I was impressed how this movie stuck very close to the story and dark overtone of the book itself. I highly recommend the book, you will get a sense of Hammett's brilliance as a writer. The movie itself stands fairly well by itself. Alan Ladd plays the dark hero (Ed Beaumont, Ned in the book) and henchman of political magnate Paul Madvig. Madvig is currently busy on promoting his newest senator candidate into power. Madvig's sister however is secretly seeing the candidate's gambling, conniving son beh..
There are many reasons to check out this film. First, it is the second and best on-screen teaming of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake (they were first paired in This Gun For Hire with Ladd playing the bad guy) Second, it is based on a novel of Dashiell Hammett whose exterior narration style transfers very well to screen. Third, it's just a good 40s whodunit.
Although Dashiell Hammett's novel The Glass Key had already been made into a movie in 1935 starring George Raft, Paramount decided to cash in on the popularity of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, whose on-screen chemistry in the classic "This Gun for Hire" made it a box office hit. While this is not the best Ladd/Lake movie, it's still a very entertaining noir mystery with an unexpected twist at the end.Alan Ladd plays Ed Beaumont, the right-hand man of crooked political boss Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy). Madvig..
![The Glass Key [VHS]](http://www.upcscavenger.com/m/b190/b144/72e5f59d46a82e414f8d4a0e16c0acdd.jpg)
