This is a movie with a scene that happens today – August 20. I hope you
enjoy this film and watch it tonight.
ALL THE KING’S MEN
Reporter Jack
Burden is sent to Konoma County to cover Willie Stark’s run for county
treasurer. He loses due to dirty tricks by the entrenched political opposition.
Burden comes from a wealthy family, but wants to be independent of his mother.
He is dating Anne, niece of Judge Stanton
and sister of Dr. Adam Stanton. Stark gets his law degree, then there is
an accident at a local school caused, many people belief by political graft.
This causes a firestorm of public discontent with the current politicians. Willie is recruited by some of the powers
that be to run for governor, splitting the reform vote and enabling the
establishment candidate to win. This is what happens, but Willie discovers he
can be an spellbinding political speaker. Burden quits his newspaper job. Four years later Willie runs for governor a
second time on a platform of building schools, hospitals, roads and taxing the
rich. However, he accepts campaign contributions, including $1,000 from the
Lorain Oil Company on August 20, 193___ [39:24 to 39:29] in exchange for later
political influence. Burden who now works for Willie, introduces him to his
wealthy friends and relations. Stark wins the election and proceeds, overcoming
a lot of opposition to carry out his program.
He also begins affairs with his henchwoman Sadie and more surprisingly
Anne Stanton. When Pillsbury, the state auditor is caught in a corruption
scandal, Stark refuses to let him be prosecuted, using the incident to gain
total control over Pillsbury. This causes Judge Stanton, who had been Attorney
General to resign. Stark orders Burden to ‘get something’ on the Judge. He
does, but after revealing the information to Anne, Burden promises her not to
use it. Then Willie Stark’s son is involved in a drunk driving wreck that kills
a young girl. Her father protests and suggests a cover-up, but he later
disappears amid allegations he was paid off. Stark forces his son to play
football against medical advice and he becomes paralyzed. Then the body of the
girl’s father is found, suggesting that Stark had him murdered. Judge Stanton
and others get Stark impeached. Stark
starts working to get enough votes to ensure his acquittal in his legislative
trial. Jack refuses to hand over the damaging info he has on the Judge, who
admits that it is true. Stark has discovered the damaging info about the judge,
who rather than knuckle under commits suicide. It is clear that Anne gave the
info to Stark. Willie is acquitted by the legislature. The judge’s son, Adam
Stanton assassinates Stark, but is in turn killed.
A film about the truth if the
adage, “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Stark began as
a man of the people but in the end finished up looking out for number one. This
movie suggests everyone has a skeleton in the closet and a price.
Date given in film at 39:27
Producer - Robert Rossen
Director - Robert Rossen
Awards – The film won the Best Picture, Best Actor(Crawford)
and Best Supporting
Actress(McCambridge) Oscars. It was also nominated for the Best Director,
Best
Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor(Ireland) and Best Film Editing Oscars
at
the 22nd Academy Awards
Screenplay - Robert Rossen
Runtime – 1 hour 49 minutes
Released – November 8, 1949
Starring –
Broderick Crawford as Willie Stark
John Ireland as Jack Burden
Joanne Dru as Anne Stanton
John Derek as Tom Stark
Mercedes McCambridge as Sadie Burke
Shepperd Strudwick as Adam Stanton
Ralph Dumke as Tiny Duffy
Anne Seymour as Mrs.
Lucy Stark
Katherine Warren as Mrs. Burden
Raymond Greenleaf as Judge Monte Stanton
Walter Burke as Sugar Boy
Will Wright as Dolph
Pillsbury
Grandon Rhodes as Floyd McEvoy
A.C Tillman as Sheriff
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