La voz que acusa

This was one of the first features that Spencer Tracy did for his new studio MGM when they signed him in 1935. At his first studio, 20th Century Fox he was cast in a whole lot of routine action pictures as a two-fisted rugged type in whatever role he played. It's no different here, in fact until he played Father Mullin in San Francisco, Tracy's MGM career promised more roles of the same type.

Here he's a newspaper reporter in the best tradition of The Front Page which this film borrows a lot from. He's called The Murder Man because he's the one the editor, Robert Barrat, call for when he wants coverage on any homicide. He's covering one in this film concerning an investment broker (con artist) who's accused of killing his partner. In fact Tracy provides key evidence for a conviction.

The movie does have a surprise ending which I won't reveal, unusual for a film in the 1930s. That and the presence of Spencer Tracy and James Stewart make it worth viewing.

This was the film debut of James Stewart. He has a role of another reporter on the same paper as Tracy. He was signed by MGM after appearing on Broadway in the play Yellow Jacket and garnering rave reviews. He's the same Jimmy Stewart that soon became an icon, but he didn't get much attention for the few lines he had here. He would have to wait for his next film appearance in Rose Marie to get moviegoers attention.

I predict that when junk like Big Brother and The Weakest Link are gone and forgotten from our TV screens movies of the vintage and caliber of `The Murder Man' will still be providing us with superb entertainment.

I love these old thirties `Newspaper dramas' which probably culminated with the sublime `His Girl Friday' and this one stands up well despite lack of realism. Did New York papers really produce fresh editions all day long? Come to think of it perhaps they did in the days pre-TV.

I agree with the many judges who rate Spencer Tracy one of the greatest of all screen actors but feel he goes a bit over the top here, he certainly reined in his performances later. On the other hand James Stewart in his debut (?) appears fully formed with all the shy gawky charm which made him a star for the next fifty years already apparent.

`The Murder Man' is an excellent fast-moving film with a twist in the plot that I challenge you to pick. See this one if you can.

A man is murdered and hard-drinking reporter Spencer Tracy is on the story. Tracy specializes in murder cases, not only scooping other papers but often figuring out the cases before the police do. Here his investigation leads the police to the murdered man's shady business partner. I won't reveal more as this one has a dandy twist. If you haven't watched yet, I strongly recommend you avoid reading too much about this movie so you don't accidentally read any big spoilers.

Tracy's terrific in a complex role in this smart, fast-paced crime drama from MGM. It's notable today for being Jimmy Stewart's film debut (as a reporter named Shorty). Stewart's just one of the many good actors in the supporting cast, which includes Lionel Atwill, William Demarest, Robert Barrat, Harvey Stephens, George Chandler, and beautiful Virginia Bruce as the girl in love with Tracy. This is one that deserves some wider recognition. It's somewhat surprising it was made after the Code was in effect and surprising it was made at MGM. But then again, they made Fury the following year, which also starred Tracy and was grittier than their normal fare. It's worth a look for anyone who's a fan of '30s crime dramas and a must-see for Spencer Tracy fans.

A very good film. It is typical of the 1930's "news reporter" films that were so prevalent back then, and this one holds up very well. Spencer Tracy gives another great performance as the reporter and the rest of the cast help him out with outstanding performances all around. It was something to see Lionel Atwill without a moustache!! Never saw that before!! LOL And it was great to see my favorite character actor, Charles Trowbridge in it also, although he is the prosecuting attorney in the film and not the investor, as it says in his bio on the IMDB. Great little film with a twist ending!! Be sure and catch it when it is on television. You won't be disappointed, I wasn't.

Murder Man, The (1935)

*** (out of 4)

Very good "B" movie from MGM has Spencer Tracy playing newspaper reporter Steve Grey who has the nickname of "The Murder Man" due to him being able to crack any case. The latest big story deals with a murdered insurance man who appears to have been killed by his partner (Harvey Stephens) but he claims he's innocent and the majority of the evidence from the police captain (Lionel Atwill) really doesn't tie him to the events. THE MURDER MAN looks like it was a rushed job and there's no question not too much money went into it but the cast, story and direction make it a must see and it's really a gem that should be better known. The greatest aspect is certainly the cast as we get veterans like Tracy, Atwill and Virginia Bruce but we also get a small role played by James Stewart. I'm sure a number of lesser actors could have been handed this role but it's quite easy to see that they wouldn't have brought as much to it as Tracy. Tracy has that terrific ability to make acting look easy but the role here was a pretty difficult one because he's character is dealing with alcohol abuse as well as other issues. Tracy does a remarkable job at showing off all of these emotions and while this certainly isn't as great as many of his future roles, the actor really gives it his all and delivers a memorable performance. Bruce is also very good in her role as the girlfriend and the two have some nice chemistry together. I was also quite impressed with Stephens who manages to be quite cocky early in the film and the actor really gets to shine towards the end when he's cracking from about to hit the chair. Stewart doesn't have a very big role but he does what he can with it. I love watching legends before they were stars and here's the perfect example because it's not everyday you can see someone like Stewart playing such a role. Tracy and Stewart share a couple scenes together, which will certainly please film buffs. The story itself is a pretty strong one and when the final twist happens you can't help but feel good that the film would stick to its gun and go for the shock instead of dealing some weak, lame attempt to make everything happy.