L'inexorable enquête

Gripping storyline fueled by some heavy duty irony. Crawford plays a ruthless tabloid newspaper editor who has the tables turned on him when he commits a crime, then finds himself having to encourage his top reporter to get to the bottom of the story, in order to deflect suspicion. Top notch suspense as Crawford gambles that he can keep his cool and get away with it, even as the walls close in and the odds look worse and worse. The dialogue is typical Samuel Fuller, (he wrote the novel upon which the film was based) colorfully gritty but at times head-scratchingly obtuse. Crawford is at his no-nonsense, take no prisoners, mince-no-words best, and able support from a young John Derek and Donna Reed (smoking cigarettes and a little less squeaky clean than usual). Good stuff.

Remarkably solid little crime/actioner. Derek is a weasely but apparently attractive young reporter for a city paper. He's convinced that his boss and mentor, ballsy editor Crawford, is a swell guy who can teach him the business, but he doesn't know that he's also a murderer, hiding a previous marriage through his crime. When the reporter initiates a sensational search for the identity of the killer, he comes closer to the truth, but places others in danger as he unwittingly informs the murderer of his every step by telegram and phone.

Solid suspense, sparse action, good script make for a B++ film.

Broderick Crawford is the publisher of a "Scandal Sheet" in this 1952 noir directed by Phil Karlson and also starring Donna Reed, John Derek, and Rosemary DeCamp.

Crawford plays Mark Chapman, a ruthless tabloid publisher who is bringing along a young, ambitious reporter, Steve McCleary (Derek). When a woman (DeCamp) who attended the tabloid's Lonely Hearts Dance is found dead, McCleary investigates further and finds out that she was murdered. He's determined to track down the killer, not realizing that the murderer is very close by.

Good, fast-paced noir from Columbia. Lovely Donna Reed plays Julie, who writes features and eschews the tabloid side, while the hunky Derek is a guy who loves to go after a good story and is interested in Julie. Harry Morgan is a photographer. Henry O'Neill plays Charlie, a formerly great, not drunk journalist who knows more than he should. The acting is good all around.

Crawford was one of those character actors whose talent brought him to leading roles. We boomers will know him forever as the star of "Highway Patrol" and his barking "10-4." Reed, Morgan, and DeCamp went on to make their marks on television, and Derek would retire from acting on concentrate on promoting his beautiful wives.

Based on a story, "The Dark Page" by director Sam Fuller, this film is well done, and if you like noir, you'll enjoy it.

A very good and fast paced film that deals with a newspaper editor assigning his top reporter on a murder case, with a great ending to this film!! I noticed that the first two commentors were harping about Donna Reed smoking on-screen. Heck far, there is more to this film than THAT!! I did not hear any crying around from those two about Harry Morgan smoking a cigar in this film. Great performances all around and a performance by Rosemary De Camp, that is against the grain, as she always seemed to play the sweet motherly types, but not in this one!! Don't miss this one if it appears on television!!

I mean that just about everything he does he steals every scene he's in.

Broderick Crawford was just a huge personality on and off screen that I imagine other actors, being around him, kinda had a feelin' they didn't have a chance of stealin' a scene away from him. He was just that good an actor.

This little film is no different. He plays a newspaper editor with somethin' to hide.Throughout the film he has to make sure no-one finds out his little secret from his past. Enter his favorite little cub reporter who thinks of like a son and a woman's columnist who thinks he has just sunk the paper's integrity by printing scandalous news and not the real news people wanna read. She basically see's right through him but not all the way...well until the end.

Check this one out. It's a winner for sure. I was pleasantly surprised.