Clifford Odets was the golden boy of the New York stage as resident playwright of the Group Theater, the company that put the Method on the map. Odets' plays were also embraced by Hollywood, connecting two disparate cultures - stage and screen - and exerting a lasting influence on realistic portrayals of contemporary life.
"The Story on Page One" is chiefly of interest for the spirited performances by New York stage actors, who outshine their Hollywood colleagues. The storyline involves a painstaking analysis of the suffering of a momma's boy - a case not often aired in public - which was perhaps Odets' own cross to bear.
Mildred Dunnock as the domineering mom is simply exquisite. Gig Young as her feeble son is interesting. Rita Hayworth is dragged in as a love interest tied to a bullying husband, who manages to get himself killed. Thus, the takedown of the matriarch occurs at great length during a murder trial, without much dramatic tension or climax.
Since Odets chose to direct his own script, he didn't get any input from a film director, who would surely have cut the script and found ways to spice up the visuals. The film at 1h58m is half an hour too long, and becomes visually tedious as soon as they enter the courtroom.
"The Story on Page One" is chiefly of interest for the spirited performances by New York stage actors, who outshine their Hollywood colleagues. The storyline involves a painstaking analysis of the suffering of a momma's boy - a case not often aired in public - which was perhaps Odets' own cross to bear.
Mildred Dunnock as the domineering mom is simply exquisite. Gig Young as her feeble son is interesting. Rita Hayworth is dragged in as a love interest tied to a bullying husband, who manages to get himself killed. Thus, the takedown of the matriarch occurs at great length during a murder trial, without much dramatic tension or climax.
Since Odets chose to direct his own script, he didn't get any input from a film director, who would surely have cut the script and found ways to spice up the visuals. The film at 1h58m is half an hour too long, and becomes visually tedious as soon as they enter the courtroom.