Kings Row • The Next Reel

“Where’s the REST of me?!?!" “Kings Row” was adapted from a much racier novel from 1940 and had to be sanitized quite a bit because of the Hays Code. They had to leave some pretty big elements out — homosexuality, mercy killings, incest, nymphomania — but even with that, the film still is very dark because of the issues it does deal with. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Black and White Cinematography of James Wong Howe series with Sam Wood’s 1942 film “Kings Row.” We talk about the adaptation and what had to change in order for the producers to be given the green light, but what those changes meant for the film and how the added subtext really aids the film through today’s eyes. We chat about the cast — Robert Cummings, Ann Sheridan, Claude Rains and Ronald Reagan in particular — and what each of them bring to the table (notably Reagan in what many call his best performance). We talk about Howe’s great cinematography and what he adds to this dark story with a midwestern gothic style of shooting, giving this seemingly idyllic town at the turn of the last century a touch of noir. And we talk about Wood and his body of work, noting what we’d seen of his without realizing they were his films. It’s a film that really took us both by surprise but one that worked well for us, particularly as a film from the 40s. Tune in! Film Sundries Original theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkKing’s Row — Henry BellamannFlickchartStar Wars & Kings Row Score Thematic Comparison Trailers of the WeekAndy’s Trailer: Everest — “Not an IMAX documentary but it sure feels like one. I’m quite impressed by everything about this trailer — the cast in particular."Pete’s Trailer: American Ultra — “This may not be the follow up to the Bourne films that we wanted, but it’s the follow up to the Bourne films that we needed… that we deserve." Hey! You know what would be awesome? If you would drop us a positive rating on iTunes! If you like what we’re doing here on TNR, it really is the best way to make sure that this show appears when others search for it, plus, it’s just a nice thing to do. Thanks!! The Next Reel on iTunesThe Next Reel on FacebookThe Next Reel on TwitterThe Next Reel on FlickchartThe Next Reel on LetterboxdGuess the Movie with The Next Reel on InstagramCheck out the Posters with The Next Reel on Pinterest And for anyone interested in our fine bouquet of show hosts: Follow Andy Nelson on TwitterFollow Pete Wright on TwitterFollow Steve Sarmento on TwitterCheck out Tom Metz on IMDBFollow Mike Evans on TwitterFollow Chadd Stoops on TwitterFollow Steven Smart on LetterboxdSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible