For anyone who has never seen President Ronald Reagan in one of his movies, Kings Row (1942) is an excellent one to watch. Life should be simple in a quaint turn-of-the-century small town, but there is a definite on-the-other-side-of-town mentality which can't help but affect friends Parris (Robert Cummings) and Drake (Reagan). Although he is not the lead character, Reagan nailed his animated and emotional roller coaster role. Ann Sheridan, Betty Field, Claude Rains and Charles Coburn also star.

Robert Cummings and Ronald Regan

The movie begins with the main characters as children, but establishes the plot.

 Nancy Coleman

© Warner Bros. Pictures

 Drake is a free and easy young man who has a crush on Louise Gordon (Nancy Coleman) but her father thinks she's beneath him. Parris is raised by his grandmother, Madame Marie von Eln (Maria Ouspenskaya) who lives on the better side of town and encourages Parris in the finer things of life like college and learning to play the piano. Parris likes Cassie Tower (Betty Field), but her father keeps her under lock and key as well.

Finally Parris (Reagan) returns home from college where he learns his grandmother is gravely ill. He decides to study medicine under Cassie's father Dr. Alexander Tower (Claude Rains). When he enters the house he gets a small glimpse of Cassie, but she's extremely agitated and can't get away from Parris fast night.  

Claude Rains © Warner Bros. Pictures

As Madame Marie makes her final wishes known regarding Parris, her executor Col. Skeffington (Harry Davenport) says to a friend, "She a way of honor, gentleness and dignity. These things are going and may never come back to this world."  

So it seems is the world Parris now finds in his small town. After his grandmother passes Parris gets a few hours alone with Cassie before he goes off to Vienna to study medicine. Meanwhile Drake has decided to marry Louise only when he asks she won't stand up against her parents to do what she really wants to do.  

Drake moves on and takes up with Randy Monaghan (Ann Sheridan), a nice girl from the wrong side of the tracks. He plans to marry her until he suffers an unfortunate accident, one that brings Parris back to town and changing his future.  

King's Row is a wonderful drama full of intrigue and positive themes about the bonds of friendship and true love. The entire cast is great, with Reagan a real standout. Even Maria Ouspenskaya (The Rains Came), whom most movie fans can't forget as the gypsy fortune teller in The Wolf Man  (1941) is an excellent actress and very believable here.  

The black and white cinematography by James Wong Howe is amazing. Clean, bold beautiful shots tell so much of this heartfelt story of hopelessness and triumph. He won one of the three Oscar nominations the film received. The other two were Best Director for Sam Wood and Best Picture which lost out to MGM's Mrs.Miniver.   

Director: Sam Wood

Writers: story/novel - Henry Bellamann, screenplay - Casey Robinson

Cast Members: Ronald Reagan, Robert Cummings, Nancy Coleman, Claude Rains, Betty Field, Ann Sheridan, Harry Davenport

Rating: PG

Classic Movie Guide Rating: 3.5 our of 5 stars

Run Time: 127 minutes

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Format: Color- Widescreen