---
title: "The Big Heat: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-big-heat/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-big-heat"
critics_score: 80
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Big Heat (1953): what the critics said

Critics' score 80 from 8 reviews: 6 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative.

Most critics respond warmly to The Big Heat, with praise concentrated on Lang’s taut direction, sustained suspense and strong performances. Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame receive repeated attention, while the film’s violence remains central to accounts of its impact. The reviews also value its unsentimental approach: precise, shadow-rich images and a believable screenplay help make the thriller forceful without softening its characters.

Reservations concern conventional plotting, emotional distance and how well the shocks endure. Some critics still find the violence disturbing; others consider it comparatively tame by modern standards. The Los Angeles Times admires Lee Marvin’s threatening performance but finds dated contrivances and a weak ending. The available verdicts range from qualified approval to strong enthusiasm, with no outright negative assessment recorded. Two entries lack accessible critical judgements, however, so their lower scores offer no clear explanation of the dissent.

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Rating 5/5. 24 November 2017. 

Bradshaw calls the film a taut, violent classic that retains its shocking power. He singles out Gloria Grahame’s performance and the film’s most shocking moment.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/24/the-big-heat-review-fritz-lang-1953-thriller-shocking-power)

## Slant Magazine — Chuck Bowen

Rating 4.5/5. 3 July 2025. 

Bowen praises the film as a hard-boiled American classic whose unsentimental approach gives its ending a moment of genuine human communion. He singles out Lang’s precise, shadow-rich visual style and praises the Criterion 4K restoration and supplements.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/the-big-heat-4k-uhd-blu-ray-review-fritz-lang/)

## Sight and Sound — Lindsay Anderson

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 24 November 2017. 

Anderson finds the film an extremely good, satisfying thriller, despite a few conventional elements and Lang’s detached viewpoint. He praises its taut direction and singles out the performances of Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/big-heat-archive-review-fritz-lang-returns-with-masterful-thriller)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 1953. 

The review is strongly positive, praising the film’s believable screenplay and forceful direction. It singles out Lang’s taut suspense and the strong performances, especially Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1952/film/reviews/the-big-heat-2-1200417395/)

## Radio Times — Tony Sloman

Rating 4/5. 

Sloman finds that this classic noir still packs a punch, despite seeming tame by today’s standards. He praises Glenn Ford’s performance and singles out the restored film’s once-censored coffee scene.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-gc4aw5/the-big-heat/)

## Los Angeles Times — MARK CHALON SMITH

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 1991. 

The critic considers the film a classic of noir despite dated plot contrivances and a weak ending. He especially praises Lee Marvin’s steely, creepy performance as the murderous thug.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-02-07-ol-889-story.html)

## The New York Times — Bosley Crowther

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 1953. 

The accessible page does not expose the critic’s verdict. It also provides no praise or complaint to identify.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1953/10/15/archives/the-screen-in-review-the-big-heat-has-premiere-at-the-criterion.html)

## Time Out — WH

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The page labels this as a review, but the critic’s verdict is unavailable because no article text was supplied. No specific praise or complaint can be identified from the available material.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-big-heat)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-big-heat.md