All the King's Men
A hard-bitten reporter chronicles the rise of an honest rural reformer whose hunger for political power destroys the ideals and relationships around him.
Overview
A tale of ambition and idealism in the face of political corruption.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- turbulent
- cynical
- morally serious
- classic cinema night
- political drama marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film as a turbulent, hard-hitting noir adaptation distinguished by Broderick Crawford’s commanding performance and its critique of power’s corruption.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Willie Stark begins as an honest reformer but increasingly relies on manipulation, intimidation, and compromise to maintain power.
Newspaper reporter Jack Burden introduces Stark and serves as the central observer of his rise, compromises, and collapse.
The black-and-white photography and pictorial-journalism style reinforce the film’s unadorned depiction of political life.
Stark rises from a county outsider to a major politician by challenging established politicians and appealing to common voters.
Films like All the King's Men, and why
The Manchurian Candidate
hard-edged political corruption drama with noir fatalism and an ambitious populist politician
The Big Sleep
black-and-white film noir examining power, moral compromise, and political intrigue
Advise & Consent
morally corrosive political drama centered on ambition, betrayal, and the abuse of power
Citizen Kane
classic rise-and-fall narrative about an idealist transformed by political power
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Rossen
- Release Date
- 1949-11-16
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (249)
Cast
- John Ireland
- Broderick Crawford
- Joanne Dru
- John Derek
- Mercedes McCambridge
- Shepperd Strudwick
- Ralph Dumke
- Anne Seymour
- Katherine Warren
- Raymond Greenleaf
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is All the King's Men about?
- A hard-bitten reporter chronicles the rise of an honest rural reformer whose hunger for political power destroys the ideals and relationships around him.
- What is All the King's Men like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of All the King's Men as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is All the King's Men violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in All the King's Men as moderate.
- What did critics think of All the King's Men?
- Critics broadly praise the film as a turbulent, hard-hitting noir adaptation distinguished by Broderick Crawford’s commanding performance and its critique of power’s corruption.
- Which films are like All the King's Men?
- Films with a similar feel include The Manchurian Candidate, The Big Sleep, Advise & Consent, and Citizen Kane.
- How long is All the King's Men?
- All the King's Men runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch All the King's Men?
- In United States, All the King's Men is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
