All the King's Men (1949 film)

This article is about the 1949 film. For other uses, see All the King's Men (disambiguation).

All the King's Men
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRobert Rossen
Screenplay byRobert Rossen
Based onAll the King's Men
1946 novel
by Robert Penn Warren
Produced byRobert Rossen
StarringBroderick Crawford
Joanne Dru
John Ireland
John Derek
Mercedes McCambridge
CinematographyBurnett Guffey
Edited byAl Clark
Robert Parrish
Music byLouis Gruenberg
Production
company
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release dates
  • November 8, 1949 (1949-11-08) (New York premiere)
  • January 1950 (1950-01) (U.S.)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million[1]
Box office$4.2 million (rentals)[1]

All the King's Men is a 1949 American political drama film written, produced, and directed by Robert Rossen. It is based on Robert Penn Warren's Pulitzer Prize-winning[2] 1946 novel of the same name. It stars Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge, and Joanne Dru. The film centers on the rise and fall of Willie Stark, an idealistic-but-ruthless politician in the American South,[3] patterned after Louisiana Governor Huey Long.[4]

Released by Columbia Pictures on November 8, 1949, the film received widespread acclaim from critics, and was a commercial success. At the 22nd Academy Awards the film was nominated for seven Oscars and won three; Best Picture, Best Actor for Crawford, and Best Supporting Actress for McCambridge, making an impressive film debut. The film also won five Golden Globes, and was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 11th Venice International Film Festival.

In 2001, All the King's Men was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.[5]

Plot

Reporter Jack Burden is sent on assignment to write about Willie Stark, running for county treasurer in an unnamed Southern state. Stark campaigns against the corruption of local politicians. Burden meets Stark and his family and writes an inspiring story on Stark's honesty and courage. Using their power, including sway over the police, the local political machine shuts out Stark. After his loss, Stark earns a law degree. When a shoddily-constructed school in his county experiences a structural collapse that kills 12 students during a fire drill, voters regret not voting for Stark. He wins a lawsuit against the county, leading to a statewide investigation. Stark uses this to build political momentum and is eventually drafted as a necessary spoiler candidate for Governor.

Stark embarks on the campaign trail with Burden and Sadie Burke, installed as a mole by the frontrunner. Initially Stark speaks obtusely and plainly about a balanced budget plan for the state, and his campaign falters. But after Sadie reveals the truth of his candidacy, Stark gives impassioned speeches. Burden continues reporting on the campaign, but resigns after being ordered not to write positively about Stark. Ultimately Stark loses, but draws large grassroots support from the rural areas of the state as he identifies as one of them – a fooled "hick."

Over the next four years, Stark campaigns, and makes backroom deals to gain influence and campaign funds. Meanwhile, Burden has a tough time finding a job until Stark hires him to do opposition research. Stark and Burden go back to Burden's home to convince Burden's friends and family to support Stark. Skeptical of his alleged deals and big promises, Adam, brother of Burden's girlfriend, Anne Stanton, asks questions and is unconvinced. However, sensing his demagogic magnetism, Anne believes in Stark. Stark promises a free hand as State Attorney General to Anne's uncle, the honest Judge Stanton, and promises to put Adam in charge of a new hospital. Stark wins in a landslide and is portrayed in newsreels as either a messiah or a dictator.

During his time as Governor, Stark wields power in aggressive and corrupt ways as Burden develops a black book of biographical leverage to extract political favors and votes in support of Stark's agenda. Stark covers up a scandal by a member of his administration, after which Judge Stanton resigns as Attorney General and publicly asserts Stark's corruption. Stark's loss of morals, and alienation from his former self, is exacerbated as he philanders with women, including Anne and Sadie. Feeling the pressure of his father's status, Stark's adopted college-aged son Tommy copes by drinking. Following a football practice where Stark berates Tommy for drinking, Tommy gets drunk and crashes his car, injuring himself and killing his female passenger. To combat the bad press, Stark pressures Tommy into a game despite him not being fully recovered. During the game, Tommy takes a rough hit, is severely injured, and rushed to hospital. Stark, blaming himself for Tommy's injury, initially demanded a specialist, but owing to the pressure of time, has no choice but for Adam to operate. As Adam warned beforehand, Tommy ends up a paraplegic.

Burden gives Anne evidence of Judge Stanton's possible past wrongdoing that Burden has buried out of respect for the judge. Stark begins his re-election campaign by visiting his estranged family. While there, Judge Stanton publicly blames Stark for the suspicious death of the father of the girl in Tommy's car accident after the father refused Stark's bribe to make it go away. Stark is impeached. The judge controls how certain senators will vote at the trial. Stark issues orders to "turn the yokels out" to demonstrate on his behalf and it is expected that he will use the state militia to remain in power. Stark visits Judge Stanton in an attempt to strongarm him into releasing his senators with Burden's evidence, which was given him by Anne. Judge Stanton commits suicide and the impeachment ends with Stark's acquittal.

At Stark's public celebration, distraught over the pressure put on Judge Stanton, Adam shoots Stark, in the belief that the only reason he was appointed hospital director was because his sister was Willie Stark's mistress. Having lost all respect for Stark, Burden tries to persuade Anne to help him destroy Stark's reputation. Stark dies on the steps of the capitol bemoaning his lost opportunity for the presidency and wondering why this had to happen to him.

Cast

Production

Writing

Before Robert Rossen was hired, Norman Corwin adapted Robert Penn Warren's novel All the King's Men into a screenplay. A Writers Guild arbitration board later awarded sole screenwriting credit to Rossen.

Rossen's script makes several changes to the novel, including shifting the main story perspective from reporter Jack Burden, the novel's narrator, to Willie Stark himself.[7][8] The film also removes any direct references to the state in which the film is set, as well as specificities of Southern American politics. Brian Neve, writing for Cinéaste, noted that this helps to "universalize" Stark's story.[8]

Casting

Rossen originally offered the starring role to John Wayne, who found the script unpatriotic and indignantly refused the part. Broderick Crawford took the role and won the 1949 Academy Award for Best Actor, beating out Wayne, who was nominated for Sands of Iwo Jima.

The casting of Crawford was considered risky, as he was not a leading man, nor a box office draw, but primarily a character actor. Columbia Pictures chief Harry Cohn favored Spencer Tracy, but Rossen rejected this, thinking the audience would find Tracy too likable.[9] Rossen felt that Crawford's burly appearance and "tough guy" demeanor were well-suited to portray Stark as both everyman and demagogue. Crawford was so enthusiastic for the role that he took only half of his usual fee.[9] To prepare, Crawford studied newsreel footage and voice recordings of Huey Long, though he noted the studio had an unspoken rule against mentioning the late Governor's death on set.

John Derek had just made Knock on Any Door for Columbia. He and Crawford would be reunited in several more films.[10]

Filming locations

The film was shot using local residents on location, rare in Hollywood at the time.[11][12] The scene early in the film, in which Stark is arrested for unauthorized public speaking, was filmed at the old plaza in Suisun City, California, and the officer who warns and then arrests Stark was played by the local Sheriff, A.C. Tillman.[12]

A house in nearby Fairfield was used for the exterior of Stark's house. Sets closely based on photos of the actual interiors of the house were built in the nearby M & M Skateway (now gone) for indoor scenes. The elementary school was local but no longer exists.[12]

The old San Joaquin County courthouse in Stockton, built in 1898 and demolished a decade after the film's release, was featured prominently.

Don Siegel worked on the film as an uncredited second unit director.[8]

Editing

Paul Tatara, writing for TCM, describes the film as "one of those pictures that was saved in the editing".[13] Al Clark, the original editor, had difficulty making a coherent version in the original cut, because so much footage was shot.[13] Rossen and Columbia Studios head Harry Cohn hired Robert Parrish to make changes.[13] However, Parrish's efforts proved unsuccessful as Rossen stayed heavily involved and the film was still over four hours long following several weeks of editing.[13] Cohn almost released this cut before Rossen told Parrish, "Select what you consider to be the center of each scene, put the film in the synch machine and wind down a hundred feet before and a hundred feet after, and chop it off, regardless of what's going on. Cut through dialogue, music, anything. Then, when you're finished, we'll run the picture and see what we've got."[13]

After All the King's Men won its Academy Award for Best Picture, Harry Cohn repeatedly gave Parrish credit for saving the film.[13] Although Clark is credited as the film's editor (with Parrish being credited as editorial advisor), both Clark and Parrish received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Film Editing.

Reception

Critical response

The film received wide acclaim upon its release. Film critic Bosley Crowther lauded the film and its direction in his review, writing, "Robert Rossen has written and directed, as well as personally produced, a rip-roaring film of the same title ... We have carefully used that descriptive as the tag for this new Columbia film because a quality of turbulence and vitality is the one that it most fully demonstrates ... In short, Mr. Rossen has assembled in this starkly unprettified film a piece of pictorial journalism that is remarkable for its brilliant parts."[14] Critic William Brogdon, writing for Variety magazine, was also complimentary and praised Broderick Crawford's work, "As the rural Abe Lincoln, springing up from the soil to make himself a great man by using the opinionless, follow-the-leader instinct of the more common voter, Broderick Crawford does a standout performance. Given a meaty part, his histrionic bent wraps it up for a great personal success adding much to the many worthwhile aspects of the drama."[15] It won an Associated Press poll in 1950 as the best film of 1949, and Broderick Crawford was regarded as the best actor in that same poll.[16]

On Rotten Tomatoes, All the King's Men holds a rating of 97% based on 70 reviews, with an average rating of 8.10/10. The consensus summarizes: "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."[17]

Later analysis

Film historian Spencer Selby calls the film "[A] hard-hitting noir adaptation of Warren's eloquent novel".[18] Joe Goldberg, film historian and former story editor for Paramount Pictures, wrote about the content of the plot and its noirish fatalistic conclusion, "The plot makes sense, the dialogue is memorable, the story arises from the passions and ideas of the characters. It deals with graft, corruption, love, drink and betrayal, and the subversion of idealism by power, and it might even make someone angry... The story moves toward its conclusion with the dark inevitability of film noir."[19] Author Harry Keyishian wonders if Willie Stark is "a good man corrupted by the political process, or a bad one whose inherent vice emerges when he gets a chance for power."[4]

Accolades

In 2001, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[20][5] The Academy Film Archive preserved All the King's Men in 2000.[21] As of 2025, it is the last Best Picture winner to be based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

Academy Awards 1949

See also: 22nd Academy Awards

All the King's Men received seven Academy Awards nominations, winning three.[22]

Award Result Winner
Best Motion Picture Won Robert Rossen Productions Columbia (Robert Rossen, Producer)
Best Director Nominated Robert Rossen
Winner was Joseph L. Mankiewicz – A Letter to Three Wives
Best Actor Won Broderick Crawford
Best Supporting Actor Nominated John Ireland
Winner was Dean Jagger – Twelve O'Clock High
Best Supporting Actress Won Mercedes McCambridge
Best Writing, Screenplay Nominated Robert Rossen
Winner was Joseph L. Mankiewicz – A Letter to Three Wives
Best Film Editing Nominated Robert Parrish and Al Clark
Winner was Harry W. Gerstad – Champion

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Wall St. Researchers' Cheery Tone". Variety. November 7, 1962. p. 7.
  2. ^ "Walter Winchell". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. June 18, 1949. p. 2. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  3. ^ All the King's Men at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films.
  4. ^ a b Keyishian, Harry (2003). Screening Politics – The Politician in American Movies. Scarecrow Press. pp. 18, 20. ISBN 9780810858824.
  5. ^ a b "Complete National Film Registry Listing | Film Registry | National Film Preservation Board | Programs | Library of Congress". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  6. ^ "All the King's Men". AFI|Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  7. ^ Goldberg, Joe (September 23, 2006). "All the King's (Original) Men". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c "Populism and Politics in Robert Penn Warren and Robert Rossen's All the King's Men". Cineaste Magazine. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "All the King's Men – Hollywood's Golden Age". www.hollywoodsgoldenage.com. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  10. ^ Vagg, Stephen (November 5, 2024). "The Cinema of John Derek, Movie Star". Filmink. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  11. ^ Higham, Charles; Greenberg, Joel (1968). Hollywood in the Forties. London: A. Zwemmer Limited. p. 79. ISBN 0-302-00477-7.
  12. ^ a b c "Back in the Day: 'All the King's Men' the king of movies filmed locally". May 29, 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Tatara, Paul. "All the King's Men". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  14. ^ Crowther, Bosley (November 9, 1949). "' All the King's Men,' Columbia Film Based on the Novel by Warren, at Victoria". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  15. ^ Brogdon, William (November 9, 1949). "All the King's Men". Variety. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  16. ^ Handsaker, Gene (January 30, 1950). "'All the King's Men' Voted Best 1949 Movie by Writers". Reading Eagle. p. 3. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  17. ^ "All the King's Men". Rotten Tomatoes.
  18. ^ Selby, Spencer. Dark City: The Film Noir. All the King's Men, listed as film noir #8, pg. 127. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland Publishing, 1984. ISBN 0-89950-103-6.
  19. ^ Goldberg, Joe (September 23, 2006). "All the King's (Original) Men". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  20. ^ "Librarian of Congress Names 25 More Films to National Film Registry". Library of Congress. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  21. ^ "Preserved Projects". Academy Film Archive.
  22. ^ "1950 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". www.oscars.org. October 3, 2014. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2023.

Bibliography

Silver, Alain and James Ursini (editors). Film Noir: Reader 2. All the King's Men film noir themes discussed in essay, "Violence and the Bitch Goddess" by Stephen Farber, pgs. 54–55 (1974). Proscenium Publishers, Inc., New York (July 2003). Second Limelight Edition. ISBN 0-87910-280-2.

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