I mean that just about everything he does he steals every scene he's in.Broderick Crawford was just a huge personality on and off screen that I imagine other actors, being around him, kinda had a feelin' they didn't have a chance of stealin' a scene away from him. He was just that good an actor.This little film is no different. He plays a newspaper editor with somethin' to hide.Throughout the film he has to make sure no-one finds out his little secret from his past. Enter his favorite little cub reporter who thinks of like a son and a woman's columnist who thinks he has just sunk the paper's integrity by printing scandalous news and not the real news people wanna read. She basically see's right through him but not all the way...well until the end.Check this one out. It's a winner for sure. I was pleasantly surprised.

Many IMDb reviewers have called this a film noir. In my opinion, it is not, although it definitely deals with the dark underbelly of humanity. It's more of a detective story, except in this case the "detective" is a young newspaper reporter.Finely acted throughout. Rosemary DeCamp is superb in her short cameo, much less classy than I've seen her before. Most of the stuff I've seen Donna Reed in, her roles run from sweet ("Green Dolphin Street") to saccharine ("It's A Wonderful Life"). It's nice to see her in a meatier role, a strong, intelligent woman, slightly rough around the edges, although she's definitely not a tough broad. With the exception of a bartender who gives skid row bums free mercy drinks when they are having the DTs, she is the only genuinely respectable character in the whole film.And she is absolutely stunning.What she sees in the blinkered, amoral, manipulative, conscience-free John Derek beyond his matinée idol good looks is beyond me as well. Surprisingly, there is some actual chemistry between them.

A suspenseful little newspaper thriller about a bullish editor of a trashy paper (Broderick Crawford) who inadvertently engineers his own downfall when he commits murder and his young protégé (John Derek) dives into the case, smelling a sensational story that will send the paper's circulation skyrocketing.This film is full of little twists and turns that made me gasp and laugh out loud as they heaped one surprise on top of another. Crawford gives a convincing performance as a man who's taught his underlings too well: he has to try to figure out a way to make Derek give up on the case without making it too obvious that he wants the story buried. Derek is given an unconvincing love interest in the form of Donna Reed. She works at the paper too, but despises Crawford's management of it and sees a little too much of him rubbing off on her boyfriend for her own comfort. Derek is such an ass, it's inconceivable that Reed would want to give him the time of day. But the inconsistency in her character serves as only a minor distraction; it doesn't torpedo the film.Phil Karlson provides the fluid direction, and keeps things moving at a brisk pace.Good fun.Grade: A-

Broderick Crawford stars in this exciting film noir from 1952..Fast paced & keeps viewer in suspense till the end..Excellent cast, including Crawford, handsome John Derek, intelligent beautiful, Donna Reed.and Harry Morgan..However..ROSEMARY DeCAMP, is outstanding in her brief but important scenes.. This is unlike her other screen work..Rosemary ,for me, steals the show!.Worth seeing ..Thanks again to TCM for showing this today on Broderick Crawfords day a fine, underrated actor . I started watching @ 20 minutes after film began ( I don't usually do this)and I was "hooked" as I saw Rosemary DeCamps close up at rally for "forlorn lovers" DeCamp recognizes Crawford ,her former husband, who has now changed his name and persona.. I stopped everything and could not stop watching till the end I wont tell you what happens.I hope TCM shows again soon so I can view the scenes I missed at the beginning