The absolute highlights of the movie are Frank's rendition of "The Tender Trap" and then Debbie's. While not big musical productions, they are good songs that convey the character's emotions and advance the story well. It makes you wonder if the movie could have been improved by making it an out-and-out musical. Some Came Running

Some Came Running is a long bloated drama. Sinatra plays Dave Hirsh, a WWII vet, drifter, and former author. He returns to his hometown of Parktown after 16 years and causes quite a stir. He is an embarrassment to his brother Frank (Arthur Kennedy), a prominent figure in Parktown.

In town, he falls for a schoolteacher, Miss French (Martha Hyer). She wants to help him reconnect to his art, but is disgusted by his roguish ways. He tries to fit into her and his brother's world but is unable too.

Instead, he becomes fast friends with a gambler named Bama (Dean Martin). He also acquires a sort of girlfriend named Ginny (Shirley MacLaine). Ginny is a well-meaning girl but ditzy and with the reputation of a tramp. Trouble seems to follow him around when he is with them. Eventually, this leads to the tragic ending.

The movie is slow and the plot meanders. There are so many subplots and characters most of the minor character's stories feel barely told.

The heart of the movie is Shirley MacLaine's Ginny. She loves Dave even she does not understand him. She knows she is not as smart, pretty, or as rich as the schoolteacher. Dave gets annoyed at her for not being very bright and for following him around. MacLaine makes you feels Ginny's heartbreak from her unrequited love.

The movie claims to be a look at class differences and moral hypocrisy but is too boring to be much of anything.

The Man With the Golden Arm

In The Man With the Golden Arm, Sinatra plays Frankie Machine, a man who just returned from heroin rehab. In rehab, he learned he had a talent for drumming; he wants to leave his old life behind and become a professional drummer. His wife Zosch (Eleanor Parker) is crippled; he does not love her but will not leave her while she is helpless. He hopes he can make enough money as a drummer to get her better. Then, he plans to move on with his girlfriend Molly (Kim Novak).