The B-movie branded film noir is a special thing. Not especially observant that they are, in fact, a film noir, and unwilling to milk their potentially stylish undertones, they work only in economic profusion, cutting to a murder here, a mugging there, a kiss here, a bloody climax there. Not every noir can be a coffee-stained greaser like "Raw Deal", but there's something wondrous about a pulp story that was, most likely, churned out by the studio in a hasty attempt to make money and still makes something special.
"The Glass Key" isn't quite a B-movie — it was distributed by Paramount and starred power screen couple Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake — but it is reminiscent of one. It's attempting to tell a story of corruption, deception, and its other disasters (with low-budget effect); yet, perhaps accidentally, it becomes a film noir of unique ambition, with its impeccable starring (and supporting) turns and hard-boiled writing.
Adapted from Dashiell Hammett's novel of the same name and a remake of the 1935 film starring George Raft, "The Glass Key" stars Ladd as Ed Beaumont, the right-hand-man to Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy), a corrupt political boss. When Madvig isn't throwing opponents out of hotel windows or telling his henchman Jeff (William Bendix) to beat an enemy to death, he's chuckling at crude jokes and falling for tough broads. In "The Glass Key", he falls in love with Janet (Veronica Lake), the daughter of reform candidate Ralph Henry (Moroni Olsen). Beaumont isn't so sure that the romance is a very good idea — Janet's motives are shaky, considering her background — and he would be right: she is increasingly drawn to Beaumont while remaining disgusted by the brutish Madvig.
Things get worse for the boss and his sidekick when Madvig's sister's (Bonita Granville) lover, who he openly disliked, is found murdered in the street. The press, along with the people, believe that Madvig is responsible. Despite knowing that his employer isn't hardly a man of clean morals, Beaumont knows that he wasn't at fault, forced to clear his name in a town of beasts that would do anything to stop the truth from coming out.
At only 82 minutes, "The Glass Key" hardly has enough time to go into much detail when regarding its corrupt characters, but within its short time, it successfully establishes a ferocious atmosphere, taking more time analyzing merciless beatings than the eventual romance between Ladd and Lake. The film is essentially a murder mystery; we want Madvig to be the killer — he's an asshole who sounds slightly like a demented Fozzie Bear — but things aren't as simple as we would like. As Beaumont attempts to do the right thing, he also has to get his hands dirty. "The Glass Key" thrives in a world where the sun doesn't shine. Love is a rarity among the relentless malfeasance.
With his sly smile reminiscent of a young Humphrey Bogart, Ladd brings a tough-guy charisma to the screen at a dogged pace; his chemistry with the iconically provocative Lake works so well because they're both so subtly, to put it mildly, cool. And with the puff of a cigarette, a swig of bourbon, and a kiss on the lips, "The Glass Key" acts as an icily appealing noir that boasts a considerable amount of on screen allure.
"The Glass Key" isn't quite a B-movie — it was distributed by Paramount and starred power screen couple Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake — but it is reminiscent of one. It's attempting to tell a story of corruption, deception, and its other disasters (with low-budget effect); yet, perhaps accidentally, it becomes a film noir of unique ambition, with its impeccable starring (and supporting) turns and hard-boiled writing.
Adapted from Dashiell Hammett's novel of the same name and a remake of the 1935 film starring George Raft, "The Glass Key" stars Ladd as Ed Beaumont, the right-hand-man to Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy), a corrupt political boss. When Madvig isn't throwing opponents out of hotel windows or telling his henchman Jeff (William Bendix) to beat an enemy to death, he's chuckling at crude jokes and falling for tough broads. In "The Glass Key", he falls in love with Janet (Veronica Lake), the daughter of reform candidate Ralph Henry (Moroni Olsen). Beaumont isn't so sure that the romance is a very good idea — Janet's motives are shaky, considering her background — and he would be right: she is increasingly drawn to Beaumont while remaining disgusted by the brutish Madvig.
Things get worse for the boss and his sidekick when Madvig's sister's (Bonita Granville) lover, who he openly disliked, is found murdered in the street. The press, along with the people, believe that Madvig is responsible. Despite knowing that his employer isn't hardly a man of clean morals, Beaumont knows that he wasn't at fault, forced to clear his name in a town of beasts that would do anything to stop the truth from coming out.
At only 82 minutes, "The Glass Key" hardly has enough time to go into much detail when regarding its corrupt characters, but within its short time, it successfully establishes a ferocious atmosphere, taking more time analyzing merciless beatings than the eventual romance between Ladd and Lake. The film is essentially a murder mystery; we want Madvig to be the killer — he's an asshole who sounds slightly like a demented Fozzie Bear — but things aren't as simple as we would like. As Beaumont attempts to do the right thing, he also has to get his hands dirty. "The Glass Key" thrives in a world where the sun doesn't shine. Love is a rarity among the relentless malfeasance.
With his sly smile reminiscent of a young Humphrey Bogart, Ladd brings a tough-guy charisma to the screen at a dogged pace; his chemistry with the iconically provocative Lake works so well because they're both so subtly, to put it mildly, cool. And with the puff of a cigarette, a swig of bourbon, and a kiss on the lips, "The Glass Key" acts as an icily appealing noir that boasts a considerable amount of on screen allure.