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.