DVD Review: The Great McGinty (1940)

Kino Lorber has released a nicely restored DVD and blu ray of this classic Preston Sturges comedy.

Preston Sturges had been writing since the dawn of talking pictures, but began directing his own screenplays beginning with "The Great McGinty." It ignited a directorial career that would give us films like "Sullivan's Travels," "Christmas in July," "Hail the Conquering Hero," and "Miracle of Morgan's Creek." The story goes that Paramount wanted to buy Sturges' script, and were told that he'd sell it for only $10 if he was allowed to direct. They accepted, and the screenplay won an Oscar -- probably the cheapest Oscar winning script in movie history. It was also the first film to offer the credit "written and directed by" followed by just one name.

Sturges was inspired by real-life lawyer William Sulzer, basing it on stories he used to tell about the political scene. Brian Donlevy plays a tramp who votes for the same candidate nearly 40 times in different precincts, getting two bucks each time. This brings him to the attention of a political boss, who the clueless tramp stands up to without fear. He eventually ends up working for the boss, and then js promoted as a gubernatorial candidate, eventually winning the governorship. But when he makes the decision to serve the public honesty, after marrying an honest woman who believes in him, he ends up in jail.

Even though it was his first directorial effort, "The Great McGinty" features many that would be in Sturges' stock company of players, including William Demarest, Jimmy Conlin, Esther Howard, Harry Heydt, Emory Parnell, Dewey Robinson, and others. In fact, Donlevy and Akim Tamiroff reprised their roles in a cameo for Sturges' later film "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek." Most of the biggest laughs come from the dialog of the supporting players.

While the movie was only comfortably successful when first released, it has lived on as a classic Sturges film, featuring Brian Donlevy in an uncharacteristic comic role in the lead. Its snappy dialog, interesting characters, and pointed satire about crooked politics continue to make an impact. In fact, there are elements of the crooked politics that can be applied to the systems in place from any era.

Sturges comedies always have a strong element of cynicism, but usually it is tempered with a pointed lesson as the movie concludes. "The Great McGinty" is not like that. It retains its skeptical perspective to the very last scene. Perhaps the point Sturges is trying to make is that crooked politics are forever.

Kino Lorber's blu ray is a brand new 4k master that includes an optional commentary by the always reliable Samm Deighan, who offers insights that further our understanding and appreciation of this film, and of Preston Sturges.

The blu ray is available here: The Great McGinty