Rent The Great McGinty (1940)

A Great Satire on Politics - The Great McGinty review by Cato

An excellent take on the nasty side of politics, wherein a dishonest nobody is elevated to a mayor and thence to being elected to the governorship of his American state. It was Preston Sturges' first film as writer/director and it's wonderfully dry and satirical. Made in 1940 (when you could still clearly hear everything the actors said) it's a very clever film.

Political Satire. - The Great McGinty review by Steve

This is a shaggy dog story about the rise of a dishonest lunk who becomes State Governor solely because his shameless lawbreaking is a perfect match for American politics. This façade is managed by wealthy syndicates who run candidates on either side so they always win. The film is a comedy, perhaps because it was the only way of getting this cynicism past the censors.

By being receptive to corruption, McGinty (Brian Donlevy) goes from panhandling for dimes in the street to signing off public money to graft, getting rich in the process. Even his marriage to his secretary (Muriel Angelus) is a sham. Only once does McGinty behave with integrity, and it finishes him completely.

Which is a nice ironic sleight of hand from Preston Sturges on his debut as writer-director. It's a pretty dark comedy. With the expressionist shadows it even looks like a gangster film. The leads are acceptable, but as often with Sturges, the memorable performances come further down the cast list; among the gallery of Runyonesque reprobates, Akim Tamiroff excels as head of operations.

So, politics is a front for powerful interest groups, usually illegal. Sadly, it is all too believable. The film is fast moving and sharp with plenty of arresting dialogue. Full of irony but rarely actually funny. The slapstick is perfunctory. It's more of an interestingly satire about the US political system than a lot of laughs. But it is a clever, entertaining and even subversive film.

“I must have been blind.” - The Great McGinty review by LJ

This is an entertaining comedy but it feels like it just gives up after a while. Usually there is more to a framing device.