ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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Being a loyal TCM viewer I've watched dozens of movies from the 1930s, 1940s, and even a few from 1950s which portray the newspaper business in very dramatic ways.

Smart, ambitious reporters who risk their lives to uncover the truth and inform the public about organized crime, corrupt politicians, bank robberies, and even murders.

Here's a few of the better ones I've enjoyed, with one exceptional entry thrown in from 1994.
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The Finger Points (1931)

Richard Barthelmess is a young reporter who discovers that the only way to expose crime and corruption without being murder by the mob for revenge is to work with mob boss Clark Gable (suave as ever, even when he's a bad guy), despite the fact that his fellow reporter and love interest (Fay Wray) disapproves.

The beauty of this story is that Clark Gable is willing to secretly rat out the other illegal operations (gambling and speakeasys) in exchange for Barthelmess' cooperation at his newspaper by not reporting on Gable's operations (thus avoiding public outrage and the threat of being raided by the police).

I'll confess I actually didn't think Barthelmess was doing anything wrong, because without the protection he got from Gable as part of their mutually advantageous agreement, the young reporter would have been murdered (or at least beaten up weekly) if he reported on the various illegal operations he exposed.

So, in a way, both Barthelmess and Gable were doing the city and the cops a favor by cleaning up some of the city's crime.

___________________ The Finger Points - clip


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The Front Page (1931)

This is one weird-and-wonderful movie. It features unique film techniques rarely used — and never done better than in this one. Pat O'Brien is a fast-talking, wisecracking reporter who'll do anything to get a story. Adolphe Menjou is his conniving, shameless editor who is even more ambitious than O'Brien.

This one was remade twice, once in 1949 (as His Girl Friday) and again in 1974. But the original is far better than either one.

_______________________ Front Page - clip

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Five Star Final (1931)

Edward G. Robinson gives a powerful performance as the ruthless publisher of a tabloid which will publish any story — even when it ruins the lives of innocent people whose privacy is violated.

This movie doesn't glorify newspapers, it actuallycondemns them for the harm they do when circulation is more important than human compassion.

________________ Five Star Final 1931 Trailer


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Front Page Woman (1935)

Betty Davis and George Brent are competing reports who fall in love, but that just makes them work even hard to scoop each other. This is definitely one of the better movies about crack reporters in the big city.

Roscoe Karns is Brent's sidekick, a wisecracking photographer who has more funny lines than any six stand-up comedians!

This movie has a fast-paced story, rapid dialog, and great characters.

________________Front Page Woman - Trailer


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The Torchy Blane series (1937 - 1941)

Feisty blond reporter Torchy Blane is featured in nine films, seven of which star Glenda Farrell. Miss Farrell is said to be the inspiration for Lois Lane, and Miss Lola Lane (who starred in one of the nine films) was the inspiration for Lois' name.

Torchy was always ahead of the police, which constantly annoyed her perennial fiance', Detective McBride.

___________Torchy Blane In Chinatown - trailer


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Call Northside 777 (1948)

Based on a true story, Jimmy Steward plays a crusading reporter for the Chicago Times who believes a man charge with the cold-blooded murder of a policeman is not guilty.

Set in the era of prohibition, this gritty gangland crime drama was filmed on location. The frequent narrator is Truman Bradley, the host of The Science Fiction Theatre. His distinctive voice lends just the right air of gravity to the movie.

YouTube has a fine copy of the film, so if you haven't seen it, here it is . . . free of charge.

_________________Call Northside 777 (1948)


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Deadline U.S.A. (1952)

Humphrey Bogart is the editor of the well-respected New York paper calledThe Day, but the death of its founder and owner allows his greedy family to sell it to a tawdry national newspaper chain that will destroy The Day's dedication to integrity and journalistic excellence.

Meanwhile, Bogart and this staff (including Warren Stevens from Forbidden Planet) battle with a powerful mob boss who is responsible for the death of an young woman.

This is one of the best newspaper films ever.

____________ Deadline U S A (1952) full movie

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I Love Trouble (1994)

This is the only modern-day film I know of which captures the fun and excitement of the classic newspaper movies, with Nick Nolte and Julia Roberts as ace reporters from competing papers who race to solve a mystery . . . and end up falling in love. The score by David Newman is so good that own the CD and the DVD!

This one is terrific!

_______ I Love Trouble Theatrical (1994) Trailer


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

Wonderful movies all!

My personal favorite is THE FRONT PAGE, but they are all a great way to spend a few hours!
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

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Gordo, we are indeed "brothers from another mother".

For years The Front Page was only available on VHS tapes made from the worst imaginable prints, an absolute disaster in terms of the picture and sound quality.

Even during the last few years, the prints shown occasionally on TCM were terrible, and I was convinced that no better prints were in existence.

And then, recently I discover that the movie had been restored somehow, and this unique movie was again "watchable" by discerning film fans like you and me.

After spending most of today composing my post above while watching several TCM movies on this very subject I'd DVRed, I decided to watch my DVD of the romantic comedy-adventure, I Love Trouble.

But as soon as the movie started, I was appalled by the fact that my old DVD (purchased in the late 1990s) would not play in the correct aspect ratio on my current LG television! No matter which settings I tried on my Blu-ray player or my TV (even when I tried various combinations), the image was still noticeably distorted. It was either stretched a little bit horizontally or vertically!

The only way my TV would show the movie without distorting the image was a setting which included black bars all the way around the picture.

I checked with Amazon and learned that my old DVD was STILL the only one available! That is a tragic insult to this great movie!

And then . . . I accidentally found out that my TV had a setting I'd not discovered before which allowed me to zoom in on the image with the black bars until nothing was left but the image itself!

And THAT IMAGE was just perfect!

So, I'm watching the movie now and enjoying it very much.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Krel]

What Bud, no "Citizen Kane"? Newpaper reporting is a big part of the story. Of course, the movie isn't too complementary to the profession.

David.

[Bud Brewster]

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You're right that Citizen Kane and dozens of other movies involve newspaper publishing in the plots. I found about six websites that featured lists of movies about reporters and newspaper publishing, and those lists helped me remember all the ones I had the fondest memories of.

As I mentioned above, my reason for starting the thread is described this way.

[Bud Brewster]

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Today I discovered that Call Northside 777 was another magnificent "newspaper movie" and that YouTube has a great copy I could download and watch.

So I did download it. And I am watching right now. And I've added it to the thread above.

Call Northside 777 (1948) - Full Movie - Starring Jimmy Stewart


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)