All the King's Men 4K 1949 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

Mason City, 1939. Far-right politician Willie Stark seeks monopoly power in his state. His trained team of professional journalists and analysts, using any means - forgery, deceit, dirty blackmail, violence and extortion, leads their leader to victory in the elections. Stark owns everything in the state - from modest real estate to giant factories. He is omnipotent and has his sights set on the highest echelons of power.

Review 4K Movie

Discussing this movie with the masses of today, I note that it forms a space between Stone's 'Nixon' and 'House of Cards'. And returning to the years of the tape's creation, it is inevitable to see a roll call with the kind and nice Mr. Smith, who came to Washington from Frank Capra. As in a crooked mirror, instead of following an honest and principled politician improving everything around him, we find ourselves in the universe of a cynical charismatic who takes every possible advantage to achieve power and later to hold on to it. The frustrations of those around him, the suppression of his own family, and direct hints of bloody criminality are very clearly shown here. But, in all of this, the movie is inherently as optimistic as Capra's picture. The point is that if Capra's Mr. Smith can change the space around him for the better, in Rossen's film there are virtually no scoundrels among all the people surrounding Stark. In other words, Rossen shows that the imperfection of the system can bring a charismatic criminal to the head of the state, but people will simply reject him.

Definitely, the movie is not perfect. There's a lot of caricature in the portrayal of Stark. There's some edifying denunciation that simplifies everything that's going on. But, for all that, we get an interesting and lively action that has had a great impact on the political movie genre. The charisma of Will Stark, played by Broderick Crawford, now goes from movie to movie, and in real life from one criticized politician to another. Which means the movie deserves attention.

And before I wrap up this review, I can't help but share two questions of my own that have yet to be answered. Who would Stark have looked like if Alain Resnais had directed the movie? Why did the workaholic Rossen take the easiest route possible, creating a caricature of Stark, demonizing him and simply not noticing the criminal acquiescence of his family, the elite, the legal system and everyone else around him?