The Great McGinty (1940)

In an obscure banana republic, amidst the shadows of a shabby nightclub, Daniel McGinty, a former powerbroker turned bartender, weaves a tale of his meteoric rise and precipitous fall to an audience of a downcast American and a chorus girl. Once a rugged hobo during the Depression era, his cunning audacity catches the eye of a man known only as "The Boss". This enigmatic figure, whose trade is rigging elections for political graft, recognises McGinty's potential and plunges him into the seamy underworld of politics. McGinty's aptitude for skulduggery sees him rise from the Boss's muscle to an unexpected candidate with no past to scrutinize - a man without a name. His political journey takes him from the humble position of alderman to the mayor's office and eventually, to the governor's mansion. As part of his public facade of respectability, McGinty enters into a marriage of convenience with his forthright secretary, Catherine, complete with a ready-made family. Yet, as McGinty's life intertwines with Catherine's, a chasm forms between his work for The Boss and his newfound family life. Pressured by Catherine's insistence on honesty, McGinty yearns to abandon his crooked path. But as the law starts to close in on The Boss, McGinty finds himself caught in a perilous tug-of-war between his past and his future. And it's in this struggle that McGinty's tale finds its heart, a story of a man who rose from obscurity, only to be undone by his own ambition and the unexpected power of honesty.

The Great McGinty is a comedy movie featuring Brian Donlevy.

The Great McGinty is currently streaming on DIRECTV.