G is for The Great McGinty, a 1940 black and
white film written and directed by Preston Sturges. It is a comedy and a
political satire, and won Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards. Just
82 minutes long, it is cleverly written, and was Mr. Sturges’ directorial
debut.
Dan McGinty (Brian Donlevy) is a man who is down and out, and
in the breadlines during the Great Depression, when he is approached with a corrupt
proposition. He will be given $2.00 for each time he votes for mayoral
candidate Tillinghast in the election. Dan sees this as a sure thing to earn
some quick cash, and proceeds to vote in many precincts, each time getting
proof of his deception so he can collect. The Boss (Akim Tamiroff), who asked
that a man be hired to carry out this voter fraud, is amazed at what Dan has
done so successfully, and hires him to shake down business owners for
“protection” money.
An idea is hatched: Dan should run for mayor during the next election, and follow The Boss’s bidding. He must first, however, get married as no one wants to vote for a bachelor he is told. Upon mentioning this to his secretary Catherine (Muriel Angelus), she suggests he marry her.
The Great McGinty
has elements of slapstick comedy that make the film more entertaining. What
could have been a boring movie or even have turned preachy with its political
theme instead turns into a pleasant romp. Adding to the intrigue are the
secrets that Catherine has kept from Dan until after they are wed, namely that
she was once married and has two small children. The ready-made family helps
catapult him into the good graces of the public.
The rest of the film is a cross between a romantic comedy
and a serious drama where Dan, moving up in the political world, grows a
conscience, much to the chagrin of the Boss, who continues to threaten Dan to
comply with his orders so he can grow rich off government contracts. Sound familiar?
It should. Only thing different today is that election fraud
consists of discrediting voters, not the populace out to vote repeatedly. (See
my review of the documentary film, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy.)
Preston Sturges was a well-known screenwriter and director in
his time. He came from a wealthy family, and loved writing and storytelling.
For early cinema, which I broadly classify as up until 1940, The Great McGinty is a tale of social
conscience that should win over the greed of organized crime and dirty
politics. But does it? Anything can be bought in the world of greed, corruption
and favoritism that is politics. Mr. Sturges wanted to direct the film so
badly, he sold the screenplay to Paramount for $10.00 with the understanding
that he would direct the film.
In 1944, in The
Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, McGinty and The Boss reprise their roles. Sounds
like another screwball comedy from esteemed screenwriter Preston Sturges.
