ChikPapa Very disappointed :(

Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

GazerRise Fantastic!

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

LeonLouisRicci Early WB "Pulled from the Headlines" Story that in this Case the "Headlines" were Literally the Gist of the Movie. This is One of those Newspaper Exposes Popular in the Early Thirties when "Print" was The Thing. Gangsters could be Exposed and Brought Down by "The Press" that could Alert Authorities and Stir Public Outrage. "Crusaders" was a Term Often Used to Describe those Pushing to Remove Vice and Murder from the Streets.In this One, Silent Star Richard Bartholomew, Regis Toomey, and Fay Wray are the Headliners with Clark Gable (in his fourth film) Supporting. The Film has its Moments of Intrigue Concerning Payoffs and Gangs, Crime Reporters and Ethics. There is Quite a Contrast here from the Spit-Fire Dialogs that were a Trademark of the Genre and Bartholomew's Slow Delivery and Stiff Performance may put Some to Sleep. But it is a Relief from the Usual Machine Gun Spouting that was Routine at the Time.Regis Toomey is, well, Breezy as Breezy the Third Wheel in this Triangle and Fay Wray has that Pleasant Voice and Delivery and is Filmed Quite Cute. Clark Gable, some say, Steals the Show but His Character here doesn't do much Except Maybe in a Scene or Two, and is OK but Surely Nothing Special.There are some Pre-Code Interest like an Unrepentant Protagonist and Pre-Marital Overnighting, but Not Much Else. Overall, Based on a True Story and with Enough Interest to Recommend, this One is Not a Must See but is Worth a Watch.

mark.waltz This is perhaps the creakiest of all crime or journalism films, a yawner that was passed by the snail one way and a turtle the other way. It isn't the year it was made, simply the slow-moving recitation of the dialog (except by some newcomer named Clark Gable) with deadly pauses. This is a situation where the plot is actually quite interesting but the majority of the acting deadly dull.It is the story of a novice reporter who slowly moves up the ranks at his New York newspaper reporting on corruption in the city and eventually the mouthpiece for a racketeer whom he betrays to his own detriment. Richard Barthelmess, still utilizing a silent movie acting style, is terribly unconvincing, and Fay Wray is nothing more than eye candy for the camera. Regis Toomey tries to add on some humor (including a cute toy duck) but even his jokes are delivered as if the soundtrack was deliberately slowed down. This is surprising coming from Warner Brothers in the same year of "Little Caesar", "The Public Enemy" and "Five Star Final" which took similar themes and moved them along with wild fire.What is refreshing here is the performance of Clark Gable as the racketeer who gives Barthelmess all sorts of scoops in exchange for protection from the press. His character may be amoral, but his performance is dynamic. If you must suffer through this for almost 90 minutes, be aware that the last few minutes of the film take the film up a few notches with its sudden verve, but the egg has already been laid.

calvinnme After talkies came in, Warner Brothers didn't really seem to know what to do with Richard Barthelmess, but he hung around in starring roles quite a bit longer than most of his silent counterparts - from 1929 to 1934.Normally Barthelmess played thoughtful guys put into tight circumstances, and this was probably supposed to be one of those roles, but it doesn't' quite come across right. Breckenridge Lee (Richard Barthelmess) starts out as a totally green and conscientious reporter up from a Savannah paper into a press room of the big city. When the editor announces a campaign against the mob, Lee is the only reporter that takes his assignment seriously. He even walks right up to a speakeasy and asks probing questions to the mobster in charge. Unable to be bribed he writes an expose on the place and it is thus raided by the police. The mob then beats him up one night in retaliation, badly enough that he needs hospitalization and his medical bills pile up. He is surprised when the city editor balks at helping him financially, as he denies that Lee's beating had anything to do with the paper at all and hints that Lee's injuries probably had something to do with him drinking and hanging around unsavory people after work.Now this is where things get a bit unrealistic. Lee instantly turns from green honest reporter to money hungry and corrupt. He figures if you can't beat them, join them. He takes money from the mob and in return agrees to keep the paper and thus the cops off of their backs. He justifies this by saying that the only way that the mob will ever pay is with money to him - but he's not exactly giving the loot away to charity.Fay Wray plays Lee's love interest as fellow reporter Marcia who at first suspects then knows the truth and loves him just the same. Regis Toomey plays a supporting role as someone who would like to win Marcia's heart but knows when he's beat. Robert Elliot is the gruff tough city editor who often played a cop in the early talkies. Of course, most notable here is Clark Gable, sitting in the palm of Jack Warner's hand, and not being recognized by him as a star in the making. Gable is impressive here as a spats-wearing charming sinner, the gangster who sees Lee as a useful idiot - for awhile anyways.

marbleann I looked at this movie mainly because of the leading man. I never saw him in a talkie before. He was no worse then most silent actors who came into talkies. He plays a new reporter from the south working at a big city paper. I must tell you I was not prepared for what was to come. And I am not going to spoil it. But he was such a fresh nice face that I actually thought in the end we would find out he was working undercover for the cops. But no he is mad because the newspaper would not give him a raise or advance his salary because he had gotten shot doing a story for them and he feels they should help with the Medical bills. So he becomes a reporter for the syndicate. He gets paid well for not writing stories. The problem is that his girlfriend, who also is working at the paper as a Ann Landers type columnist wants nothing to do with what he has become. I am not going to tell the ending. But I was surprised. Afterwards I found out this was based on a true story. The supporting cast was very good. I never realized how pretty Fay Wray was. She is striking. She always had a pretty face to me, but she is gorgeous. She is the girlfriend. She has a nice role. You can tell this was pre code because she had a good job and she was fairly aggressive about her feelings toward him. Regis Toomey was very good as a fellow reporter and best friend who also likes the Fay Wray character. But he a very nice guy and we do not get the usual rivalry that turns nasty. Which is good. Clark Gable was at the point of of his career when he played bad guys. Like in Night Nurse where he was smacking around old ladies and his girlfriend and trying to poison her children. He is not any nicer here. I actually like Gable in these roles. I would recommend this movies because it goes in a different direction that I thought and it was very nice seeing actors in the crossroads of their careers.