All the King's Men

Apart from remaining a disturbingly relevant critique of politics and an insightful commentary on the double-edged sword of populism, it's also a damn fine slice of cinema. Carried by one of the better "power corrupts/rise and fall"-plots out there along with the magnetic acting of Crawford, the reliable Ireland and the grossly underrated McCambridge. It has the style of the old Hollywood with the bite of the new.

It won the Oscar for Best Picture, but it's a great film anyway

I have some issue with the film's ultimate message that corruption is inherent in politics, because no matter how aware I may be that this is true I have to believe it doesn't have to be. That aside it's a powerful film brilliantly written and performed that kept me engrossed from beginning to end and made me think.

This hits dirty these days. Rossen films this pathetic political noir without any of the expected romantic throes. We begin with a mob and end with a mob and death - and, every other life is destroyed. Sometimes, I’m in absolute terror of cinema. This, something over 70 years old, has so much resonance and shouts so much truth to our present “completely unforeseen” and “unprecedented” times, I’m not only ashamed but embarrassed by my stake in the naïveté. We still can’t put it together again.

Why have I never heard of Robert Rossen or Broderick Crawford? The pacing is great (if a bit rushed in the middle) for this political tragedy. Crawford earns his place among the best performances ever. With a different producer this may even have been a proto-Godfather trilogy or at least spread out over 2 great movies. Watching this I had timeless shades of LBJ and Nixon, the latter of whom got his own version. Fav scene: going back to his hometown only to stage a reunion photo.

One of the great Best Picture winners of the forties. The message may be a little simplistic ("populism is bad"), but it remains shockingly relevant in 2017. Anchored by splendid award-winning performances from Mercedes McCambridge and Broderick Crawford, this is a very entertaining, prescient watch.

A riveting story of politics and corruption that is directed with a sure hand by Rossen and held together by an oscar-winning performance from Broderick Crawford. The rest of the performances are all over the map, from great work by Mercedes McCambridge and John Ireland, to annoyingly shrill acting by Joanne Dru. There are a few moments that feel too on-the-nose, but for the most part it's a great political drama with a message that still speaks truth.

It's apparant that the story of the fall of a politician into corruption is so two toned that it loses it's bite, and it happens so quickly that you forget he wasn't an unlikable bastard in the first place. the writing is fine and the acting is good, but there's nothing here to really impress and there are far better movies from the 40's to use up your time.

All the King's Men is unjustly compared to Citizen Kane as the inferior political/power-hungry fall-from-power drama, but I think they are so different that it's almost unbelievable they'd be mentioned in the same sentence. All the King's Men is superbly acted by Broderick Crawford and written with honesty and passion, showing how corrupt men in power can be both excellent and damaging at the same time. It's a great movie that is perhaps a little short and lacks the fleshing out it could

Wow, what a powerhouse of a movie. It's on the nose and doesn't care, plowing on until the abrupt but well done ending.

It's a bit on the nose sometimes, but much of All the King's Men feels fairly fresh and relevant despite its age, as it paints a familiar story of an idealistic politician corrupted by power. Broderick Crawford turns in a masterful and deservedly Oscar-winning performance, bouncing between the powerful everyman personality that wins him governorship and then later in the film sliding into a more sinister and foreboding character.

Perhaps a bit overcut as the speed is just blazing, but it's every bit as relevant as it used to be.

Political noir Broderick Crawford makes believable as the crooked politician. We see his crooked ways through the eyes of his aid John Ireland in what eventually tears a close family apart while the many followers still chant for the corrupt presence. An always topical story, that we all know is still relevant today just about everywhere in the world. Robert Rossen brings a engaging story once again.

It's by no means a great film, but it moves along

A fascinating examination of American Democracy and Populism that's (terrifyingly) more relevant today than ever, with some powerhouse performances from Crawford, and severely underrated McCambridge. I'm amazed that a film this deeply cynical was able to win Best Picture, the Academy usually prefers hopeful, inspirational films, and this film couldn't be more different.

Flat, overly complicated political melodrama is perhaps ineveitably dated, however even viewed in its own contemporaneous historical context it fizzles, mainly due to a long-winded narrative which takes forever to come to its fairly obvious political points. Crawford is mostly fine, but seems to struggle with the 'fire and brimstone' aspects of his character; the real star is McCambridge in support who perfectly evokes the firebrand/dynamo character with class and style.

The archetypical story of the well-meaning commoner who becomes corrupt as he accumulates power. A very prescient look of the way politics is still run almost 75 years after it was made. Excellent performances from all the main protagonists, especially Oscar Winners Broderick Crawford and slick-talking Meredes McCambridge. First rating: 90 On second viewing: 98

Broderick Crawford is spellbinding as politician Willie Stark in director Robert Rossen's adaptation of the Robert Penn Warren novel about the corrosive effects of power on the human soul.

Sluggish political drama.

The story is interesting. I don't think there is a character in a film I've seen that you are rooting for at the beginning and rooting against at the end. I did think the film needed more conflict, which seems to be a common complaint for me about older film, but is works decently. I found myself wishing for better acting though, even though none of it was bad. Maybe I've been too spoiled by modern acting performances.

Is political corruption done by bad men or is it a necessary evil? Solid film with solid critique of populist politics.

There is little sense of the countryside or the South. But cinematographer Burnett Guffey fills the frame in packed compositions with sweaty faces and avid eyes - and that's where we come to Mercedes McCambridge as the politcal manager, Sadire Burke. She talks of being a smallpox victim and having a hard face as a result, and there are mirror scenes where she ruminates on her lack of beauty. You'd say she sterals the film, if there was enough to steal.

I thought I would really like this one, expecting a good corruption story like A Face in the Crowd. The acting is very good, especially Mercedes McCambridge, but the story simply didn't come together for me. I think part of the problem is that there's very little time spent with Willie as a nice guy. He becomes a corrupt politician so fast that I was unsure about the whole thing and I don't think it flowed too well either. Definitely could've been better.

Great portrayal of a politician's ego and values changing as he becomes more and more successful. Strong acting and a gripping story.

A very good movie of a great book. MacCambridge is intense, intelligence and nuanced, and only slightly better than Crawford (although I would have preferred someone who could sound like he came from the South). The screenplay lacks subtlety.

Miscast.

Moralistic rise-and-fall thing, reminded me a bit of Elia Kazan's A Face in the Crowd. Rossen has done much better.

Archetypal American political melodrama based on the life of southern senator Huey Long. The background is well sketched in and there are excellent performances, but the overall narrative is rather flabby.

"Win With Willie." Well deserved Oscar wins for Best Picture, Actor and Supporting Actress. Highly recommended.

Decent, if nothing special.

The plot, in which events run their course over several years, delivers great storytelling. Classical Hollywood cinema at its best.

Mercedes McCambridge is jaw-droppingly great here -- one of the best performances of the forties -- but on the whole it's pretty dull flick.