
The Great McGinty
1940, Comedy, 1h 22m
24 Reviews 500+ RatingsYou might also like
The Great McGinty Photos
Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Daniel "Dan" McGinty
Catherine McGinty
The Boss
George
The Politician
Tommy Thompson
Critic Reviews for The Great McGinty
All Critics (24) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (24)
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''The Great McGinty'' was the great Preston Sturges's first showing as a director, and a happy occasion it was.
January 10, 2018 | Full Review… -
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… -
A wonderfully dry satire.
June 24, 2006 -
Deliciously biting political satire.
October 21, 2004 | Rating: 4/5 -
You won't make a mistake, believe us, if you stuff the ballot-box for The Great McGinty.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review… -
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…
Audience Reviews for The Great McGinty
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Mar 27, 2009<I>The Great McGinty</I> 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) from bum to racketeer, to crooked mayor, to honest state governor and back to bum again. By staging his story as a post-catastrophic flashback from skid row, Sturges neatly undermines the sentimentality and predictability of McGinty's romance with Catherine (Muriel Angelus), the secretary he marries out of convenience, but the lack of a Happy Ending makes the picture oddly unsatisfying. This problem is emphasised by the economical running time; clocking in at a little over 80 minutes, <I>McGinty</I>'s end credits begin to roll at about the time we would typically anticipate that final twist enabling the leads to live happily ever after.Stephen M Super Reviewer
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Dec 03, 2007An 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 going honest. It takes itself a little too seriously at times but when it's funny it's really on. It also acts as a sneak preview to what would be coming down the pipeline from Sturges. You can see his style emerging and beginning to take the shape of something great.Michael G Super Reviewer
The Great McGinty Quotes
The Politician: | If it weren't for graft, you'd get a very low type of people in politics. |
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