User reviews

I have always enjoyed this movie, which is admittedly corny at times and overly sentimental. However, "-30-", is a movie that is not dull and has a lot of subplots going on to hold your interest. Jack Webb, who also directed, stars as Sam Gatlin, the editor of a Los Angeles newspaper. He's had tragedy in his life and has closed himself off. He's outwardly gruff but has a soft heart. The action in the film takes place during one night, with a heavy rain storm, a missing child and several other stories competing for the front page before the deadline arrives. William Conrad attempts to steal every scene he is in but adds a lot of humor to the story as the city editor who is outwardly gruff but has a soft heart (there's definitely a lot of that in this movie). This movie and the "D.I." are my favorite movies starring Jack Webb.

Webb stars as Gatlin, the night editor of an LA newspaper. Wm. Conrad is Jim Bathgate, the city editor. There are many familiar 50's-60's TV faces in this film. It's easy to overlook the over-acting. There are plenty of plot twists to keep you thinking. No chances to stop and think about what just happened too long. Webb also directed this film for his Mark VII production company. The direction is tight. I have always liked the camera movements in this film. Very fluid. Some of the side stories interweaving thru this film are almost too much to take. Louise Lorimer plays "Lady," a senior employee, and copyist whos grandson dies during a speed record attempt by the air force. Alot of time is spent on the scene where she and Gatlin talk each other down. It's a sad scene, with a sudden jump to another part of the newsroom. During the course of the evening, a little girl goes into a storm drain after her dog, the rains come, and suddenly this is the main story for the morning paper. We are shown how the pages are composed in an interesting way, and are given a very basic overview of how things were done in 1959.

We even get a look at Miss Arkansas, 1959, Donna Sue Needham, as a sexpot that the camera ogles for a minute or so...

If you've never seen this film, give it a chance. It's tight, and entertaining. Even sad in places.

Overlook the theme music.

This film is a night in a newsroom at a big city newspaper. It stars Jack Webb as the boss, William Conrad and a whole host of other folks. There are a could of surprises--with Howard McNear (Floyd from "The Andy Griffith Show") and David Nelson ("Ozzie and Harriett") in small parts. All of them work very well together and "-30-" is a surprisingly good film. While it's not nearly as cynical and hard-hitting as "Five Star Final" (also remade as "Two Against the World"), it is a dandy little film--and one that might surprise you. Surprising because it was produced and directed by Jack Webb--and has Webb in the lead actually plays a surprisingly vulnerable guy. This is not the tough as nails guy he played in "The D.I." or Joe Friday from "Dragnet" (though Friday could, on rare occasions, show a bit of heart). This guy is cynical but also a guy who is hurting--and Webb was able to do a surprisingly good performance in this complex role. Now the film at first does not appear to have a lot of depth--just a lot of hard-boiled stereotypical newspaper folks. But, as the film progresses, various tragedies occur--bringing some humanity to these folks who seemed cold as ice.

Overall, a very compelling film--particularly the last half hour. Very well written, a bit schmaltzy (in a good way) and never the least bit dull, this is a heck of a good film that is all but forgotten today. And, the same can be made for Webb's other films. If he hadn't been so successful on TV, you wonder what other film projects he might have made.

I saw "-30-" on our old black and white in the 60's. It was a movie for a worthwhile popcorn and soda evening. Sure Jack Webb made movies and series that were sentimental but believable for the most part. He knew how to touch heart strings.

The story lines all come together. There's the search for the little girl lost in the LA storm drains while looking for her puppy. Lady, the reporter, whose grandson is lost in a military plane crash. The bet from Jim Bathgate that was to be delivered, but was lost, by Earl, the copy boy and wannabe reporter. Earl is a Korean War Veteran. Jim and PeggyGatlin, Jim who doesn't want to adopt a kid and Peggy who does. What will happen in each situation?

Jack Webb and William Conrad were actors of the highest degree. Louise Lorimar was a long time character actress who knew her trade. Comments were made about David Nelson's young age during this movie. I'm not sure of the importance of the issue after all he was acting. We, also, must consider the looks and ages of the young men going to war. I feel David did a fine job for his part.

I grew up watching DRAGNET with Jack Webb and Ben Alexander. Later on Harry Morgan (of M*A*S*H fame) signed on to be Jack's partner. One thing I appreciate about Jack is that in all of his movies and series many of the older character actors were used on a consistent basis. He also gave opportunity to many young stars like David Nelson and Dennis Weaver. I guess that shows that his sentimentality was real. He knew how and when to give a kid of any age a break.

Whitney Blake went on to do several acting parts in TV but will probably be remembered most for the TV series "Hazel". She starred with Don DeFoe and the great Shirley Booth (Hazel) as Dorothy Baxter, aka Mrs. B (1960-65). Sadly, Whitney passed away from cancer in 2002.

Compared to his roles in Dragnet or the DI, Jack Webb was positively eloquent playing night editor Sam Gatlan in -30-. For those of you who don't know, the title is the symbol put at the bottom of every newspaper article or news release signifying the end.

-30- tells the story of half a day in the office of a working newspaper in Los Angeles of the Fifties. The film is centered around the characters of Webb and Bill Conrad who are in charge as they decide the content and format of a daily edition.

-30- doesn't break any new ground, but has a nice documentary look to it which is what you would expect from the Jack Webb who gave us the daily grind in police work in Dragnet and with paramedics in Emergency. A bit more of a personal life is seen here with Webb and his wife Whitney Blake as they are going through a personal crisis of their own, whether to adopt young Ronnie Dapo or not.

Some familiar character players populate the newsroom here like Howard McNear, Joe Flynn, Richard Deacon, David Nelson who fill out their assigned roles very well. The primary news is about the rescue of a little girl trapped in a sewer drain. The film never leaves the set of the press room much like Dead End or Rear Window and like those films, the set almost becomes a character. But the most unforgettable characters are rich beauty queen Nancy Valentine who wants a journalism career and wants people to take her seriously and Louise Lormer as a veteran reporter who sustains a personal tragedy, but whose commitment to her job carries her through.

-30- like some of the journalism dramas of previous years is almost quaint now with most people getting their news from the internet or from radio and television. Still the papers are out there, struggling as they are for their audience. The people who work on newspapers are nicely tributed by Jack Webb and this film.

Jack Webb delivers as a newspaper editor on a cliffhanger of a front page story. A little girl, a storm drain, and a heavy rainstorm set the pace. Subplots include a young woman trying to break into the newspaper reporter business (in 1959 - this predated women's lib and did it very well) and a fear of being a parent again after losing a child. Acting chemistry is very successful. An excellent movie. Have VHS, want DVD.

This movie contains virtually every cliché about the newspaper business that can be crammed into one movie. In fact, it's so clichéd, it's campy...and that makes it better than even a clichéd Jack Webb might have imagined. William Conrad is, perhaps, the ultimate cliché as the tough city editor with, ultimately, a heart of gold (or, at least, not coal). And the press agent who shows up with the shapely model (in a fur with swimsuit underneath) is the topper. There's more, but who wants to spoil the fun (even though the overriding plot is intended to be serious). The requirement for a review is 10 lines. I could go on for 100 just listing the clichés -- and the clichéd performances -- but, again, that would take the fun out of it. Enjoy. (P.S.: Some reviewers have listed -- and continue to list -- this movie as one of the worst ever made. But many of those views have softened as time has passed -- perhaps because, as I said earlier, that it's now viewed as "campy.")

Before I begin, a bit of a 'disclaimer' here.

I grew up watching the old "Dragnet" (the 1950's version), and the second go-round, too in the 60's; as well as the rest of the Jack Webb-produced stable ("Adam-12", "Emergency !").

And I especially enjoyed the movies he made for Warner Bros; my favorites being "The D.I.", the Marine Corps movie and this lost gem, which I had not seen for at least 30 years, until recently.

I finally found a copy of this movie on eBAY, and to my delight I found it to be just as good as I remembered when I first saw on it the Late Show many years ago.

Unfortunately to many in our PC sanitized culture, Jack Webb may be an acquired taste, due to his stiff demeanor and his pro law and order image acquired through "Dragnet"; though to me he is the cornerstone of all I have grown up to love and respect.

We easily forget that he stood for progressive things too, and in this movie, guiding a woman reporter through her first news assignment.

His 1950's demeanor notwithstanding (which seemed humorous now), there was no doubt as Joe Friday that he was the 'good guy', and while as always it would take a little time (with commercials), you knew how the story would end ... HAPPILY, with the crook behind bars; or in this case with the latest edition put to bed.

Okay, many of you purists are a bit too picky about the lack of reality here, probably in reference to what we all liked so much about "Dragnet", and came to expect from Jack Webb; as well as David Nelson being too young to be a Korean War vet.

This is a movie after all, so get over it !!!

And while we can find fault with some of the plot devices in this film, namely the clichés and jokes one has to point out that humor, especially in times of great tension and stress is welcome; unless you go crazy from the experience otherwise.

"Dragnet" was famous for it, and considering the world the policeman inhabits. they need a laugh.

And how about M*A*S*H ???

There was a great deal of humor there as well; and let's remember that the movie and the TV show were set at a front-line Army hospital during the Korean War; and is offered here as a good example of grace under pressure.

And no, David Nelson wasn't there either !!!!!

Though admittedly the humor is a bit heavy-handed, Webb's heart was always in the right place here, and considering what the characters went through in this film, it was definitely called for.

Also a point worthy of praise should go to any movie that includes among the cast of recognizable Webb standbys the talents of William Conrad (radio's Matt Dillion, TV's Cannon), for dramatic as well as comic relief.

Conrad's booming baritone had been a radio staple for many years, and while his equally impressive physical presence is yet another benefit, that he is shown to have a soft side in the role of the beleaguered city editor practically made this movie for me.

This was especially true when the tension begins to heat up, at which point all the humanity possible was needed.

News stories like the little girl lost in the storm drain and the air crash that kills 'Lady 's grandson' were both highly emotional moments, and regrettably happens every day, and must be dealt with in a way that saves the sanity of those who must report it.

While Jack Webb's expertise belongs with the cop on the beat and "Dragnet", and perhaps not with this movie, he gets a solid 'A' for effort in my book here, and it is CRIMINAL that this and much of his film work has been lost in the limbo of OOP home video.

My God, do we need him now; not only his talent, but the integrity he brought to his work in creating those heroic figure we looked up to for so long.

Laughable as they may be now, they truly meant something !!!

Jack Webb walks into the newsroom and asks if "your boy still loves "Huckleberry Hound" He was referring to myself in real life. Wehad just gotten our first TV and this cartoon was the first show I ever saw. My father had been the sportscaster for the Pacific Coast League team,The Hollywood Stars, named for the fact that the team was owned by a syndicate of the biggest stars in Hollywood at the time. He also was the host of the show"HomeRunDerby"which ran from1959 to 1960 when he sadly passed away. I am a film composer working in LA and have worked with Andrew Davis and Glen Ballard among others. Jack Webb and my Dad were friends and my Dad can be seen in several episodes of "Dragnet", playing a reporter again and in many other shows of the day including "Fury", "Whirlibirds" and others.

This is probably the best character development in a movie short of 12 Angry Men. The plot is straight forward and the people are everyday normal folks. The action is limited to one area but the outside world crowds in very well. This is a great "feel good" movie and superb for its era!

"-30-" is used to alert newspaper people an article has ended. The sign "#" (or "###") is also used. Not a great title for a movie, but it might have worked for a television program. Frankly, that's the best way to describe this film; it might have worked as a TV series. Coming off his successful first run of "Dragnet" (1951-1959), producer/director/star Jack Webb might have had television on his mind. His "Sam Gatlin" is the managing editor of a Los Angeles area newspaper. Hard-nosed William Conrad (as Jim Bathgate) is a news editor. Charming "Ozzie and Harriet" son David Nelson (as Earl Collins) plays a copy boy, but the song "Boy" is sung by John Nolan (as Ron Danton). Pretty blonde Whitney Blake (as Peggy "Peg" Gatlin) is Mr. Webb's attractive wife, but better feminine roles are played by Louise Lorimer (as "Lady" Wilson) and pretty blonde Nancy Valentine (as Jan Price). A missing girl story runs parallel with Webb's desire to have children, after a tragedy in his past. A cartoon-like soundtrack is curious and obtrusive at times.

**** -30- (11/11/59) Jack Webb ~ Jack Webb, William Conrad, David Nelson, Whitney Blake

"-30-" is an anomaly among Jack Webb productions: it's the least realistic docudrama he ever made. Unlike "The D.I.," which got a ringing endorsement from the Marine Corps., journalists sneered at this picture. Newspaper critics harped on its wisecracks, its plot contrivances, and especially the constant abuse heaped on copy boys throughout the film. (Strangely, nobody commented on its LEAST realistic aspect: what kind of adoption agency releases a little boy to a family where the father refuses to meet with him?)

On the other hand, the film contains Webb's liveliest performance. His Sam Gatlin is animated and emotional. The closing scene, as Webb tries to explain to his second wife why he REALLY doesn't want to adopt a child, will shock you and perhaps put a lump in your throat. It's almost worth sitting through William Conrad's over-the-top, Edgar Kennedy-ish performance to see.

FACTOID: Warner Bros. really had a hard time marketing this one. In some cities, the ads labeled it a drama; in others, it was termed a comedy ("You'll laugh so loud, you might get arrested," read one ad under a picture of Jack "Sgt. Friday" Webb.) In the end, few people went to see it. It was the first Webb production to LOSE money, and it lost him his Warner contract.

As a former journalist, I acknowledge that news rooms haven't been anything like the one portrayed here in many decades. In fact, no news room in which I worked was like this, but that in no way detracts from the enjoyment I felt for this excellent movie.

Perhaps Jack Webb is an acquired taste, and later in his career, his Joe Friday character became almost a caricature of itself. Still, I rate him generally very good in his surprisingly few movies.

Just as so often in real life, this newspaper begins its day with no major stories and the staff is wondering what to place in the pages.

I was reminded of a "Shoe" strip in which that Jeff McNelly creation is preparing a headline saying "News Shortage Grips Nation."

One of the glories of "-30-" is its large cast of speaking characters. Each is very well delineated, and very well played.

David Nelson looked awfully young to be a medal-winning ex-sergeant, but he did continue to look young for many more years. But his character was, again, very well written and very well played. I wonder why he too didn't make more movies.

Much of the story-line was taken from actual incidents, but the dialog was much better than any of that spoken in any of the news rooms I ever worked in. (Truth to tell, most of the journalists I worked with were just not very well educated. The reason so much "news" is seemingly biased is not that journalists are necessarily dishonest; it's just that they don't know very much. And, yes, that is a generalization, but based on many years of experience.)

Newspapers today, disappearing as they are, don't have as many departments because, for example, when reporters type their stories into computers, they are essentially setting type at the same time.

Most newspapers don't have any person resembling the Richard Deacon character, who can use a pencil or pen and draw something. Drawing and art generally is done by computer. (Very few papers even have a staff cartoonist any more.)

Reporters are more likely to get a story by phone, too, rather than actually going to a scene. (TV "news" people go to the scene in order to have pictures, and many a major news story is ignored because there is no picture for the TV cameras.)

This movie, produced and directed by its star, Jack Webb, made me nostalgic for news-gathering. It made me yearn for the days when newspapers really were about news, and might even publish an "extra" because something big and unexpected happened.

But -30- works because it is, at bottom, about the people, the people who produce the news and the newspaper, and the people about whom the newspaper writes.

Turner Classic Movies is to be thanked for presenting us with -30- and I highly recommend it.

The title is from the practice of newspaper editors or reporters back in the day to write "-30-" or "###" at the end of a story so the Linotype operators would know that was the end. This is also explained, if I remember correctly, at the end of this film.

There are a couple of great quotes in the dialog, one of which is about wrapping fish with a newspaper, but I can't remember the exact quote.

Finally, this was a very powerful film in its day, but given the decrease in newspaper readership and the corresponding slip in the influence of newspapers in this the 21st century, some may look at this film as being a little hokey.

Made for a double feature, the plot wobbles here and there and comes to no consensus. It is generally a bunch of worn out cliches that were dated even by 1959 standards. They must have thought it added relevance to this tepid script.

The main actors couldn't act. Webb, in particular, does a poor job. William Conrad just sits, threatens, and mutters cliches.

The true acting comes from the women -- Louise Lorimer does a fine job, and Whitney Blake takes her part as far as the script allows. David Nelson and the other neophytes in the newsroom handle their parts well, but it is hard to work when your "bosses" just want to play around and toss worn out banter to each other.

The movie does not represent a newsroom, circa 1959. Supposedly, this was based on the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, a large subscription paper at the time.

People may rightly complain that this contrived, corny, unrealistic movie belongs on no "best" list, but it's also an unbeatable viewing experience. With seemingly every old-time newspaper cliche, the film cleverly ties subplots and glides from humor to pathos, conveying the inherent drama of the life of a city daily. The Jack Webb moralisms are less objects for scorn than expressions of affection for the profession. The film transcends the claustrophobic newsroom setting, from which it never strays. Expect to be entertained and perhaps even touched.

Light highlights: William Conrad's elaborate coffee concoction and his growl/moan of "Boy!" Webb's melodramatic kick of a newsroom chair. David Nelson, 23, as a medaled veteran of the Korean War 6-9 years prior.

This film is entertaining but marred by a too archly clever script, lines that are delivered, (particularly by William Conrad), as if the speaker were narrating a documentary and scenes that are played at 45RPM instead of 33. The effect is to make the film play like an opera without the music, complete with a mixture of low comedy and high tragedy. An attempt to break the news about a loved one's death becomes an extended discourse on God and the Universe. (I have always found that people in a certain situation are not very interested in the philosophies of people who are not.) Someone makes a wisecrack about the newspaper business and Conrad launches into a sort of aria about the purpose of the news business. He also sings lines like "BBBooooyyy!" when he calls for a copy boy. We have a kid trapped in sewers, another hoping to be adopted by the hero, another dying in a plane crash, etc. etc. I also agree that the thought of David Nelson having been a sergeant in the Korean War when the actor was born in 1936 is absurd.

Still, no one can deny that the film is entertaining for all it's faults. It moves and has real dramatic punch. Jack Webb's performance is his best in the movies since "The Men", (1950), although he still lacks the presence and charisma of the movie star he surely wanted to be. This was almost his last attempt at it after "Dragnet (1954), Pete Kelly's Blues, (1955) and The D.I. (1957). He had one more attempt, "The Last Time I saw Archie" (1961), a service comedy with Robert Mitchum, (now there's a Movie Star!) which, like -30-, was a box office flop and ended Webb's ambitions in this regard. He them became a Warner Brother's executive and then returned to the medium where he really excelled, television.

In his own way, Jack Webb was a genius. He told a story like no one else. His style was kind of corny but filled with emotion. His style is no style at all. It's just straight forward, to the point filmmaking. He also shows very little ego in "-30-". He allows William Conrad to treat the movie as if it's his own. Conrad delivers a knockout performance that is a lot of fun to watch. "-30-" delivers a lot of laughs along with all of the drama. Webb's lack of ego is also shown at the end. His is the only face that's not shown in the end credits.