Matière à scandale

Washington Story promises to be a lot grittier than it ends up being, but this non-Red-scare movie nonetheless says a lot about America during the height of the Red scare (1952, actually). Van Johnson plays a hard-working, honest congressman who runs foul of a venomous columnist. The columnist sets an idealistic young reporter (Patricia Neal) on him to dig up, or manufacture, dirt. At first wary, the two grow -- naturally -- close, only to draw apart from unfounded suspicions. The appeal of Johnson and Neal make this a passable diversion, and there's some nice observation of the Georgetown cocktail-party circuit and of close friendships between ideologically incompatible colleagues, but the underlying message is never far from the surface: It's unpatriotic to talk against the "Government," and the press is nothing but a pack of subversive malcontents.

I've always been drawn to Van Johnson. I think he is a highly underrated actor. In Washington Story he shares double duty with Patricia Neal in making the flick work. It's an absorbing story concerning the machinations of the press and cynicism about Washington. An added plus is the fine work of character actor Louis Calhern, and also the choice to use Washington D. C. venues as the site for actual filming, giving it a "you are there" feeling. The script is very well written and maintains one's interest throughout. A nice touch is the cinematic bookends of the tour bus at the beginning and at the end. Not at the level of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," but a more than decent runner up.

Van Johnson is the congressman ("Gresham") content to toe the party line and play the political game in Washington DC. It's only when a bill is drafted that will impact on ship-building facilities in his Massachusetts constituency that he might have to take a stance! Meantime, a tabloid employs the services of investigative journalist "Alice" (Patricia Neal) to get to the bottom of this ostensibly decent man's true personality. Unawares of her real agenda, he agrees to allow her to follow his day-to-day life but as the decisive vote looms, she reaches her conclusion about him just as he, well.... Though Johnson and Neal take top billing, the film really belongs to Louis Calhern's savvy and wily "Birch" who sees something in "Gresham" that isn't entirely obvious to everyone else. Auteur Robert Pirosh certainly gives him the best witty and telling dialogue to deliver, and he does it well. The other two here rather go through the motions and though initially I thought it a bit like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) that similarity wained rather quickly. Still, it's a watchable look at just how the US Capitol might work: scheming, indifference, self preservation and keeping your head down; is largely devoid of romantic clutter and is just about worth eighty minutes of your time.

Reporter Alice Kingsley (Patricia Neal) comes to Washington to do a story about the professional life of a congressman and is steered toward Congressman Gresham (Van Johnson) in Washington Story from 1952.

In actuality, Kingsley works for a tabloid, and she wants something juicy. Her attitude changes when he impresses her with his commitment and honesty.

Gresham is dealing with a problem- the constructive of a ship building facility, great for his constituents but with negative national implications. Voting against it will cost him the election.

Both Johnson and Neal are very good, Johnson with that great all-American boy presence and charm, and Neal, a wonderful actress with an earthy sexiness.

Entertaining and at least nowadays, total fiction.

Alice Kingsley (Patricia Neal) is a reporter newly arrived in DC. Her job is to get sensational stories anyway she can. Joseph T. "No Comment Joe" Gresham (Van Johnson) is a sincere hard-working congressman from Massachusetts. Alice is directed to target honest public servant Joe to uncover the corrupt politician underneath.

This is trying to do the Mr. Smith goes to Washington premise adjacent. It hits the fake news idea very hard. I can see the cynicism not selling to the public during its run. It stays in Washington a bit too long. The real legislative process is mind-numbing and that infects this movie. Van Johnson is a solid choice for this role. Normally, the reporter would be a fast-talking character. Patricia Neal has never played one and she seems a little unusual for the role. I do like the general story.