Along the way, he seems to forget his family and finds himself enjoying the company of the ladies a bit too much, all the while strengthening his position through blackmail and threats. It seems ol’ Willie has something on everyone. And while he continues to try to help the little man by opening a charity hospital so the poor can have adequate healthcare, he insist upon it bearing his namesake. (Huey P. Long Medical Center still operates today in Pineville, Louisiana.) But pride cometh before a fall and soon Willie finds himself having more enemies than friends. Suffice it to say that in reality, Huey P. Long was assassinated in the Louisiana State Capitol in 1935. Things don’t bode well for poor Willie.
Special features are scarce but do include the theatrical trailer for the upcoming release of All the King’s Men starring Sean Penn, James Gandolfini, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Anthony Hopkins. There’s also a nice little preview on the movie that splices bits of the trailer with commentary and a behind-the-scenes look.
Although this movie is in black and white and is somewhat dry, for it’s time, it was an amazing drama and tale of the human spirit. It’s a bit of history and it is really interesting to see who is cast in the modern day remake as opposed to those from the classic film. The acting is excellent, especially Crawford and McCambridge, who completely own their roles as Stark and Burke. The film won scads of awards in its day, including the Oscar for Best Actor given to Broderick Crawford for the role of Willie Stark.
Although loosely based on history, it is a slice of the past and a novel watch for those about to see the remake of All the King’s Men or those just interested in the forever dirty politics of Louisiana.
