CS Weekly Archive > Weekend Read > 09/22/06

All or Nothing

By danny munso

Robert Penn Warren's beloved novel about a boisterous politician's rise and fall gets its second rendering, and while not as consistently great as the 1949 original, this newer telling of the story is still very powerful at times, even if it's not the Oscar-winning epic its been touted to be.

All the King's Men (2006)

Screenplay by Steven Zaillian (also directed)
Based on the novel by Robert Penn Warren

Louisiana idealist Willie Stark (Sean Penn) is convinced to run for governor, at first only to split the "hick" vote and keep the incumbent in office. But with a furious grassroots campaign, and a fire lit beneath him, he's elected in a landslide. Much to the chagrin of the congressmen who want nothing more than to see him out of office, he sets about fulfilling the many promises he made on the campaign trail. Along for the ride is journalist Jack Burden (Jude Law), who ends up in Willie's employ, a decision that leads him on a journey into his past. Willie needs the support of the influential Judge Irwin (Anthony Hopkins), a man who practically raised Jack as a boy, and of Jack's childhood friends, Anne and Adam Stanton (Kate Winslet and Mark Ruffalo), neither of whom are eager to get behind Jack or his boss.

Writer/director Steven Zaillian, having never seen the brilliant, award-winning1949 film (written and directed by Robert Rossen), creates a more faithful adaptation of Warren's text. Like all previous incarnations, the story is told through the eyes (and narrated by) Jack Burden. Where Zaillian departs from everyone else is his focus -- while the rise and fall of Willie Stark, a larger-than-life character if there ever was one, provides the script's framework, the main character of this film is Jack. It's his character, and his character only, whom Zaillian allows us to see completely, rather than behind the political screens the rest of the cast keep up through the film's conclusion. Willie's story is interesting, but by the time All the King's Men reaches its midpoint, Jack is the character we begin to care about, and it seems that Willie is just getting in the way.

This may seem like a weakness on the surface, but while Willie is positioned throughout his campaign as an "everyman," it is much easier to relate to Jack, and his story is a more interesting one. Sure, Willie may get impeached and all that, but those plotlines don't hold a candle to the demons Jack ends up facing. Whether it's his reluctant digging into Judge Irwin's past, or his emotional confrontations with his lost love Anne, the emotional weight on screen is almost palpable, and more powerful than anything going on behind the doors of the Governor's office.

However, what prevents the script from reaching its potential is Zaillian's refusal, or inability, to finish his thoughts. The film's conclusion, despite a game effort by all involved to make it a great cinematic moment, falls completely flat. Even worse, had Zaillian taken the time to flesh out certain ideas throughout the course of the movie, the impact would have been decidedly greater. For example, Willie's affair with press attaché Sadie (Patricia Clarkson), while a focal point of Rossen's film, is put on the back burner here. The two share only a minute of screen time together, which is fine, but when Sadie's emotions turn out to play such a huge role, it would have been nice to see the two together at least once. Similar neglect is given to the story of Adam Stanton; we are never told how Adam became so unhinged and mired in despair, and that leaves the audience confused.

Still, the power of the material Zaillian's working with shines through. It's no secret that this is a very political film released at a time when its ideals could have maximum impact. Hell, former Clinton advisor James Carville is an executive producer. But, what impressed me is that besides a few fleeting moments of political excess (the final scene, for instance), the personal conflict of the characters is what is front and center. By choosing to focus on Jack as he is both caught in a battle between his employer and his surrogate father and also reconnecting with the love of his life, All The King's Men becomes less about how politics screws up the world and more about how politics screws up your relationships.

In comparison to Rossen's 1949 film, this update won't hold up. But, if you've never seen that film, you will find much to love about this version, whether it's political intrigue or just a good character drama. It's not perfect, but have you seen what's in theaters lately?

All the King's Men (2006)

Sony Pictures
Rated PG-13; 141 min.

Buy tickets now

Danny Munso graduated from film school in 2004 and can currently be found on his computer working on one of his many half-written screenplays. Or, more likely, he's on the Internet checking the scores of his beloved Bay Area sports teams.

All the King's Men courtesy Sony Pictures

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