The Famous Ferguson Case (1932)

A foreword warns against the peril of yellow journalism, and the story illustrates it by following events in the upstate New York town of Cornwall after prominant financier George Ferguson ... See full summary »

Director:

Lloyd Bacon

Writers:

Courtney Terrett (story), Harvey F. Thew (adaptation),

Stars:

Joan Blondell, Grant Mitchell, Vivienne Osborne

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joan Blondell	...	Maizie Dickson
Grant Mitchell	...	Martin Collins
Vivienne Osborne	...	Mrs. Marcia Ferguson
Adrienne Dore	...	Antoinette 'Toni' Martin
Tom Brown	...	Bruce Foster
Kenneth Thomson	...	Bob Parks
Leslie Fenton	...	Perrin
Oscar Apfel	...	Mr. Brooks
Walter Miller	...	Cedric Works
Purnell Pratt	...	George M. Ferguson
Willard Robertson	...	Sheriff
George Meeker	...	Jigger Bolton
Russell Hopton	...	Rusty Callahan
George 'Spanky' McFarland	...	Newsboy (as George MacFarlane)
Leon Ames	...	Judd Brooks (as Leon Waycoff)

Storyline

A foreword warns against the peril of yellow journalism, and the story illustrates it by following events in the upstate New York town of Cornwall after prominant financier George Ferguson is killed. Two types of New York City journalists descend on Cornwall, one interested in facts, the other in getting sensational "news". Mrs. Ferguson is known to have been friendly with a local banker. The Fergusons quarrel the evening he is killed (by "burglers", his wife tells the police later), and she is arrested, spurred on by the "bad" journalists, who also manage to badger the banker's wife into the hospital. Meanwhile, young Bruce Foster runs the Cornwall Courier, and shows the big city reporters how to dig out real news while they attempt to subvert justice for their own ends.

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Plot Keywords:

newspaper

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 1932 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[printed foreword]: This story deals with a certain phase of newspaper work. The STANDARD DICTIONARY defines news as: "Fresh information concerning something that has recently taken place." But quite frequently events occur which by their nature are so sensational - from the angle of sex, violence, the standing of the parties involved, or what not - - that they are reported in some newspapers long after there is any "fresh information" and when nothing at all "has recently taken place". Legitimate newspapers ...

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Soundtracks

"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling"
(uncredited)
Music by Ernest Ball
Lyrics by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff

User Reviews

Typical Entertaining Warners Film of the Time

This is not "dull, trite and talky" as noted at the time by Variety, but a typically engaging 1932 Warners drama. The murder of a wealthy man in his country home is big news, especially since his wife seems to have quarreled with him that night about her boy friend. Two camps of reporters descend on the small town; the yellow journalists and the more responsible press. Joan Blondell is one of the bad crew, and is Kenneth Thomson's girlfriend, at least until the small town girl takes a shine to him. There are some nicely done scenes, particularly Blondell's cynically telling her rival what to expect from Thomson. She really belts it out in her inimitable style. Nearly as good is where Thomson himself tells the new girl what to expect; that he's an alcoholic and a manic depressive. It's good because he's pretty much telling the truth at the same time he's handing her a line. Tom Brown doesn't leave much of an impression as the local cub reporter, and the story cheats a bit on the solution of the murder. But the reporters' milieu, the good character-player line-up, and the general energy and pace of the production certainly make this worth seeing.