Picture 22: All the King's Men (1949)

Robert Rossen’s 1949 creation gets the nod from Oscar this year. 1948 created a top four performance. Can the Best Pictures keep up the momentum?

We follow the rise and fall of politician Willie Stark in the American South. At the start of the film, he is a rising political star and rightly so. He speaks with great honesty, passion and compassion for the people. He is justifiably elected governor after years of local campaigns and trying to build political momentum.

However, viewers hoping to finally see a good, honest, straightforward man in politics will be sorely disappointed. Once in power, he behaves atrociously. He blackmails judges, covers up scandals, has affairs and drinks during working hours. Power corrupts.

His family can’t stand him and eventually the populous can’t either. Why did he even bother slaving away in local politics for years if this was his end goal? Baffling.

The story in itself is intriguing and well acted. However, Willie’s dramatic, inexplicable character shift occurs in less than 1 minute of screen time and is as confusing as it is depressing. It doesn’t feel real and therefore loses its capability to entertain.

It doesn’t even get into the top 20 and there have only been 22 movies so far. Awkward.

Rating:

5/10

Reflections:

1. Power can corrupt even those who start out with good morals and values.

Oscar Best Picture Rankings:

1. Casablanca (1943)

2. Rebecca (1940)

3. Lost Weekend (1945)

4. Hamlet (1948)

5. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

6. Gone With the Wind (1939)

7. Mrs. Miniver (1942)

8. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

9. Wings (1928)

10. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

11. You can’t take it with you (1938)

12. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

13. Cimarron (1931)

14. Grand Hotel (1932)

15. It Happened One Night (1934)

16. Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

17. Cavalcade (1933)

18. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

19. Going My Way (1944)

20. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

21. All the King’s Men (1949)

22. The Broadway Melody (1929)

With credit to the patrons of the Best Picture Film Club:

Dr Sophie Bloomfield

Dr Caspar Briault

Dr Fionnuala Durrant