The only thing unfortunate about this movie is that it wasn't actually directed by Samuel Fuller. It is, however, based off of one of his novels, and it's a damn good story of the highest form. Basically, the new editor for a New York magazine has been increasing readership by turning to yellow journalism, led by wet-behind-the-ears but star reporter Steve McCleary. Unfortunately, editor Mark Chapman gets a visit from his past and ends up murdering his abandoned wife, leaving a perfect sensationalist story to increase readership but a trail that leads to him. From there it is an unaware cat and mouse as McCleary investigates to find the killer and Chapman tries to steer him off-course without revealing why. Kudos is given to the character development by not making Chapman's actions change too abruptly to make him seem suspicious, while the remarkable screenplay is smart enough to add in enough realistic situations to make many scenes seem incredibly uncertain (will he remember that person? Does he recognize the killer? Will he find such and such lead?). It's also fun seeing a character basically watch another character investigate into himself, and the interplay of what the characters know versus what the audience knows, especially in scenes where facts are re-interpreted via the dialog. It's a tense and thrilling movie through and through, none moreso than for the characters, who all seem realistic and never fully fall into cliché. Fuller was a yellow journalist himself and if this movie adaptation of his text is any indication, he got a real feel for the people and the language of the streets and newspaper offices of New York. I think I'm going to track down this book and read it, because this movie was nothing if not pure entertainment.
Review of Scandal Sheet
