Judson Hammond (Walter Huston) is sworn in as the new President of the United States. It's quickly obvious that he's nothing more than another politician with no intention of trying to fix the nation's problems, such as staggering unemployment, bootlegging, and unpaid war debts. After Hammond is in a car accident (for driving 100 mph!), some outside force seems to come over him. Suddenly he's completely changed and starts making radical decisions that ultimately lead to him becoming a dictator!
Fascinating political drama that has to be seen to be believed. Obviously, it has great historical value and lots for history buffs to chew over. Franklin Roosevelt and wife Eleanor loved the film. FDR was a part of the process of making it, even giving script notes to the filmmakers! The movie was produced by FDR supporter William Randolph Hearst (Citizen Kane himself) and the star Walter Huston was as big an FDR booster as they come. This was made during the Great Depression and, in many ways, this story reflected the desire of the Roosevelts and supporters to fix the country by any means necessary. It's interesting to think about the real-world implications as you watch the movie.
Fascinating political drama that has to be seen to be believed. Obviously, it has great historical value and lots for history buffs to chew over. Franklin Roosevelt and wife Eleanor loved the film. FDR was a part of the process of making it, even giving script notes to the filmmakers! The movie was produced by FDR supporter William Randolph Hearst (Citizen Kane himself) and the star Walter Huston was as big an FDR booster as they come. This was made during the Great Depression and, in many ways, this story reflected the desire of the Roosevelts and supporters to fix the country by any means necessary. It's interesting to think about the real-world implications as you watch the movie.