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!!
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!!