Four-Star Films : ‘All the King’s Men’

Robert Penn Warren’s novel of a magnetic Southern demagogue--modeled on Lousiana’s Huey Long--was turned by Robert Rossen into a violent, moralistic, gritty 1949 drama of values compromised and corruption and idealism deadlocked. Rossen ditches Warren’s poetry and rhetoric; this is a fierce fable with no flowery side trips. With Broderick Crawford (right) and Mercedes McCambridge (left) (both Oscar winners), John Ireland (center), Joanne Dru and John Derek. Crawford, who plays “Willie Stark” like a backwoods bull, doesn’t really suggest Long--who looked and acted more like character actor Frank McHugh, but seen today his performance carries eerie overtones of Lyndon Johnson (A&E; early Saturday at 4 a.m.).

Other four-star films airing this week:

Hannah and Her Sisters / Bravo, Sunday, 2 p.m.; Tuesday, 5 and 11 p.m.; Wednesday, 9:30 a.m.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid / TMC, Monday, 5:20 p.m.

Sunrise / AMC, Tuesday, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.

The Official Story / Cinemax, Thursday, 6 a.m.

Laura / Bravo, Saturday, 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The Last Picture Show / KCOP, Saturday, 5 p.m.