The Great McGinty (1940)

A drunk in a third world bar laments how, before losing it all, he was on top of the world. The bartender replies that he was once the governor of the state. This is his story.

Preston Sturges, already a successful screenwriter, had trouble getting a screenplay made, at least in the form he wanted it. So, he offered it for ten dollars under the condition that he was allowed to direct. That script won the Academy Award. And it turns out, he was a pretty good director as well.

Here, I believe, is the film I was thinking of when I watched The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, the film Sturges would direct four years later. For the life of me, I do not understand what happened there. Anyhow … Brian Donlevy (McGinty) appeared in quite a few films, very few of which I have seen. One was the aforementioned Morgan’s Creek where he played Governor McGinty. Go figure. Also here is classic character actor William Demarest, who appeared in quite a bit more films.

The Great McGinty is a pretty amusing watch, but maybe I’ve grown tired of traditional, old Hollywood fare. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. I did. But there are reasons why I am shading towards foreign films and more so-called American New Wave. As for McGinty, AMRU 3.5.

“Never mind the applesauce. How do I get the bucks?”