen in contemporary cinema. While the psychological depth is notable, the narrative does not challenge conventional social or identity-based norms, maintaining a homogeneous social and racial composition.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Big Clock have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film adheres to a strict focus on straight relationships and does not include any depictions of LGBTQ+ identities or queer subtext.

How does The Big Clock portray gender?

Limited

The newsroom is portrayed as a male-dominated space where female characters mainly serve as romantic interests or moral guides rather than having independent roles in driving the plot.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Big Clock?

Minimal

The cast is predominantly white and Anglo-Saxon. The film does not intentionally include diverse racial backgrounds or use non-white characters to challenge societal norms.

How does The Big Clock represent religion and culture?

Fair

The narrative offers a nuanced look at corruption within a capitalist institution, but it frames this issue as a local moral failing rather than a broader systemic problem.

Does The Big Clock include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of visible or invisible disabilities among the main characters.

Present on Screen

Offers a sophisticated critique of institutional ethics and corporate corruption.
Provides significant psychological depth through its character-driven narrative.
Effectively explores the tension between individual integrity and systemic greed.

Limited or Absent

Lacks demographic breadth and multi-layered approaches to diversity.
Reinforces traditional patriarchal hierarchies within the professional setting.
Maintains a homogeneous social and racial landscape typical of its period.

Official Synopsis

George Stroud, a crime magazine's crusading editor, has to postpone a vacation with his wife - again - when a glamorous blonde is murdered and he is assigned by his publishing boss to find the killer. As the investigation proceeds to its conclusion, Stroud must try to disrupt his ordinarily brilliant investigative team as they increasingly build evidence that he is the killer.

How are these scores produced? →