Review of Scandal Sheet (1952) by Dave J — 30 Nov 2010

Yeah, pow! Sam Fuller! One of our favorite directors from the 50s, Phil Karlson, does right by this, but the thing that sticks above all else is the Story, and it's Fuller all the way. Every single scene screams the good fight and the argument, and no one looks clean, except maybe the dame.

And there's a lot of "dames" in this, because it's all hard-boiled tough-guys looking for the big killing, manipulating the media machine to make the big story and crushing the little guys underneath.

This ones moves by big turns and cranks it up one moment to next, and first the hero's a real schmuck, and you think it too, and then the bad guy says some things that make sense, and who can blame him? And in the end who the hell knows? Man, it's amazing what can be done with a story in under 90 minutes.

Two big treats: Donna Reed, who I had a crush on since seeing her in It's A Wonderful Life when I was a kid and man she's hot!, and Henry Morgan who always turns up in the most delightful ways with the same warm thing he had going that he did so well as Colonel Potter, except in this he's got a camera and a cigar and talks a load of tough stuff.

Love that language, pushing the envelope, no blood and guts onscreen but plenty in the language, meat-cleavers in their heads and everything! Yeah, now that's what I call fun. More please. Oh wait, there aren't too many more like this! Nah, there's plenty.

Keep watchin'. (Yeah, I know five stars is a big deal for a little picture like this, but it's got guts, alright? Now shaddup and get back ta work, ya mugs!).