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      The Match King

      1932 1h 20m Crime Drama List
      Reviews 67% Audience Score Fewer than 50 Ratings In 1920s Chicago, Paul Kroll (Warren William) rises from humble street sweeper to merciless entrepreneur by using deceitful, underhanded tactics. When his uncle sends word that his hometown's match works is about to go under, Paul -- using stolen money -- buys the plant and ruthlessly establishes a match manufacturing empire throughout Europe. But his business exploits eventually go awry when he falls for a beautiful actress named Marta (Lili Damita). Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      Ken R The Match King – A Matchless Performance Warren William again demonstrates why he was crowned King of the thirties, with another dazzling performance. Here he plays unscrupulous Chicago Street cleaner Paul Kroll, who schemes his way to becoming an international Match company owner/manager, and so-called ‘respectable' gangster--- via outlandish fraudulent methods--producing many and varied disastrous results. This First National production uses dramatic irony to follow the factually based career of an international rogue. Well made and worth seeing. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/10/20 Full Review Audience Member TMC happened to show it recently and my father insisted I gave it a try. It is the remarkable true tale of an entrepreneur and how he goes from sweeping streets to owning Europe. Far from being an inspirational tale, the movie does not sugar coat any of the very questionable steps Ivar Kruegar (or Paul Kroll in the movie) takes to make his way there. It's a tale that's been repeated often, as it is the story of capitalism gone wrong. However, it's a film that is humble, in appearance not so different from other movies of the 1930's: but the subject shows far more honesty about our own society and economy than most films. I wish today's cinema would feature more like this. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member good bio-pic of sorts Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Match King

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis In 1920s Chicago, Paul Kroll (Warren William) rises from humble street sweeper to merciless entrepreneur by using deceitful, underhanded tactics. When his uncle sends word that his hometown's match works is about to go under, Paul -- using stolen money -- buys the plant and ruthlessly establishes a match manufacturing empire throughout Europe. But his business exploits eventually go awry when he falls for a beautiful actress named Marta (Lili Damita).
      Director
      Howard Bretherton, William Keighley
      Screenwriter
      Houston Branch, Sidney Sutherland
      Production Co
      First National Pictures
      Genre
      Crime, Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Runtime
      1h 20m