You'd think all the great (or merely good) noir films have been unearthed. Here's one I'd never even heard of. It's worth going out of your way to see."Scandal Sheet" is a model of simplicity, without a wasted word or scene, moving steadily and without distraction to the inevitable ending. The director makes no effort to play up the tension, which the audience generates by its knowledge of how it all has to end. For what's technically a melodrama, "Scandal Sheet" is remarkably un-melodramatic.The story is based on a novel by Sam Fuller, who also penned the screenplay. The dialog is efficient and lively -- but not unduly clever. Except for John Derek, * the acting is subdued (though Ms Reed does raise her voice at times -- though with good reason).Like other reviewers, I was disturbed by Donna Reed smoking.* Given the character's enthusiasm for his job, this is perhaps forgivable.

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.

This movie from 1952 is a great period drama of the age of yellow journalism. The opening scene sets the tone as a young reporter, John Derek, and his photographer partner, Harry Morgan, rush to a tenement building in the back streets of New York arriving before the police to get the story. Scandal Sheet features Broderick Crawford as the tough as nails editor, Mark Chapman, who insists on giving the public what they want. There is some boardroom flack from people who feel their paper has abandoned its past for the catchy headline and the fast buck but Chapman has no time to consider anything other than newspaper sales. His protégé Charles McCleary, played by John Derek, is an aggressive young reporter who fits right in with Chapman's school of journalism. Then the tables are turned as Derek finds himself on a story that leads right to his boss. Crawford is a larger than life actor who gives a great performance and Derek is impressive as the young reporter who shows his fibre in the final showdown. Actor Henry O'Neill, as Charlie Barnes, turns in a fine performance as the skid row character. O'Neill was often seen in suave roles and had a long career in film. Donna Reid is outstanding as one of McCleary's spunky colleagues in the newsroom with hints of a romantic interest.

This is just a great little movie by the auteur, Phil Karlson. It reminds me a little bit of "The Big Clock" (with Ray Milland/Charles Laughton) that takes place at a magazine empire where the hunted is also the hunter. Change the venue to a National Enquirer type newspaper and the stories are somewhat interchangeable. Regardless, this film is a neat foray into the noir genre and Crawford sweats it out with the best of them.John Derek and Donna Reed, a rather mismatched couple, play reporters on Crawford's paper who are searching for the killer of a woman who attended the newspaper sponsored lonely hearts gathering. Needless to say, they do not suspect that Crawford was once married to the victim and has handily done away with her. Henry O'Neil, a staple from movies of the 30s and 40s has a nice turn as a one time star reporter who has sadly become an alcoholic. He stumbles, literally, into the case by discovering a pawn ticket, inadvertently given to him by Crawford. The ticket leads to his murder and now Crawford is in for a penny, in for a pound.Derek and Reed do some fancy detecting and all is revealed. A very satisfying denouement takes place in the newspaper office and you can only hope that Derek becomes the editor with Reed at his side.Broderick Crawford does a masterful job as the hunter/hunted. We sometime forget that he was an Academy Award winner and many only remember him from his TV role on "Highway Patrol". This film is worth watching if you like a tight story with no frills. It's a dandy!!