The Great McGinty (Down Went McGinty) (1940)

100% of critics liked it
(19 reviews)
83% of users liked it
(542 ratings)

The moral of Preston Sturges' first directorial effort The Great McGinty seems to be: If you're a crook, stay a crook, because honesty will get ya every time. Brian Donlevy plays Dan McGinty, a Chicago hobo who is hired by local political bosses as a "professional voter", casting ballots under a… More The moral of Preston Sturges' first directorial effort The Great McGinty seems to be: If you're a crook, stay a crook, because honesty will get ya every time. Brian Donlevy plays Dan McGinty, a Chicago hobo who is hired by local political bosses as a "professional voter", casting ballots under a variety of assumed names in various districts. McGinty chalks up $74 worth of votes, and when local ward heeler William Demarest can't pony up, McGinty takes direct action by trying to beat up The Boss (Akim Tamiroff). Though the two men can't get through an entire day without trying to kill each other, McGinty and the Boss are impressed by each other's raw abilities and become political partners. Through the Boss' patronage, McGinty works his way up to the mayor's office, with his politically expedient bride (Muriel Angelus) at his side. Though he never goes so far as to fall in love with his "arranged" wife, Donlevy is fond of both her and her children by a previous marriage, and for their sake he begins to reform--much to the dismay of the Boss. With the Governor's mansion within his grasp, McGinty makes the fatal error of fessing up to a graft-ridden bridge contract. It is this impulsive moment of honesty, rather than any of his past crimes, that gets McGinty thrown in the slammer, sharing a cell with the blood-in-his-eye Boss. Demarest separates the two combative men long enough to arrange an escape to South America, but not before McGinty has assured the financial security of his wife and family. The story is told in flashback form in a seedy South American dive, where McGinty works as a bartender and the Boss is the manager. The film ends with the two friendly enemies duking it out over a minor infraction, while bouncer Demarest looks on in disgust. Sick to death of watching other directors mangle his screenplays, Preston Sturges sold this rollicking political satire to Paramount only on the condition that he be allowed to direct (for the princely sum of $10). Paramount hedged its bets by giving Sturges a slim budget and inexpensive stars; as a result, the film made back its cost several times over, and Preston Sturges' directorial career was off and running. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 22 min.
Directed By: Preston Sturges
Written By: Preston Sturges
Genres: Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 15, 1940 Wide
On DVD: Nov 21, 2006
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Sturges displays plenty of ability in accentuating both the comedy and dramatic elements of his material, withal maintaining a consistent pace in the unreeling.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
You won't make a mistake, believe us, if you stuff the ballot-box for The Great McGinty.
Don Druker, Chicago Reader
The perfect fusion of Sturges's wit and frenzy.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Preston Sturges's first film as writer-director (1940) and one of his most cynical comedies -- a cut below his best work, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't see it.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The evolution from hoodlum to governor: 'You got to crawl before you can creep, right?'
Chris Barsanti, Filmcritic.com
The trademark Sturges dialogue is in rare form here, each character armed with a quiver full of tart jabs and put-downs.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's the kind of ironical film Capra wouldn't or couldn't make.
Tom Milne, Time Out
A wonderfully dry satire.
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies
Deliciously biting political satire.
, Film4
As a political comedy, it's far-fetched but certainly engaging.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Sturges' directorial debut is a little rough around the edges, but still good.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
Donlevy isn't Sturges' most appealing lead, but he'll do, and Tamiroff really works it as his patron, the Boss.
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
A classic, cynical comedy about politics and corruption; still pertinent today.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
Minor Sturges.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
not "Lady Eve"-caliber Preston Sturges, but well worth viewing

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Stephen M

The Great McGinty was Preston Sturges' directorial debut; he famously sold the script - which went on to win him an Oscar - to Paramount for $10, on the condition that he could direct the movie himself. In a seedy bar in a banana republic, Dan McGinty (Brian… More
The Great McGinty was Preston Sturges' directorial debut; he famously sold the script - which went on to win him an Oscar - to Paramount for $10, on the condition that he could direct the movie himself. In a seedy bar in a banana republic, Dan McGinty (Brian Donlevy) recalls his meteoric rise (and spectacular fall) from bum to racketeer, to crooked mayor, to honest state governor and back to bum again. By staging his story as a post-catastrophic flashback from skid row, Sturges neatly undermines the sentimentality and predictability of McGinty's romance with Catherine (Muriel Angelus), the secretary he marries out of convenience, but the lack of a Happy Ending makes the picture oddly unsatisfying. This problem is emphasised by the economical running time; clocking in at a little over 80 minutes, McGinty's end credits begin to roll at about the time we would typically anticipate that final twist enabling the leads to live happily ever after.
Michael G

An historic movie as it's probably the first one done by a writer/director, Preston Sturges. The Great McGinty stars off with enough of the trademarked Sturges dialogue and humor (namely with McGinty's suit) as it tells the tale of a dishonest hobo turned mayor turned… More
An historic movie as it's probably the first one done by a writer/director, Preston Sturges. The Great McGinty stars off with enough of the trademarked Sturges dialogue and humor (namely with McGinty's suit) as it tells the tale of a dishonest hobo turned mayor turned governor who eventually ends up down the drain for going honest. It takes itself a little too seriously at times but when it's funny it's really on. It also acts as a sneak preview to what would be coming down the pipeline from Sturges. You can see his style emerging and beginning to take the shape of something great.

Cast

            Brian Donlevy as Dan McGinty

            Muriel Angelus as Catherine McGinty

            Akim Tamiroff as The Boss

            Allyn Joslyn as George

            William Demarest as The Politician

            Steffi Duna as The Girl

            Louis Jean Heydt as Thompson

            Harry Rosenthal as Louis the Bodyguard

            Arthur Hoyt as Mayor Tillinghast

            Libby Taylor as Bessie the Maid

            Thurston Hall as Mr. Maxwell

            Esther Howard as Madame La Jolla

            Frank Moran as The Boss' Chauffeur

            Jimmy Conlin as The Look Out

            Dewey Robinson as Benny Feigman

            Richard Carle as Dr. Jarvis

            Donald Kerr as Catherine's Children

            Mary Thomas as Catherine's Girl Age 6

            Drew Roddy as Catherine's Boy Age 6

            Sheila Sheldon as Catherine's Girl Age 11

            Byron Foulger as Secretary

            Harry Hayden as Poll Watcher

            Charles R. Moore as McGinty's Valet

            Emory Parnell as Policeman

            Jean Phillips as Manicurist

            Victor Potel as Cook

            Lee Shumway as Cop

            Pat West as Pappia

            Robert Warwick as Opposition Speaker
See full cast