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''The Glass Key'' by Creator/DashiellHammett is a 1931 hardboiled novel adapted most famously as a 1942 FilmNoir directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Creator/AlanLadd, Brian Donlevy, and Creator/VeronicaLake.

After Ned (Ed in the movie) Beaumont finds a politician's son murdered, his best friend and local political heavyweight Paul Madvig is considered the prime suspect--especially by Taylor's sister Janet.

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!! Tropes used in the novel and 1942 film:
* AdaptationalHeroism: characters are significantly nastier in the novel than the film.
** [[spoiler: The Senator]] confesses his crime at the end of the film in order to [[spoiler: save Janet]]. In the novel, his first reaction is to [[spoiler: attempt to murder Paul to continue the coverup.]]
** Janet Henry is less antagonistic to Paul Madvig than she is purely interested in finding out the truth about her brother's death in the film.
* AffectionateNickname: Opal Madvig is only ever referred to as "Snip."
* BittersweetEnding: Taylor Henry's death has been solved, and Ned and Janet are about to leave town together... but she has to leave her father behind to do it. Paul Madvig is preparing to rebuild his political empire... but will have to do it without his best friend or the woman he was in love with.
* BrainsAndBrawn: Paul Madvig is the brawn to Beaumont's brains.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Beaumont is subjected to repeated beatings.
* CorruptPolitician: Madvig...who may have made a slight mistake by throwing his lot in with Senator Henry, a reform candidate.
%% * TheDon: O'Rory.
%% * DrivenToSuicide: The owner of the ''Republic'' newspaper.
* GracefulLoser: Madvig, slightly more so in the film.
--> '''Madvig''': ''[goes to shake Janet's hand, removes the ring from it]'' ...but if you think you're getting married with ''my'' rock, you're nuts.
%%* FemmeFatale
%%* FriendshipMoment
* LeaveBehindAPistol: [[spoiler: The Senator]] requests this in the novel. It isn't granted.
%%* KnowledgeBroker
* TakingTheHeat: Beaumont suspects Madvig is doing this for the entire novel. [[spoiler: He's right.]]
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