The wildest newspaper movie I’ve ever seen

February 4th, 2008 at 03:13pm Will Pfeifer

There are lots of great movies about newspapers, mostly because the characters are colorful and the plots are fast-paced and suspenseful. (Oh, if only Hollywood knew the grim truth!) CITIZEN KANE, classic status aside, is a film about journalism, following Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) as he builds a media empire on hype, warmongering, scandal and semi-truths. DEADLINE USA (which unfortunately isn’t on DVD) casts Humphrey Bogart as a tough-as-nails publisher trying to bring down a gangster before his paper falls under corporate control. THE FOUNTAINHEAD brings Ayn Rand’s hyperbolic novel to life, with the newspaper’s all-powerful architecture critic (wha?) trying to destroy the noblest man in the world. And ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN takes a story that could be boring — reporters make phone calls and wait around, trying to bring down Nixon – and instead makes it fascinating. In fact, if you like ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN, check out last year’s ZODIAC, which manages a similar trick but replaces Nixon with a serial killer.

But of all the movies about newspapers (and there are plenty more, including THE FRONT PAGE, MEET JOHN DOE, HIS GIRL FRIDAY and THE PAPER), my prize for wildest goes to FIVE-STAR FINAL, a 1931 melodrama starring Edward G. Robinson. This, my friends, is when the newspaper business was a thrilling, scandalous, death-defying profession. Robinson plays a managing editor who — under his bosses’ orders — destroys a family on the eve of their daughter’s wedding by dredging up an old scandal. The characters are frantic, the plot is frenzied and the dialogue is surprisingly spicy for a 77-year-old film. (It was released during the glory days of early sound movies, before Hollywood’s restrictive Production Code strangled the life out of American film.) As a bonus, it co-stars Boris Karloff (the same year he starred in FRANKENSTEIN) as a sleazy, drunken reporter who masquerades as a priest to get a story. Ah, the ethics of ’30s journalism!

Unfortunately, FIVE STAR FINAL is unavailable on DVD, and doesn’t look like it’s going to become available anytime soon. So why am I telling you about a movie you can’t see? Because you actually do have a rare chance to see it Wednesday morning. Turner Classic Movies (the film lover’s best friend) is airing FIVE STAR FINAL at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6/ Tape it, Tivo it , DVR it or get up early and just plain watch it, but don’t miss this movie. It’s amazing.

Entry Filed under: Classic movies