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The Great McGinty (Down Went McGinty) (1940)

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Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 0

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Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 537

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Movie Info

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

Unrated, 1 hr. 22 min.

Classics, Comedy

Preston Sturges

Nov 21, 2006

MCA Universal Home Video

Cast

All Critics (20) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (19) | Rotten (0) | DVD (2)

Sturges displays plenty of ability in accentuating both the comedy and dramatic elements of his material, withal maintaining a consistent pace in the unreeling.

November 13, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
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You won't make a mistake, believe us, if you stuff the ballot-box for The Great McGinty.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
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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.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
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The perfect fusion of Sturges's wit and frenzy.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
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The evolution from hoodlum to governor: 'You got to crawl before you can creep, right?'

April 14, 2010 Full Review Source: CinePassion | Comment
CinePassion

The trademark Sturges dialogue is in rare form here, each character armed with a quiver full of tart jabs and put-downs.

January 12, 2007 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | Comment
Filmcritic.com

It's the kind of ironical film Capra wouldn't or couldn't make.

August 2, 2006 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A wonderfully dry satire.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

Deliciously biting political satire.

October 21, 2004 Comment
Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

As a political comedy, it's far-fetched but certainly engaging.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

Sturges' directorial debut is a little rough around the edges, but still good.

March 12, 2003 Comment
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Donlevy isn't Sturges' most appealing lead, but he'll do, and Tamiroff really works it as his patron, the Boss.

March 10, 2003 Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | Comment
Austin Chronicle

A classic, cynical comedy about politics and corruption; still pertinent today.

January 19, 2003 Comment
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

Minor Sturges.

November 22, 2002 Comment
San Francisco Examiner

not "Lady Eve"-caliber Preston Sturges, but well worth viewing

July 29, 2002 Comment
Kalamazoo Gazette
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Great McGinty (Down Went McGinty)

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)

March 27, 2009
harrycaul

Super Reviewer

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

December 3, 2007
mjgildea

Super Reviewer

    1. The Politician: If it weren't for graft, you'd get a very low type of people in politics.
    – Submitted by Chris P (9 months ago)

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Foreign Titles

  • The Great McGinty (DE)
  • The Great McGinty (UK)
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