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The Big Clock
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Ray Milland as George Stroud stands behind a control panel in a dimly lit, circular room with metal railings and a spiral staircase in The Big Clock (1948).
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Ray Milland as George Stroud stands behind a control panel in a dimly lit, circular room with metal railings and a spiral staircase in The Big Clock (1948).
The Big Clock Ray Milland in The Big Clock (1948), directed by John Farrow.

The Big Clock

film by Farrow [1948]
Written by
Lee Pfeiffer
Author/co-author of numerous books about the cinema and is regarded as one of the foremost James Bond scholars. His book The Essential Bond: An Authorized Guide to the World of 007 (written with...
Lee Pfeiffer
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

The Big Clock, American film noir, released in 1948, that was a classic of the genre. It was noted for its unexpected plot twists and strong performances, especially those by Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester. Earl Janoth (played by Laughton) is a tyrannical publishing magnate who murders his mistress and then insinuates that one of his employees, George Stroud (Ray Milland), is the actual culprit. Stroud—a star reporter for Laughton’s crime magazine who has built...

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