Definition
The Big Clock is a title applied to several distinct cultural and architectural entities, most notably a 1948 American film noir, a 1946 novel by Kenneth Fearing, and a prominent public clock sculpture formerly situated on the façade of the former New York Daily News building at 220 Madison Avenue, New York City.
Overview
- Novel (1946) – The Big Clock is a crime novel written by American author Kenneth Fearing. The narrative follows George Stroud, a man whose career in a publishing house is jeopardized after he is ordered to locate a missing woman, leading him into a web of corporate intrigue and murder.
- Film (1948) – The novel was adapted into a film of the same name, directed by John Farrow and released by Paramount Pictures. Starring Ray Milland, Rita Johnson, and Glenn Ford, the movie is noted for its tight pacing and expressionist visual style, exemplifying classic film‑noir conventions.
- Architectural Feature (1930s‑2017) – The term also refers to a large, illuminated clock mounted on the west façade of the Daily News Building, an Art Deco skyscraper completed in 1930. The clock, measuring roughly 10 feet in diameter, became a recognized landmark within Manhattan’s Times Square area until the building’s demolition in 2017.
Etymology/Origin
The phrase “big clock” is a straightforward descriptive compound, combining the adjective big (denoting large size) with clock (a device for measuring and indicating time). Its usage as a proper noun derives from the prominence of the physical clock on the Daily News Building and its metaphorical resonance as a symbol of temporal pressure in the novel and film’s plots.
Characteristics
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Literary form | Crime thriller novel; 274 pages; published by Random House (1946). |
| Film attributes | Runtime: 99 minutes; black‑and‑white cinematography; music by Victor Young; screenplay by Jonathan Latimer (based on Fearing’s novel). |
| Clock sculpture | Constructed of steel and glass; illuminated with neon; integrated into the building’s Art Deco façade; served as a time‑keeping and advertising element for the Daily News. |
| Cultural impact | The novel contributed to post‑war hard‑boiled fiction; the film is frequently cited in academic analyses of noir; the clock became a visual motif in photographs and films depicting mid‑20th‑century New York. |
Related Topics
- Film noir – a cinematic style characterized by cynical heroes, stark lighting, and moral ambiguity, of which The Big Clock (film) is a classic example.
- Kenneth Fearing – American poet and novelist known for socially conscious works; author of the source novel.
- Art Deco architecture – the architectural style of the Daily News Building, which housed the famed clock.
- Public timepieces – large clocks installed on buildings for communal time‑keeping, e.g., the “Big Ben” in London.
Note: While each of these items shares the same title, they are separate works and objects; the term “The Big Clock” does not denote a single, unified concept.