Cinematheque: Preston Sturges

“In this town, I’m all the parties.” After proving himself a natural born racketeer, Chicago hobo Dan McGinty (Donlevy) finds himself climbing the crooked political ladder, with graftmeister The Boss (a hilarious Tamiroff) supplying the rungs, but it’s a long way down to the banana republic cabana from where the story is relayed. Preston Sturges famously sold his Academy Award-winning script to Paramount for $1 on the condition that it be his directorial debut.