Fiver Star Final (1931) directed by Mervin LeRoy
After years of waiting for this film to be released, I finally have my copy of Five Star Final (a Christmas present from Flickead). Years ago he had taped it off TCM, but the copy wasn’t that great. Now I have it on DVD.
Newspaper and Tabloid sensationalism to boost circulation is what this film is all about. My favorite line: “God gives us heartache and the devil gives us whiskey” uttered by a remorseful editor after his series of articles, resurrecting a twenty year old murder case, destroys a loving family. That’s all I need say, except that Edward G Robinson is superb as the remorseful editor Joseph Randal, and Boris Karloff is also in the film, playing staff reporter Isopod. It’s funny, but even in a suit and tie impersonating a clergyman, he's scary. He’s pretty good too.
