ALL THE KING'S MEN (1949)

Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, John Ireland

ALL THE KING'S MEN (1949). Director: Robert Rossen.

All the King's Men traces the parallel rise and fall of Willie Stark (Broderick Crawford of Scandal Sheet) and a reporter, Jack Burden (John Ireland), who's covering his story as he goes up against seemingly impossible odds to become governor. Just as Stark wants to prove himself to the public and his cronies, Jack needs to prove himself to his fiancee, Anne (Joanne Dru), who has been raised by her presumably incorruptible uncle, Judge Stanton (Raymond Greenleaf of Over-Exposed). Stark, however, is certainly not incorruptible, as power goes to his head and his path leads inexorably to tragedy. Others in his orbit include his wife (Anne Seymour); his mistress-associate, Sadie (Mercedes McCambridge); his son, Tom (John Derek); and Anne's brother, Adam (Shepperd Strudwick of Three Husbands). All the King's Men is an absorbing and well-acted film, although none of the players. including Crawford, are especially outstanding (although Crawford and McCambridge won Oscars, along with the picture itself). Ralph Dumke and Walter Burke have smaller roles. The score is by Louis Gruenberg, and Burnett Guffey is director of photography. A similar plot was used for the later A Lion is in the Streets, in which James Cagney also played a Willie Stark-type. Remade in 2006.

Verdict: Solid drama with an interesting cast. ***.

SO ENDS OUR NIGHT

SO ENDS OUR NIGHT (1941). Director: John Cromwell.

"When she dies, I'm done for anyway."

Based on Erich Maria Remarque's novel Flotsam this deals with the plight of Jewish and other political refugees from Germany just before the Nazi occupation of Austria, and then France. Josef Steiner (Fredric March) is wanted by German authorities for political actions and is afraid that his wife (Frances Dee), whom he must leave behind when he flees, will suffer because of his actions. Their long-distance relationship takes a back seat to the burgeoning love affair between two of Steiner's friends, Ludwig (Glenn Ford) and Ruth (Margaret Sullavan), both of whom are Jewish. As we see the difficulties these and others have because they are official non-persons without passports, the film builds up to a situation in which both couples are in crisis, cruelly separated, with Steiner and Ruth each racing desperately to be with the one person in the world they love above all others. Ford and Sullavan make a more compelling team than you would imagine, and March, while he "acts" a bit too much, has some excellent moments as well; Sullavan is as splendid as ever. Dee hasn't as much to do as the others but makes full use of a very expressive face. There are a host of fine character actors as well, including Erich von Stoheim as a German police officer. This film is yet another that shows that Glenn Ford was not just a merely competent pretty-boy, but an accomplished and versatile performer. Louis Gruenberg's score is a little weird at times, but overall is very effective. Two scenes stand out: Ludwig trying to sell some meagre possessions to two extremely weird old sisters, and an unexpected and very dramatic murder-suicide that comes late in the picture.

Verdict: Imperfect, perhaps, but intelligent, adult fare with fine performances. ***1/2.