The Glass Key [Blu-ray]

Director: Stuart Heisler Stuart Heisler

Overview

Dashiel Hammett's The Glass Key, a tale of big-city political corruption, was first filmed in 1935, with Edward Arnold as a duplicitous political boss and George Raft as his loyal lieutenant. This 1942 remake improves on the original, especially in replacing the stolid Raft with the charismatic Alan Ladd. Brian Donlevy essays the role of the boss, who is determined to back reform candidate Moroni Olsen, despite Ladd's gut feeling that this move is a mistake. Ladd knows that Donlevy is doing a political about-face merely to get in solid with Olsen's pretty daughter Veronica Lake. It is Ladd who is left to clean up the mess when crime lord Joseph Calleila murders Olsen's wastrel son Richard Denning and pins the rap on Donlevy. As Ladd struggles to clear Donlevy's name, he falls in love with Lake--when he's not being pummeled about by Calleila's psychopathic henchman William Bendix. Far less complex than the Dashiel Hammett original (and far less damning of the American political system), The Glass Key further increased the box-office pull of Paramount's new team of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake.

Product Details

Release Date:	01/15/2019
UPC:	0826663192872
Original Release:	1942
Source:	Shout Factory
Language:	English
Sales rank:	19,519

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Alan Ladd	Ed Beaumont
Brian Donlevy	Paul Madvig
Veronica Lake	Janet Henry
Bonita Granville	Opal Madvig
Richard Denning	Taylor Henry
Joseph Calleia	Nick Vama
William Bendix	Jeff
Frances Gifford	Nurse
Donald MacBride	Farr
Margaret Hayes	Eloise Matthews
Moroni Olsen	Ralph Henry
Eddie Marr	Rusty
Arthur Loft	Clyde Matthews
George Meader	Claude Tuttle
Pat O'Malley	Politician
Edward Peil Sr.	Politician
James Millican	Politician
Edmund Cobb	Reporter
Frank Bruno	Reporter
Jack Luden	Reporter
Jack Gardner	Reporter
Joe McGuinn	Reporter
Frank Hagney	Reporter,Groggins
John W. DeNoria	Groggins
Jack Mulhall	Lynch
Joseph King	Fisher
Al Hill	Bum
Fred Walburn	Kid
Conrad Binyon	Stubby
Vernon Dent	Bartender
Stanley Price	Man in Barroom
Kenneth Chryst	Man in Barroom
Dane Clark	Henry Sloss
Norma Varden	Dowager
Frank Elliott	1st Butler in Henry Home
George Cowl	2nd Butler in Henry Home
Broderick O'Farrell	Guests at Henry Dinner
Arthur Stuart Hull	Guests at Henry Dinner
Tom O'Grady	Guests at Henry Dinner
J.C. Fowler	Guests at Henry Dinner
Tom Fadden	Waiter
William Wagner	Butler
Charles Sullivan	Taxi Driver
Francis Sayles	Seedy Man
George Turner	Doctor
Tom Dugan	Jeep
Billy Benedict	Sturdy
Lillian Randolph	Entertainer at Basement Club
Maggie Hayes	Eloise Matthews
Victor Young	Composer

Technical Credits

Jonathan Latimer

Stuart Heisler	Director
Jonathan Latimer	Screenwriter
Fred Kohlmar	Producer

Editorial Reviews

Although the ending has been softened too much from its Dashiel Hammett source, the 1942 version of The Glass Key is still a gripping, invigorating noir thriller. Like the novel, the film gets a bit complicated in places, and some viewers may lose track of the plot at moments; but that shouldn't stop them from enjoying the ride along the way. Glass would also have been bettered served with some motivations made a bit more credible, but the fast pacing and the taut dialogue offers enough rewards that one is willing to overlook this. Besides, Glass features the second pairing of Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd, a pairing which brought out the best in both actors. There's just something about the way Lake and Ladd are when put together on screen that creates steam. His eyes can't seem to convince us they're not looking for her; her lips can't quite convince us they're satisfied being away from him -- and all this happens even before they've acknowledge any interest in each other, or any willingness to do the other in. Both of them can by icy, but we know that inside, they're willing to melt -- as long as the other melts with them. Glass also benefits from Ladd's low-key, almost unemotional playing, especially in contrast with Brian Donlevy's more outward turn. But the best performance comes from William Bendix, whose sado-masochistic beating scene is chillingly involving. Bendix is absolutely riveting, giving a disturbing performance that can't be beat.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler