The Power and the Glory is perhaps Spencer Tracy's most accomplished performance before superstardom swept him up a few years later. While some might point to 20 Thousand Years in Sing Sing as his breakout role, his stretch from a youthful railman to railroad owner, displays the deceptive naturalness of his laid back style that made him the iconic film actor his career delivered.
Rail walker Tom Garner (Tracy) is more than satisfied in life with his job. Illiterate he meets and marries Sally (Colleen Moore) whose support and teaching eventuate in a meteoric rise to owning a rail road. A hard driving workaholic, he battles unions, makes enemies and has an affair that destroys his marriage. Upon remarrying he even makes a bigger fool of himself.
"Power" pre-dates and resembles Citizen Kane as the film opens at Garner's funeral. The story told mostly by a simpering sycophant (Ralph Morgan) attempts his best to paper over the execrable Garner but even the loyal employee's wife near end is fed up with his whimpering and heads for bed.
Drably directed by William K Howard, it does not deter from Tracy's well metered maturing performance, even if absent from actress Helen Vinson's blatant pre-code seduction of his son in the film's most provocative moment.
A sober early script from Preston Sturges with Colleen Moore as Garner's wife delivering more than her share of powerful and touching moments.
Rail walker Tom Garner (Tracy) is more than satisfied in life with his job. Illiterate he meets and marries Sally (Colleen Moore) whose support and teaching eventuate in a meteoric rise to owning a rail road. A hard driving workaholic, he battles unions, makes enemies and has an affair that destroys his marriage. Upon remarrying he even makes a bigger fool of himself.
"Power" pre-dates and resembles Citizen Kane as the film opens at Garner's funeral. The story told mostly by a simpering sycophant (Ralph Morgan) attempts his best to paper over the execrable Garner but even the loyal employee's wife near end is fed up with his whimpering and heads for bed.
Drably directed by William K Howard, it does not deter from Tracy's well metered maturing performance, even if absent from actress Helen Vinson's blatant pre-code seduction of his son in the film's most provocative moment.
A sober early script from Preston Sturges with Colleen Moore as Garner's wife delivering more than her share of powerful and touching moments.