A Dispatch from Reuters

I approached this film thinking it might be a rather dull and worthy biopic but my fears were unfounded. It moves along at a great pace and is engaging throughout thanks to skillful direction from acclaimed director William Dieterle (Among his credits The Devil and Daniel Webster, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and A Midsummer Night's Dream). This film is great at telling the story of the man who revolutionised press reporting from carrier pigeons to the telegraph and has tremendous heart. The fact that Dieterle was also an actor may also be the reason why this film features a host of great performances from principal to support players alike. Edward G Robinson is superb as Julius Reuter, not only as a businessman but as as a shy romantic and a trusted friend. Whether Reuter himself was a man of such honesty, conviction and innate goodness I do not know but Robinson paints a picture of a heroic yet still human individual. Edna Best , as his wife, anchors things and brings great warmth to make her believable as the rock Reuter could depend upon. In the supporting cast Eddie Albert and Albert Bassermann bring some lovely light comic touches as part of Reuter's management set up, Montagu Love and Alec Craig are memorable as newspapermen, Otto Kruger and Nigel Bruce provide staunch backup as friends and supporters of the main man and Gene Lockhart is a great deal of fun as a roguish but likeable banker.

Dispatch from Reuter's, A (1940)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Minor bio-pic from Warner features Edward G. Robinson as Paul Julius Reuter, the man who started off with pigeons and then building Europe's fastest news wire service. The late 30's and early 40's were full of biography movies and this one here is somewhat entertaining but there's just not enough here to make it really worth seeing. I know a few things about Reuter's life that wasn't included in this film and I can only guess that the subject wouldn't have interested folks in 1940. With that said, I'm really not sure what Jack Warner himself would have found so interesting about the story actually filmed. The main story has Reuter trying to stay ahead of other people and a big finale about his report on the Lincoln assassination and whether or not it's true. There really never is any drama that builds from any of the situations, although I will admit the stuff with the pigeons was pretty good. The film covers a wide range of years but the time itself never seems to move in the film. Not for a second did I believe I was watching something taking place in the 1820's and this really takes away from the atmosphere that should have been created. Robinson turns in a fairly good performance but I did expect more from him. He fits the role quite well but not once did I feel too much passion coming from him. Edna Best serves as the wife but doesn't really add too much. Eddie Albert does the best work of the cast with Gene Lockhart, Otto Kruger, James Stephenson and Nigel Bruce rounding out the supporting players. Child star Dickie Moore has a brief part in the film. I'm sure a good movie might be made with this story but sadly it's not this one.

Edward G. Robinson is a small, quiet man with a big dream: to make a huge world a little smaller by making the dissemination of news faster, first with pigeons, then with telegraphy, and always with honesty.

Once again, Robinson stars for director William Dieterle in one of Warner Brothers' movies about truth and freedom. While Jack Warner may have groaned that every time Paul Muni parted his beard it cost him a million dollars, these movies were popular and well regarded. Even today, we hear words uttered by mendacious and angry people arguing about "fake news" and "alternate facts", underling the last words in this movie, spoken by Robinson: "A censored press is the tool of a corrupt minority. A free press is the symbol of a free people. For truth is freedom. Without truth, there can only be slavery and degradation." As distressing as the truth may be, this is something I believe. With Edna Best, Eddie Alert, Albert Basserman, Gene Lockhart, and Nigel Bruce.

Another gem from Hollywood's golden age, "A Dispatch From Reuters", tells the fascinating true story of Julius Reuter (played by the marvelous Edward G. Robinson), founder of the famous news agency, and who started to transmit information using pigeons. Impeccable production, was a distinguished addition to Warner's series of biopics, with fine cast and a typically wonderful music score by the brilliant Max Steiner.

In the olden days, the news struggle to go as fast as a horse could run. It's 1849. Julius Reuter (Edward G. Robinson) and his lazy underling Max Wagner (Eddie Albert) are trying to start a pigeon mail service in Aachen. He slowly gains support for his unusual new business. It is a long journey to establish the world renown modern news service.

This is probably a highly fictionalized biopic and historical drama. It is a little too light at times. The subject matter does not easily lend itself to great action. The romance isn't anything great. Most of this plot is a series of events where nobody believes him and his news until it is proven correct, usually in a few hours. It is EGR doing solid work. This is a long road with a few interesting stops along the way.