Movie review - Ladd #2 - "The Glass Key" (1943) ***1/2

As pointed out by David Shipman, following Alan Ladd's success in This Gun for Hire he went from being a bit part actor to not just a star,but a star whom films were built around. This proved an excellent followup for the taciturn star, a top notch version of Dashiell Hammett's novel previously filmed by Paramount with George Raft (one of the big advantages of studios in the old days was they had a strong library of material to draw upon).

It's one of the rare times that a henchman is a hero ("nobody considers the death of a henchman" - Austin Powers) - Ladd is the "muscle" for a corrupt political boss (Brian Donlevy), who must solve a mystery when said boss is arrested for murder. Not only it is unusual to have a henchman hero, his motivation to solve the crime is to help a mate (not a partner, brother, son, father, etc), and the mate isn't some sweet innocent but a dodgy Mr Big.

That gives this film an enormous advantage, since it is set in a wonderfully corrupt, sordid milieu of newspapers owned by mafia bosses, drunken wastrel sons (Richard Denning), trampy young women (Bonita Granville) - did they have any censorship troubles with its portrayal of the American political system during wartime? (In one scene, Ladd basically bullies the district attorney into re-starting the investigation). Maybe they got around it by having Donlevy's character ultimately want reform (which sets off all the trouble).

Ladd wasn't much of an actor to be honest, but he had presence and he's terrifically effective here - ice cold, stony faced in a trench coat and fedora, getting smacked around or being smacked in return. Its fascinating that Ladd uses his sex appeal on two occasions: one, to seduce the wife of a newspaper editor (right in front of that editor- he drives him to suicide, too!), two, to what definitely looks like flirt with the henchman (William Bendix, in an electrifying performance) of a big crook. But of course his main feelings are for Veronica Lake, all pint sized smouldering sexuality despite looking very young (she was about 23 and looks it) - she works effectively with Ladd.

The film does become less effective as it goes on - I think mostly because it doesn't explore the relationship between Donlevy and Ladd enough. Two old mates, both in love with the same girl - but the dilemma is resolved a bit too easily. (In the film inspired by the same book, Miller's Crossing, this was fleshed out a bit more, emphasising the tragedy that this one avoids with its happy ending.) Also there's not enough Ladd and Lake - their relationship is very perfunctory. Still, worth checking out.