Sorry this is going up so late in the day. Normally, I have something drafted during the week so it's ready to go on Saturday but I fell behind this week.For my birthday, Rob got me a the Best Picture Collection from Columbia Pictures. This was the 1949 winner, which also took home Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
Journalist Jack Burden (John Ireland) is told by his editor to cover the local political race in Kanoma City. Running is a man named Willie Stark (Broderick Crawford), a bluff, honest, salt-of-the-earth guy with a passion against corruption. Willie loses this first election but Jack sees greatness in him. Later on, Willie is tapped to run for governor. It's merely a tactic by the opposition to split the rural vote by bringing in a charismatic but flawed candidate, but Willie learns fast and with consultant Sadie (Mercedes McCambridge) by his side, he catapults into the limelight. But absolute power corrupts absolutely, and it is not long before Jack realizes how far Willie is willing to go in the name of progress.
This is not by any means a happy movie but it is still an extremely well done one. Apparently the main character was based on Louisiana governor Huey Long, a man known for his rampant corruption and cronyism. I don't know what occasion you'd have to watch this; it's definitely not one of those "I'll just throw in something while I'm folding the laundry" kinds of movies. Maybe if you're taking a Civics class? Maybe political cautionary tales are your thing and you don't need a reason. Maybe you want to have a corruption double feature and watch this with The Ides of March. Up to you.
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