Deadline - U.S.A. (1952)

With his newspaper about to be sold, crusading editor Ed Hutcheson tries to complete an exposé on gangster Rienzi.

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writer:

Richard Brooks

Stars:

Humphrey Bogart, Ethel Barrymore, Kim Hunter

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Humphrey Bogart	...	Ed Hutcheson
Ethel Barrymore	...	Margaret Garrison
Kim Hunter	...	Nora Hutcheson
Ed Begley	...	Frank Allen
Warren Stevens	...	George Burrows
Paul Stewart	...	Harry Thompson
Martin Gabel	...	Tomas Rienzi
Joe De Santis	...	Herman Schmidt
Joyce Mackenzie	...	Katherine Garrison Geary
Audrey Christie	...	Mrs. Willebrandt
Fay Baker	...	Alice Garrison Courtney
Jim Backus	...	Jim Cleary

Storyline

Ed Hutcheson, tough editor of the New York 'Day', finds that the late owner's heirs are selling the crusading paper to a strictly commercial rival. At first he sees impending unemployment as an opportunity to win back his estranged wife Nora. But when a reporter, pursuing a lead on racketeer Rienzi, is badly beaten, Hutcheson is stung into a full fledged crusade against the gangster, hoping Rienzi can be tied to a woman's murder...in the 3 issues before the end of 'The Day.'

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Plot Keywords:

editor | gangster | newspaper | payoff | press | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 March 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Maske runter

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In order to get the feel of what it would be like to work for real newspaper, Bogart hung out at the city room of the New York Daily News.

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Goofs

As Rienzi's car drives off after picking up Hutcheson, a large studio light is reflected against the side window of the car.

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Quotes

Margaret Garrison: [to her daughters] You'll be happy to know that stupidity is not hereditary. You acquired it all by yourselves.

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Connections

Featured in Great Performances: Bacall on Bogart (1988)

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Soundtracks

"Mood Indigo"
Music by Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard (uncredited)
Played on radio at Herman Schmidt's apartment

User Reviews

Humphrey as a newspaper editor...

This wonderful 1952 film - it must have been approaching Humphrey's last performance - wins on all levels.

It triumphs as an historical curiosity into how newspapers were published 50 years ago, down to the presses and the layouts and assignments, and also for its truly remarkable supporting cast, many of them, some famous, like Ethel Barrymore, Jim Backus and Ed Begley and some part of the Hollywood backdrops in score of movies.

Kim Hunter excels also as the Bogart ex. Martin Gabel eerily predicts the Tony Soprano performance of today as an underworld Kingpin shown with his perfect domestic arrangement.

The scene of the "wake" for the death of the newspaper is wonderful, and also some wonderful camera pans on continuous action in many scenes.

The script is well done and keeps the action moving along, some funny throwaway lines too, particularly in the car scene with the mobster and in his ex-wife's bedroom.

Also it is subtle and understated and not rampant with the 2X4's of some of today's instant-soup scripts. Do not miss this one, Bogie and Kim fans!!

8 out of 10.