Back to trending
The Glass Key

The Glass Key

Crime · Mystery · Thriller · 1942

A crooked politician finds himself being accused of murder by a gangster from whom he refused help during a re-election campaign.

Movie details

The Glass Key

“The Tougher They Are—The Harder They Fall”

1942 Crime · Mystery · Thriller 1h 25m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

A crooked politician finds himself being accused of murder by a gangster from whom he refused help during a re-election campaign.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Glass Key?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Woman on the Run

Woman on the Run

Thriller · 1950

Frank Johnson, a sole witness to a gangland murder, goes into hiding and is trailed by Police Inspector Ferris, on the theory that Frank is trying to escape from possible retaliation. Frank's wife, Eleanor, suspects he is actually running away from their unsuccessful marriage. Aided by a newspaperman, Danny Leggett, Eleanor sets out to locate her husband. The killer is also looking for him, and keeps close tabs on Eleanor.

The Independent

The Independent

Thriller · 2022

It's the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history. America is poised to elect either its first female president or its first viable independent candidate. Reporting history as it's made, an idealistic young journalist teams up with her idol, legendary journalist Nick Booker, to uncover a conspiracy that places the fate of the election, and the country, in their hands.

D.O.A.

D.O.A.

Mystery · 1949

Frank Bigelow is about to die, and he knows it. The accountant has been poisoned and has only 24 hours before the lethal concoction kills him. Determined to find out who his murderer is, Frank, with the help of his assistant and girlfriend, Paula, begins to trace back over his last steps. As he frantically tries to unravel the mystery behind his own impending demise, his sleuthing leads him to a group of crooked businessmen and another murder.

The Seven-Ups

The Seven-Ups

Thriller · 1973

A tough detective who is part of an elite New York City unit is trying to find out who killed his partner, but uncovers a plot to kidnap mobsters for money.

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: A Very Foul Play

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: A Very Foul Play

Mystery · 2019

At a gathering of mystery and true crime fans, Aurora Teagarden’s nephew, Phillip, is accused of murder when an unplanned onstage blackout during the play in which he is performing ends, revealing Phillip holding the bloody knife that has just killed one of the other performers. 12th installment in Aurora Teagarden Mysteries

The Mirror Crack'd

The Mirror Crack'd

Mystery · 1980

Jane Marple solves the mystery when a local woman is poisoned and a visiting movie star seems to have been the intended victim.

Murder!

Murder!

Mystery · 1930

When actress Diana Baring is found in a daze beside her colleague’s murdered body, all evidence points to her guilt. During the trial, juror Sir John Menier doubts the verdict, but yields to pressure. Haunted by remorse, he launches his own investigation.

Nightfall

Nightfall

Crime · 1956

An innocent man turns fugitive as he reconstructs events that implicate him for a murder and robbery he did not commit.

LaRoy, Texas

LaRoy, Texas

Crime · 2024

Broke and depressed, Ray is mistaken for a dangerous hitman and given an envelope of cash. Along with his P.I. friend Skip, he must escape the actual hitman to make it out of LaRoy alive.

Night Watch

Night Watch

Mystery · 1973

A woman recovering from a nervous breakdown tries to convince her husband and and the local London police that she has witnessed a murder in the abandoned house next door.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Stuart Heisler

Written by

Jonathan Latimer

Brian Donlevy

Brian Donlevy

Paul Madvig

Veronica Lake

Veronica Lake

Janet Henry

Alan Ladd

Alan Ladd

Ed Beaumont

Bonita Granville

Bonita Granville

Opal 'Snip' Madvig

Richard Denning

Richard Denning

Taylor Henry

Joseph Calleia

Joseph Calleia

Nick Varna

William Bendix

William Bendix

Jeff

Court is in session

Put The Glass Key on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.