I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Brilliant and touching

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Crooked political boss Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy) tries to clean up his act when he falls for Janet Henry (Veronica Lake), the daughter of a reformist politician. When Janet's brother is killed, all signs point to Paul having done it. So his right-hand man Ed Beaumont (Alan Ladd), who also has a thing for Janet (and vice-versa), must figure out who committed the crime to save his friend from a murder rap.The second pairing of Ladd and Lake is also the second film adaptation of the Dashiell Hammett novel The Glass Key. They have great chemistry, of course, but Ladd and Donlevy's bromance almost overshadows it. This is one of Ladd's best roles. Lake is sexy and fun. Whenever I see a Veronica Lake movie from this period I'm always anxious to see another. It's a shame she was so difficult to work with that her time in the spotlight was so brief. Brian Donlevy is very good in this playing a character not too far removed from his classic Preston Sturges movies. Really good supporting cast includes Bonita Granville, Joseph Calleia, Richard Denning, Donald MacBride, and even Dane Clark in a small part. William Bendix is a scene stealer as a sadistic bruiser that works for Calleia. Some say the ending is abrupt and the story confusing. Can't say that I agree with that. I thought the story was easy to follow and the resolution to the mystery made sense. This is an enjoyable film noir with lots of snappy patter and good characters. Also some solid stunt work and a first-rate makeup job on a battered Alan Ladd. Obviously a must-see for fans of Ladd, Lake, and Hammett but I think most people who like 1940s film noir and crime pictures will like it.

Talk about plot twists, this picture has got it all and then some.Crooked politician endorsing a reform candidate and he loves the latter's daughter. (Veronica Lake) His partner (Alan Ladd) also loves the girl. The reformer (Moroni Olsen) has a son with a gambling problem. (Richard Denning). Before long, the son is found dead and suspicion shifts to our politician (Brian Donlevy) since the dead son was fond of his sister, a very mature Bonita Granville. Talk about Peyton Place, this picture may have it beat.In addition, we have William Bendix as an enforcer to always evil Joseph Calleia, looking to frame Donlevy for the murder.Wait until you see how Ladd smokes out the real killer by accusing someone else in the end.Bendix is excellent in his role and steals every scene that he is in.

"The Glass Key" should have served as the model for all subsequent films based on hardboiled crime fiction. Brian Donlevy, Alan Ladd, William Bendix and tiny, delectable Veronica Lake all seem born to play their parts: Ladd, in particular, is perfect as the snappy, no-nonsense Ed Beaumont. Director Stuart Heisler gets the bleak atmosphere down pat. And, most important of all, the script is true to the morally ambiguous vision of Dashiell Hammett (except for that minor but cringe-inducing change to the ending, of course). There are no "good guys" in this tale: some of the characters behave much more reprehensibly than others, but there are only degrees of bad. This is what made Hammett's writing special, and it's why "The Glass Key" stands head and shoulders above many other, better-known examples of film noir like Howard Hawks' wildly inconsistent adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep". (In the scene during which Ladd is held captive and roughed up by Bendix, Akira Kurosawa fans will immediately recognize the inspiration for a pivotal scene in the Japanese master filmmaker's "Yojimbo".)

Good chance to catch Hollywood's greatest blond couple together in one of their best movies. My only question remains which of the two is prettier. Still, Lake wins out in the hair department, maybe for all time. The plot's pretty darn complicated but holds interest to the end, thanks to the expert casting.Those of us who remember Bill Bendix as the lovable Riley in radio & TV's Life of Riley boggle at his role here. As the sadistic thug Jeff, he's about as mean as they come. Actually, I'm surprised that the one particularly brutal beating passed the censors. In my book, it's the movie's most memorable scene. At the same time, it's good to know that Bendix and Ladd were such good friends off screen. Still, it's a rather shocking scene for the time.Sure, neither of the blonds was too good in the acting department. Yet each projected a strong, rather icy, presence that's hard to duplicate. Catch Ladd's mirthless grin more like a mask for his Beaumont character than an actual emotion. He's really very effective as a somewhat ruthless political operative. Then there's Lake who strikes effortlessly sultry poses, but with a cold heart underneath. The two are indeed a perfect match. The story's pretty convoluted, something about political influence entering into a murder mystery. Actually, it's a "buddy" picture as much as anything else, and one that sort of sneaks up on you. However, it's the characters, not the narrative that shines, including a dynamic Donlevy as the political boss and an oily Calleia as a mob kingpin. Together, they make life difficult for headliner Ladd. All in all, Paramount Pictures knew they had a winning two-some on screen, however difficult the screenplay.