The Glass Key

Stuart Heisler directs this classic drama, based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett.

Despite building his empire by turning a blind eye and granting favours to low-class criminals, crooked politician Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy) decides to clean up his act and back the anti-mob reform candidate Ralph Henry (Moroni Olsen) in the upcoming governor's elections.

However, when notorious gangster Nick Varna (Joseph Calleia) learns of the change of heart, he murders Henry's debt-ridden son Taylor (Richard Denning), and attempts to pin the crime on Madvig.

With news of the murder about to break, it's left to Madvig's hired muscle Ed Beaumont (Alan Ladd) to prove his boss is innocent before it's too late.