A driven newspaperman misses out on the joys and sorrows of ordinary life.A driven newspaperman misses out on the joys and sorrows of ordinary life.A driven newspaperman misses out on the joys and sorrows of ordinary life.
- Awards
- 2 wins
Photos
- Myra May
- (as Katherine Francis)
- Kelly - Newspaper Reporter
- (uncredited)
- McPhee - Newspaper Reporter
- (uncredited)
- Newspaper Copy Boy
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe copyright for this film has expired and it is now in public domain.
- Quotes
Myra May: Are you the editor?
Wickland Snell: I? No?
Myra May: Then get him. Get him down here! You'll have to get all the editors down here.
Wickland Snell: Yeah? Must be important.
Myra May: You think I'd be here at this time of morning, if it weren't? I'm suing this dirty paper for fifty thousand dollars. Libel. And I'll get it too. My attorney will be here at eight o'clock. You can't print lies about me.
Wickland Snell: You are suing you say?
Myra May: I'm going to. If you think you can get away with any...
Wickland Snell: Now just a minute. Now tell me all about it. Maybe I can help you.
Myra May: You printed a vicious lie about me; named me as correspondent in that Cummings' divorce suit. And I'm suing for a hundred thousand dollars.
Wickland Snell: Oh. Oh, then you're, you're the Miss er...
Myra May: Myra May.
Wickland Snell: But Mrs. Cummings did name you didn't she?
Myra May: Mrs. Cummings is a liar.
Wickland Snell: Yeah, sure. Lotta women are.
Myra May: Mr. Cummings was merely a dear, dear friend of mine.
Wickland Snell: Was? Oh then, then Mr Cummings is...
Myra May: Away. In South America now.
Wickland Snell: South America.
Myra May: And unless you retract this story, I'm suing for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Wickland Snell: I think you're perfectly right. Won't you sit down?
Wickland Snell: Er, seeing you makes the whole thing entirely different. Now we're not going to have our paper printing lies about ladies like you, Miss May. I'll take charge of this case myself. Now, if you'll just give me the details.
Myra May: But you say you're not the editor.
Wickland Snell: No, but he'll do anything I tell him. Of course, I'll want to get in touch with you in case anything happens. Er, you have an occupation, I suppose?
Myra May: Oh, yes. Well, I'm here from California doing secretarial work. Just temporarily, of course. I'm not an ordinary secretary.
Wickland Snell: No, I can see that.
Myra May: Then you really will help me?
Wickland Snell: Why, of course I'll help you. I'll help your lawyers too. We'll all work together. Now, if you'll just let me know where I can reach you.
Myra May: Of course. Trafalgar 5428.
Wickland Snell: Trafalgar 5428. Now, I think we understand the situation.
Myra May: Perfectly.
- Alternate versionsReleased in both sound and silent versions, for theaters not yet equipped for sound.
Wickland Snell is a righteous and workaholic star reporter of a newspaper of New York, and step by step he plunges into the obscenity of the mediocre society -he actually moves in-.
The title refers to the 'gentleness' of Wickland, about his daughter Dorothy, with him losing his mind to protect her and her husband.
During the first two acts, the movie can't really take off from being only an adaptation of a Broadway play, but near the end, the story progressively gains all kinds of shades of gray -REALLY dark tones-, to so become really absorbing.
It's a tricky movie, because its author (Ward Morehouse) was also one of those 'bloody' reporters.
Walter Houston (Snell) takes on a tough and rightful role a-la Kevin Costner, while Kay Francis (as the so lascivious Myra May) is such a femme-fatale, taking him to 'Little Hades', there in New York.
Details
- Runtime1 hour 15 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.20 : 1