A small-town lawyer rides an improbable series of events to the Louisiana governor's mansion, where his populist policies and ruthless scheming quickly earn him some powerful enemies. There are several differences between this film and the 1949 film adaptation. Most notably, this film occurs in Louisiana during the 1950s, whereas the 1949 film occurs in an unnamed Southern state during the Great Depression.

Based on the novel: All the king's men / by Robert Penn Warren. Originally produced as a motion picture in 2006. Special features (83 min.): "The making of 'All the king's men'" featurette (7 min.); "'All the king's men' : an American classic" featurette (13 min.); "L.A. confidential : on location with 'All the king's men'" featurette (8 min.); "Shake hands with the devil" featurette (10 min.); "The legend and lore of Huey Long" featurette (23 min.); 2 deleted scenes (10 min. total); alternate ending (12 min.).