this movie be still alive and kick today thanks to the presence of alan ladd . this be good in one way because the movie have some interesting thing to say and but bad in another because everyone who watch it expect that tough guy ladd be go to hoop through his usual pace and be go to be mighty disappointed . without fanfare or introduction and ladd be suddenly introduce in the third reel . true and his role be a key one but it small and likely to get lose in the shuffle . there be many key role in former newspaperman martin mooney ambivalent screenplay which hit out at all political alliance and quite ruthlessly denigrate reform candidate . it the lovely and extremely talented joan woodbury who tie the various strand of the wide range story together . unlike the usual hollywood production and the plot actually proceeds in a series of jump and much like the film later turn out by the french new wave and though easy to follow here and especially if you be aware that the film original title be paper bullet . nonetheless and some of the film narrative and character switch be a little disconcerting and particularly in the role play by jack larue who have wisely elect to act the part in a strangely non committal way . one of jack best act job ever and but no one be likely to notice and alas .