I fell for an attractive hunk of flesh!
Scandal Sheet is directed by Phil Karlson and adapted to screenplay by Eugene Ling, James Pope and Ted Sherdeman from the novel The Dark Page written by Samuel Fuller. It stars Broderick Crawford, Donna Reed and John Derek. Music is by George Duning and cinematography by Burnett Guffey.
Mark Chapman (Crawford) is the head of The New York Express, a newspaper given to sensationalising stories for sales and exposure. However, when a face from his past turns up it leads to an event that sees Chapman himself in the headlines...
Lets get it out the way first, this is not a Sam Fuller picture, in fact Fuller would be dissatisfied with the treatment of his written work, but neither of these things stop Scandal Sheet from being a super slice of film noir pie. There are a few film noir pictures that have a devilish core story element that sees the principal player effectively investigating themselves, this is one such piece. Mark Chapman, through a wicked turn of noir fate, finds himself as the figure most sought after in the manhunt headlines he sanctions at the newspaper he runs! Coupled with the fact that it is his protégé Steve McCleary (Derek) who is the hungry reporter on the case, then it's a minefield of carrot dangling suspense and intrigue.
The delving into the workings of big city newspaper is given credible thought (that would be Fuller given his own newspaper background), offering up the seedy side whilst nailing the hustle and bustle going on behind the scenes. Investigative journalism is front and centre, with Derek giving McCleary a youthful exuberance that's most becoming, and although the police procedural side of things is secondary to that of the newspaper people, the investigation from both sides of the fence is well constructed. But ultimately these are not the key strengths of Karlson's film, it is with the characterisation of Chapman and the themes within where the pic hits its straps.
Chapman (Crawford excellent and excellently cast), as scuzzy as he is in his job, is a victim of an accident, and in true noir form one thing leads to another and things spiral out of control. Corruption gives way to paranoia and betrayals, with the New York backdrop a knowing accomplice. With the great Guffey (In a Lonely Place/The Sniper) on cinematography duty bringing his noir filters into play - where atmospheric shots enhance the feel of the net closing in on Chapman - it only needs the wily Karlson (Kansas City Confidential/99 River Street) to bring his "A" game. And he does. From the opening credits rolled out as newspaper headlines, to the clinical finale, this is well worth the time of the film noir faithful. 8/10
Phil Carlson does a really good job keeping this thriller going. Not because it is particularly outstanding, but because we know who killed the wife of "New York Express" managing editor "Chapman" (Broderick Crawford), and I still found myself staying interested in the investigation from his best journalist "McCleary" (John Derek). Can he track down the culprit with precious little to go on? It's all the more fitting because the once serious newspaper both work for has become a bit of a scandal sheet - so digging up dirt and piecing together clues has become their meat and potatoes. Derek, and his disgruntled journalist girlfriend Donna Reed ("Julie") prove to be quite a potent partnership in the search for the truth, and Crawford is on fine form as the bullish newspaper man. The dialogue is quickly delivered and the pace of the film offers a realistic sense of life at a newspaper and on a murder probe. The ending has some dignity to it too - and I almost wished the killer had got away with it!
