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.
There's a handful of talkies from '29 which were brilliant but most are like this - compared with what was produced just a couple of years later, they could be described as verging on terrible but they're nevertheless fascinating to see. Because technology, techniques and experience progressed so much in just a year films like this were probably unwatchable to a 1930 audience. For us however today it's a lovely snapshot of the evolution of modern filmmaking and indeed of 1929.
GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS isn't a FRONT PAGE type comedy, it's more of a melodrama for men and it's actually not that bad and reasonably entertaining. Although based on a successful stage play this is not at all stagey or static. The story is about someone whose work-life balance is very much out of kilter, something still resonant today. Keep with it because the very last ten minutes are honestly one of the most genuinely emotionally shocking experiences you'll have. Nearly a hundred years later, that it feels like you've been punched in the stomach shows that despite its shortcomings, it's still worthy of watching.
And so to the shortcomings.....
1. Direction! If ever there was a good example of a making a talking picture for the first time without any experience whatsoever then this is it. Neither the director Millard Webb or his cast had made one of these before and it clearly didn't come naturally to Mr Webb. You can actually see some of the cast leaning over tables to slowly enunciate their lines into the hidden microphone; if you've seen BABYLON or SINGIN' IN THE RAIN you'll laugh when you hear the deafening sound of the doctor's shoes walking across the floor drowning out everything else. You have to view the one with a forgiving heart.
2. Kay Francis! She'd truly terrible. Kay had no film experience before this so you might wonder how she landed a leading role. She was infamous as being THE party girl and when spotted late one night at a club doing her thing by the writer he thought she'd be perfect as his vamp. When Millard Webb was assigned to make this film, she decided that she would sleep with him. She knew the system and played it brilliantly.....unlike her acting. When considering how good she was just a couple of years later, she must have looked back on this with utter embarrassment. Her acting style is a combination of abject fear and staring out into the audience to speak her lines. She looks like she's in one of those videos kidnap victims are forced to make by gunpoint. (And that's not to mention that awful haircut!)
3. Walter Huston! Yes, one of early Hollywood's best actors ever doesn't seem to have a clue how to act in his first talking picture. It's so surprising to see the great man being less than fabulous but I suppose we all have to start somewhere. His theatre experience does however shine through at the film's memorable climax.
There are much more professionally made or artistically innovative movies from 1929 but if you want to see one which they were figuring out how to do it as they went along whilst still being entertaining enough to hold your attention, give this a go.
- 1930s_Time_Machine
- Nov 3, 2023
- Permalink
Details
- Runtime1 hour 15 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.20 : 1