The Glass Key 1942
CLYDE MATTHEWS: “Isn’t all this beating likely to be fatal?
NICK VARNA: “Not unless we want it to be“
Directed by Stuart Heisler (Tulsa 1949, The Star 1952), penned for the screen by Jonathan Latimer based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett.
Alan Ladd is Ed Beaumont who sets out to find the truth behind his friend’s murder, and the divine sylph Veronica Lake is Janet Henry in this classic Noir Crime Drama!
Brain Donlevy (Kiss of Death 1947, Dangerous Assignment 1952)plays Paul Madvig who decides to clean up his past while running for re-election. He refuses to take any muscle from gangster Nick Varna (Joseph Calleia Gilda 1946, Touch of Evil 1958) Instead he throws his support behind politician Ralph Henry (Moroni Olsen)
Things heat up when Ralph’s gambling son, Taylor Henry played by Richard Denning, who loves Paul’s sister Opal Madvig, (Bonita Granville)is murdered.
Nick Varna takes advantage of the dire financial situation of The Observer to strong-arm publisher Clyde Matthews (Arthur Loft) to use his newspaper to crucify and create suspicion around Paul Madvig’s involvement in the murder. Also starring William Bendix.
Hey, Monstergirl, you’re a gal after my own heart! As a fan of Dashiell Hammett, film noir, and the great acting trio of Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, and Brian Donlevy, THE GLASS KEY is one of my own favorites! (I even blogged about it myself a while back). I enjoyed your memorable pictures, too! Terrific post!
Hey Dorian! Of course we’re fancy birds of a feather. I’ll have to read your post. I love Ladd and Lake together too! The Glass Key is also one of my favorites as well…Glad you stopped by The Drive In, always love your company here.
Thanks for your kind words as well as your interest in my TotED take on THE GLASS KEY, Monstergirl! Here’s the link:
http://doriantb.blogspot.com/2012/02/glass-key-littlest-gumshoe.html
Keep your fun and fascinating blog posts and trailers a’comin’, and I hope you and yours have a terrific Memorial Day Weekend!