All the King's Men

1949 · 109 min · EN · NR · 6.9 (192 votes)

Dir. Robert Rossen · Starring John Ireland, Broderick Crawford, Joanne Dru, John Derek, Mercedes McCambridge, Shepperd Strudwick · Music Louis Gruenberg

“He Might Have Been A Pretty Good Guy . . . If Too Much Power . . . And Women . . . Hadn't Gone To his Head !”

Drama

A man of humble beginnings and honest intentions rises to power by nefarious means. Along for the wild ride are an earnest reporter, a heretofore classy society girl, and a too-clever-for-her-own-good political flack.

VIBE

A gripping, morally complex descent into the corrupting nature of power. This classic drama feels like a smoky backroom deal, a relentless pursuit of ambition that leaves you questioning everything you thought you knew about politics and the men who wield it.

grittycynicalintensesombersteadyclassic Hollywood dramapolitical thrillerblack and whiteperiod piecepowercorruptionambitionmorality

newspapergovernorbased on novel or booksouthern usapoliticspoliticianrise and fallreporterblack and whitepolitical assassinationcorrupt politicianhickpreserved film