All the King’s Men (1949)

My Review

The Best Picture of 1949 is…..”All the King’s Men.” This is a biopic on the rise and fall of Willie Stark, based on the life of Louisiana Governor and Senator Huey Long (1893-1935). The film shows his beginnings as an idealistic country lawyer who transforms into a corrupt politician. Director-screenwriter Robert Rossen (“The Hustler” 1961) put together this classic film with great production values, excellent performances, and top-notch writing.

The cast includes Broderick Crawford as Stark, John Ireland, Joanne Dru, John Derek, Mercedes McCambridge, Anne Seymour, Paul Ford, and Raymond Greenleaf as Judge Stanton. “All the King’s Men” was successful in theatrical release for producer Robert Rossen and Columbia Pictures. It was filmed in Stockton and Fairfield, California.

This black-and-white film with a 110 minute running time was nominated for seven Academy Awards with three wins – Best Picture, Best Actor (Crawford), and Best Supporting Actress (McCambridge). Non-winners include Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Ireland), Best Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.