Scandal Sheet (1952) by the DVD Man

I love it when the first character name mentioned is a Frank! Scandal Sheet is a film noir movie from 1952 starring Broderick Crawford, Donna Reed & John Derek, about a newspaper's hunt for a murder suspect. The newspaper runs a Lonely Hearts Ball and an attendee dies later that night.

Crawford plays a newspaper editor that has turned an old respectable newspaper into a scandalous tabloid that is now making plenty of dough. He bursts into the boardroom just as an old biddy stockholder says: "I demand an explanation, Frank Madison!" Frank is the publisher and has hired Crawford as his gunslinger. Crawford asks the old biddy if she likes her dividend check and that shuts her up.

It's excellently acted and directed with lots of twists and turns and suspense. The audience knows who the murderer is from the beginning and the characters have to catch up at the very end. There is a bit of scenery chewing, but that makes it all good.

It's not out on DVD yet and I saw it on a special Turner Classic Movie night that had three movies directed by Phil Karlson that are rarely on TV - Scandal Sheet, The Phenix City Story & The Brothers Rico. Catch them if you can.

This is Frank movie number 25.