The thing about addiction movies is that they tend to come off like extended PSAs. I'm not saying that they shouldn't exist, but I am saying that you need to bring either a new perspective or some unique stylizations in order to keep everything from feeling cliche.
But while the former is mostly what you expect (once Frankie steps off the bus and starts bragging about how clean he is, you know where things are headed), Preminger accomplishes the latter through some cool backlot sets, consistent camera movement, and jazzy scoring. It's not the kind of atmosphere you'd expect to find in this kind of drama, but it's hectic and grimy enough to work.
What also works is the performances, Sinatra's especially. Even though his arc plays out somewhat predictably, he manages to sell it all with terrified expressions and wavering deliveries. The movie never hits quite as hard as, say, The Lost Weekend, and it sure takes a while to get going, but it's a daring endeavour all the same, with enough earnestness and twisty storytelling to keep the subject matter interesting.
Grade: B+
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