George Stroud (played by Ray Milland) is a protagonist in The Big Clock.
Editor-in-chief of Crimeways magazine who becomes the unwitting target of his own boss's murder coverup. After accidentally being seen leaving the apartment of Janoth's mistress, he is framed for her murder. He reluctantly accepts a reassignment to lead the internal manhunt against himself, secretly investigating while evading building security and ultimately hiding in the lobby's massive clock to confront the culprits. Earl Janoth (played by Charles Laughton) appears in The Big Clock.
Tyrannical publisher and George Stroud's boss at Janoth Publications. He murders his mistress Pauline York with a sundial after misidentifying George leaving her apartment. To avoid arrest, he manipulates his assistant into helping him frame the mystery man and uses his magazine's resources for a private manhunt. His greed and deception lead to his downfall when he is shot by Hagen and falls to his death. Pauline York (played by Rita Johnson) appears in The Big Clock.
Janoth's glamorous mistress who attempts to blackmail him alongside George Stroud. After George leaves her apartment in the dark, Janoth mistakes him for a lover and strikes Pauline with a sundial, killing her. She is later identified by witnesses who recall seeing her in the city with the mystery man, triggering the internal investigation. Louise Patterson (played by Elsa Lanchester) appears in The Big Clock.
An eccentric artist who created a painting purchased by George Stroud. She is brought in to sketch a portrait of the mystery man during the witness lineup but instead produces an abstract modernist painting of blobs and swirls, reflecting her unconventional artistic style and serving as a key visual clue in the investigation.
The Big Clock (1948) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
George Stroud
(played by Ray Milland) — protagonist
Editor-in-chief of Crimeways magazine who becomes the unwitting target of his own boss's murder coverup. After accidentally being seen leaving the apartment of Janoth's mistress, he is framed for her...
Earl Janoth
(played by Charles Laughton) — supporting
Tyrannical publisher and George Stroud's boss at Janoth Publications. He murders his mistress Pauline York with a sundial after misidentifying George leaving her apartment. To avoid arrest, he manipul...
Pauline York
(played by Rita Johnson) — supporting
Janoth's glamorous mistress who attempts to blackmail him alongside George Stroud. After George leaves her apartment in the dark, Janoth mistakes him for a lover and strikes Pauline with a sundial, ki...
Louise Patterson
(played by Elsa Lanchester) — supporting
An eccentric artist who created a painting purchased by George Stroud. She is brought in to sketch a portrait of the mystery man during the witness lineup but instead produces an abstract modernist pa...
Key Relationships
Pauline York → Louise Patterson
(Social Art Connection)
Earl Janoth → Louise Patterson
(Professional Indirect Target)
George Stroud → Louise Patterson
(Professional Customer/Artist)
Earl Janoth → Pauline York
(Romantic Lovers)
George Stroud → Pauline York
(Romantic Lovers)
George Stroud → Earl Janoth
(Professional Boss)
Story Analysis
A framed editor must hunt himself while trapped in a locked building, exposing his boss's murder through clever evasion and confrontation.
