OSCAR WILD DAY 3: ALL THE KING’S MEN (1949)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: A political outsider takes on the condescending political establishment, employing coarse rhetoric and a populist platform to win over the angry and disenfranchised working-class electorate. Once in power, he wields every bit of leverage the office affords to thwart his opponents and increase his influence over government and society. No, this is not a documentary. All the King’s Men is a work of fiction, albeit a quite prescient one for our current times. Willie Stark starts out as an idealist running for a local office against corrupt machine politics. His first election experience ends poorly, but it emboldens him to pursue a law degree and come back to try again. With each foray into the public eye, whether in the courtroom or on the campaign trial, Willie’s fervor and charisma wins over more and more supporters. With more support comes more power, which Willie capitalizes on to expand his base and his behind-the-scenes influence. As I have lea...
