Classic Movie Guide - Power of the Press

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Power of the Press

Written by Diana Saenger

Sam Fuller's story of Power of the Press (1943) is still as current in questioning the ethics of freedom of the press today as it was in 1943 when Fuller penned the story. The screenplay by Robert Hardy Andrews upholds Fuller's vision of creating a story that pits the powers of gangsters against those who report the news. It's an intense story with an exceptional cast including Lee Tracy, Guy Kibbee, Otto Kruger, Victor Jory, Gloria Dickson and Larry Parks. Power of the Press is part of a wonderful Sam Fuller Collection released in Oct. of 2009 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment that also includes The Crimson Kimono, Underworld U.S.A., It Happened in Hollywood, Adventure in Sahara, Shockproof and Scandal Sheet (1952, d. Director Phil Karlson).

Guy Kibbee

Right off the bat we learn the gist of this story as John Cleveland Carter's (Minor Watson) secretary, Edwina Stephens (Gloria Dickson), reads a commentary about Carter's unethical practices as publisher of The New York Gazette. Carter picks up The Star County World, published by his boyhood friend Ulysses Bradford (Guy Kibbee) and reads, "Freedom of the press means freedom to tell the truth, it doesn't mean freedom to twist the truth."

Carter announces to Edwina he's going to print every word of the editorial in his paper and clean house. Which means some of editors like Griff Thompson (Lee Tracy) are not happy when the paper is within 12 minutes of hitting the streets and Carter orders a speech he wrote killed. "What are we doing Parcheesi or publishing a newspaper."

Minor Watson & Otto Kruger

Not only is Thompson riled, but managing editor Howard Rankin (Otto Kruger) is informed he's no longer running the paper. Good news, or bad as some see it, travels fast and moments later at formal dinner, Carter announces the new change of policy. He's shot within seconds and dies shortly after. As Rankin and those working for crime bosses lick their lips that Rankin will be in charge again, Edwina makes a visit to Ulysses Bradford to inform him that Carter has turned over his control to Bradford.

While he's trying to dismiss the idea due to his lack of capability, Rankin is busy giving Thompson a raise and claiming they found Carter's murderer. He frames Jerry Purvis (Larry Parks) a former Gazette employee, which many including Thompson and Edwina defend.

Gloria Dickson

Good guys are pitted against bad, and villains are flushed out all with the backdrop of the newspaper business. Fuller runs through the full gamut of emotions in Power of the Press. Edwina's heartfelt sadness at losing her boss and joyful glee when Bradford accepts the job is perfectly portrayed by Dickson (Lady of Burlesque, This Thing Called Love).

Guy Kibbee (Babes in Arms, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Our Town) couldn't be more convincing as the odd man out to take over a big New York newspaper. He makes us believe that Ulysses has faith in what he learned from the mentors before him that all it takes to run a newspaper is to buy the newsprint for less than you sell it for so you can pay your bills and maybe make a little profit. Kibbee is also great at an occasional humorous moment in the story like when he refers to a brief meeting with his new managing editor, Griff, and says as he nervously fingers the brim of his hat, "Well, now I know a cyclone can talk."

Victor Jory

Lee Tracy (The Best Man, The Lemon Drop Kid, Dinner at Eight) adds enough spunk to his character of Griff who must make tough decisions regarding his job. Otto Kruger makes easy work in portraying the sleazy Rankin who's behind manipulating the news, paying off crooks, dictating orders to men like Oscar Trent (Victor Jory, Gone with the Wind, Dodge City) and anything he can to mock freedom of the press. (One note for movie fans, the listing of this film on IMDB lists Kruger's character as Howard Raskin, but it should be Rankin.)

Fuller's own career shows through in this engaging and well-made film. He plays the game of cat and mouse well in this story. Fuller's own background in the newspaper world shows through again and again. He uses a lot of quotes through Bradford, like when he's explaining something to Thompson and says, "Lincoln said, ‘God must love the common people because he made so many of them.'"

Not only is the drama in the film intense, the casting of Power of the Press is superb and so is the direction by Lew Landers and cinematography by John Stumar (Whirlpool, The Durango Kid). The black and white images are well focused, and editor Mel Thorsen makes the entire movie feel seamless.

Sony honors a celebrated writer, producer and director with The Collector's Choice: Samuel Fuller Film Collection, the third release under the creative partnership between SPHE and Martin Scorsese's non-profit film preservation organization, The Film Foundation. This collection features two of the acclaimed auteur's notable films making their DVD debuts: The Crimson Kimono (1959), and Underworld U.S.A. (1961), in addition to five films written by Fuller: It Happened in Hollywood (1937, d. Harry Lachman), Adventure in Sahara (1938, d. D. Ross Lederman), Power of the Press (1943, d. Lew Landers), Shockproof (1949, d. Douglas Sirk), Scandal Sheet (1952, d. Director Phil Karlson).

DVD Special Features

Scene Selections
Tim Robbins

Samuel Fuller's Search For the Truth with Tim Robbins - in this commentary Robbins repeats thing her learned in a conversation with Fuller, like don't trust anyone to tell you a truth because they all have their own perception, so you (people in general) have to come to their own conclusion. Robbins says Fuller was dong something thematically at this time no one else was doing, he has compassion for details why you are a criminal or why you choose crime, and exposing people in law enforcement that were doing criminal things.