All the King's Men (2006)

Written at the time of the film's release. Recent events have compelled an update.

All The King's Men (Steven Zaillian, 2006) The story goes that Robert Rossen, the director of the 1949 version of All the King's Men was not happy with his film. Too long, too talky, and too boring, Rossen was unsure of what to cut to get it down to length. A plan was drawn up: he told his editor to take 30 seconds from the beginnings of scenes and 30 seconds from the end. What was left came in under two hours of running time and moved at a jarring pace, but it won Oscars for its star Broderick Crawford, Best Supporting Actress Mercedes McCambridge...and as Best Picture.

All the King's Men was already a great film, but there were too many compromises to the Hays Code to get it to the screen. Steve Zaillian (a fine screenwriter, who directed a favorite film of mine Searching for Bobby Fischer) decided to make a new film of Robert Penn Warren's Pulitzer Prize winning book, and sadly, wasted the opportunity in a film convinced of its own importance.*

From the crack of thunder that appears before the opening credits, to the thudding James Horner score that telegraphs (with hammers) each imminent plot-point (Horner uses one dirge-like theme which, by its third appearance, I had assigned lyrics "This-is-a-sad-sto-ry/A-bout Lou-i-si-an-na"), to the subdued lighting and the art design in shades of "Godfather" mordant, everything about this movie promises great portent, but merely meanders through its story of how nothing born of corruption can come to any good, be it man, ideals or building materials.

It's a frustrating film to sit through, because the pieces are there given a less respectful (as in funeral-respect) presentation. The cast is impressive. Kate Winslet and Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins play the well-to-do Stanton clan. Kathy Baker and Jude Law are the blighted Burden clan, and Sean Penn, looking more and more like a young George C. Scott, plays the fictional surrogate of Huey Long, Willie Stark. As his flaks and flunkies, James Gandolfini, Patricia Clarkson and Jackie Earle Haley.

Good cast. But there are problems. Penn, as he is wont to do, goes over-the-top in his speechifying, his arms waiving wildly in the air, his fingers doing filigreed dances. Where Penn got the inspiration to play it this way is a mystery, as footage of Long in speech-mode (below) shows him much more in control. Not even Adolph Hitler emotes this much. Jude Law, never the strongest of actors, falls into the dreariness of the film, staring at the other actors or nothing-in-particular with sad doe-like eyes.** One suspects editing problems with this film—Zaillian did spend an inordinate amount of time in post-production on it. Subjects are brought up and dropped, like Stark's football-playing son, who figures prominently in the '48 film, is mentioned here and then never heard from again.*** We never do find out how Burden's mother acquires facts to make an accusation against him. Mark Ruffalo's character is left as a dissatisfying enigma.

What we do get is ponderous, and pretentious. Zaillian spends a lot of screen-time trying to show (visually) that the only thing that could unite the "hicks" and gentry of Louisiana is death. Again, that same lesson has been told in better films.

2023 Update: At the time the film came out, there was speculation that it was a "dig" at then-President George W. Bush. If so, it was bound to disappoint both sides, no matter where you came down on that particular president.

But, a re-watch today would make folks blanch—"well, that-tha-that's Donald Trump!"

Nope. Trump just borrowed from the same play-book that politicians have been using since politics became the world's "second oldest profession:" "Get elected by any means necessary. Cease power. Never let it go." That's the genius of Robert Penn Warren's book; he found inherent truths in the process and they continue no matter what generation after reads it. Sure, it seems like Trump—except for the details, the milieu, the accent. But, the autocracy is there. The crowd-whipping. The scandals. Warren could be accused of writing cliches. But, cliches are there because they're unerringly true and happen enough to become cliches.

For the truth is, politicians lie. And people look for a Messiah and want to be lied to. They eat it up. And the ultimate cliche. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.

Just because it's a cliche doesn't make it not true.

* Given the awards-history of the cast and screenwriter it was assumed that this version of All The King's Men would be a top contender come Oscar-season, but its poor box-office reception scuttled those hopes.

** K (who likes Law) kept yelling out "accent-drop!" whenever his "Lawsiana" draw-el moved to Market Street. Anthony Hopkins, the sly old dog, doesn't even try.

*** Sadly, Zaillian, in an attempt to simplify his film, gutted some crucial scenes from it including the sub-plot about Stark's son, and an extended ending that provides the best scenes for Jude Law and Jackie Earle Haley.

Don't Make a Scene: Searching for Bobby Fischer

The Story: Back when I first put together this scene post, it was intended for a Father's Day. But, revisiting it, I scrutinized a bit more and realized it was a Mother's scene, not a Father's. This is a primal parent's scene, of a mother stepping in and protecting her child.

As Nature intended? Sure.

Friends came back from a trip to Africa and said the scariest moments were when a baby elephant or rhino wandered away from its mother to go to the other side of their car. The animals would go ballistic. And they would go the shortest distance to reach their child—even if the car was in the way. A vehicle with people in it was just another barrier to be disposed of to reunite with its child.

And so Joan Allen's Mother in Searching for Bobby Fischer, literally getting in between her son and his passive/aggressive chess-coach, slamming the door to protect her son from his father's obsessions. This is not men's gamesmanship. It is not a bluff. This is life and death. Whatever it takes. Protect the child.

I've always loved this scene for its many truths. The certificate DOES mean nothing, but you only realize that once you get it. Yes, you need to prepare your child for the loss. Yes, every son goes up to the plate to win their father's love. It's all true. But, it doesn't matter at the moment. Those are just barriers. The child is the important thing. And this is not a game.

What the movie doesn't say (because it was made before Josh grew up) is that the young man portrayed in this scene would grow up to be a chess-master, and other disciplines, as well. And he would write extensively on the learning processes of children, and how they could avoid becoming the obsessive monster like Bobby Fischer, the man who was so much less than his Myth. Searching for Bobby Fischer? But, then having the maturity to leave him be, and make your own journey.

Great scene. Great movie.

The Set-Up: The parents of Josh Waitzkin (Joan Allen, Joe Mantegna)have always wondered what path their curious little boy (Max Pomeranc) would take. Sports-writer Dad has spent a fortune on gear for various sports—none have clicked. But Josh was fascinated with the chess-men in Washington Square Park, and learned the game, learned to play, learned to win with exceptional ability. So to hone his skill, Dad has brought in a chess-master (Ben Kingsley), who sees in Josh the "next Bobby Fischer." But Josh has begun to lose his chess-matches. At the time of this scene, he has reached an impasse.

Begin Play!

BRUCE: It's white's move.
BRUCE: Can we expect it any time soon?
JOSH: How many points is it worth?
BRUCE: To make the opening move?
JOSH: Yes.
BRUCE: Forget the points.
JOSH: How much is it worth if I do it?
BRUCE: Do it for its own sake. Do it for the love of the game.
BRUCE: Forget the certificate.
JOSH: I want to know how many more I am away to getting the certificate.
BRUCE: Forget the certificate.JOSH: But I want to know.
BRUCE: - I don't know. -
JOSH: What do you mean you don't know?
BRUCE: I don't care.
JOSH: I don't understand.
BRUCE: It's white's move.
JOSH: I want the certificate.
BRUCE: You want the certificate? You have to have the certificate? You won't move until you get the certificate?
BRUCE: Fine. You win.
BRUCE: Here's your certificate.
BRUCE: Fill it out.
BRUCE: Doesn't mean anything. It's just a piece of paper.
BRUCE: It's a Xerox of a piece of paper.
BRUCE: Do you want another one?
BRUCE: Do you want ten?
BRUCE: You want twenty?
BRUCE: Thirty? I've got a briefcase full of them. They don't mean anything, though.
BRUCE: They mean nothing.
BONNIE: Get out of my house.
BRUCE: To put a child in a position to care about winning and not to prepare him is wrong.
BONNIE: Get out of my house.
FRED: Look, I know you don't want to admit it, but he's right. I mean, you wouldn't sign your kid up for little league and then not get him a glove. You equip him.
BONNIE: It's over.
FRED: Bonnie...
FRED: Bonnie, he's in a slump. This is a slump. It happens. When you get into a slump, you get out of it eventually. You don't give up.
BONNIE: This is like baseball to you.
FRED: If you're afraid to lose, you lose. He's afraid.
BONNIE: He's not afraid of losing. He's afraid of losing your love.
BONNIE: How many ballplayers grow up afraid of losing their father's love...
BONNIE: ...every time they come up to the plate?
FRED: All of them!
BONNIE: He knows you disapprove of him. He knows you think he's weak, but he's not weak.
BONNIE: He's decent.
BONNIE: And if you or Bruce or anyone else...
BONNIE: ...tries to beat that out of him,
BONNIE: ...I swear to God I'll take him away.
INTERVIEWER: When did you start to get serious about chess?
FISCHER: Uh, I got serious, oh...hmm, oh, well, I was always pretty serious about it.
FISCHER: You know, when I was maybe seven. (Laughs)
JOSH (V.O.) People say they've received letters from him over the years,
JOSH (V.O.) ...but never show them.
JOSH (V.O.) They say he lost his nerve, and he'll never play again.
JOSH (V.O.) They say he lost his mind...
JOSH (V.O.) ...and roams the streets of Los Angeles hiding out under assumed names.
BRUCE: Check. Check.
JOSH (V.O.) Some people say...he's dead.
JOSH (V.O.) I think he's lying low...
JOSH (V.O.) ...and getting stronger,
JOSH (V.O.) ...waiting for just the right moment to come back...
JOSH (V.O.) ...and reclaim his crown.

Searching for Bobby Fischer

Words by Steve Zaillian

Pictures by Conrad L. Hall and Steve Zaillian

Searching for Bobby Fischer is available on DVD from Paramount Home Video.