-30-

I saw "-30-" on our old black and white in the 60's. It was a movie for a worthwhile popcorn and soda evening. Sure Jack Webb made movies and series that were sentimental but believable for the most part. He knew how to touch heart strings.

The story lines all come together. There's the search for the little girl lost in the LA storm drains while looking for her puppy. Lady, the reporter, whose grandson is lost in a military plane crash. The bet from Jim Bathgate that was to be delivered, but was lost, by Earl, the copy boy and wannabe reporter. Earl is a Korean War Veteran. Jim and PeggyGatlin, Jim who doesn't want to adopt a kid and Peggy who does. What will happen in each situation?

Jack Webb and William Conrad were actors of the highest degree. Louise Lorimar was a long time character actress who knew her trade. Comments were made about David Nelson's young age during this movie. I'm not sure of the importance of the issue after all he was acting. We, also, must consider the looks and ages of the young men going to war. I feel David did a fine job for his part.

I grew up watching DRAGNET with Jack Webb and Ben Alexander. Later on Harry Morgan (of M*A*S*H fame) signed on to be Jack's partner. One thing I appreciate about Jack is that in all of his movies and series many of the older character actors were used on a consistent basis. He also gave opportunity to many young stars like David Nelson and Dennis Weaver. I guess that shows that his sentimentality was real. He knew how and when to give a kid of any age a break.

Whitney Blake went on to do several acting parts in TV but will probably be remembered most for the TV series "Hazel". She starred with Don DeFoe and the great Shirley Booth (Hazel) as Dorothy Baxter, aka Mrs. B (1960-65). Sadly, Whitney passed away from cancer in 2002.

Before I begin, a bit of a 'disclaimer' here.

I grew up watching the old "Dragnet" (the 1950's version), and the second go-round, too in the 60's; as well as the rest of the Jack Webb-produced stable ("Adam-12", "Emergency !").

And I especially enjoyed the movies he made for Warner Bros; my favorites being "The D.I.", the Marine Corps movie and this lost gem, which I had not seen for at least 30 years, until recently.

I finally found a copy of this movie on eBAY, and to my delight I found it to be just as good as I remembered when I first saw on it the Late Show many years ago.

Unfortunately to many in our PC sanitized culture, Jack Webb may be an acquired taste, due to his stiff demeanor and his pro law and order image acquired through "Dragnet"; though to me he is the cornerstone of all I have grown up to love and respect.

We easily forget that he stood for progressive things too, and in this movie, guiding a woman reporter through her first news assignment.

His 1950's demeanor notwithstanding (which seemed humorous now), there was no doubt as Joe Friday that he was the 'good guy', and while as always it would take a little time (with commercials), you knew how the story would end ... HAPPILY, with the crook behind bars; or in this case with the latest edition put to bed.

Okay, many of you purists are a bit too picky about the lack of reality here, probably in reference to what we all liked so much about "Dragnet", and came to expect from Jack Webb; as well as David Nelson being too young to be a Korean War vet.

This is a movie after all, so get over it !!!

And while we can find fault with some of the plot devices in this film, namely the clichés and jokes one has to point out that humor, especially in times of great tension and stress is welcome; unless you go crazy from the experience otherwise.

"Dragnet" was famous for it, and considering the world the policeman inhabits. they need a laugh.

And how about M*A*S*H ???

There was a great deal of humor there as well; and let's remember that the movie and the TV show were set at a front-line Army hospital during the Korean War; and is offered here as a good example of grace under pressure.

And no, David Nelson wasn't there either !!!!!

Though admittedly the humor is a bit heavy-handed, Webb's heart was always in the right place here, and considering what the characters went through in this film, it was definitely called for.

Also a point worthy of praise should go to any movie that includes among the cast of recognizable Webb standbys the talents of William Conrad (radio's Matt Dillion, TV's Cannon), for dramatic as well as comic relief.

Conrad's booming baritone had been a radio staple for many years, and while his equally impressive physical presence is yet another benefit, that he is shown to have a soft side in the role of the beleaguered city editor practically made this movie for me.

This was especially true when the tension begins to heat up, at which point all the humanity possible was needed.

News stories like the little girl lost in the storm drain and the air crash that kills 'Lady 's grandson' were both highly emotional moments, and regrettably happens every day, and must be dealt with in a way that saves the sanity of those who must report it.

While Jack Webb's expertise belongs with the cop on the beat and "Dragnet", and perhaps not with this movie, he gets a solid 'A' for effort in my book here, and it is CRIMINAL that this and much of his film work has been lost in the limbo of OOP home video.

My God, do we need him now; not only his talent, but the integrity he brought to his work in creating those heroic figure we looked up to for so long.

Laughable as they may be now, they truly meant something !!!

This film is a night in a newsroom at a big city newspaper. It stars Jack Webb as the boss, William Conrad and a whole host of other folks. There are a could of surprises--with Howard McNear (Floyd from "The Andy Griffith Show") and David Nelson ("Ozzie and Harriett") in small parts. All of them work very well together and "-30-" is a surprisingly good film. While it's not nearly as cynical and hard-hitting as "Five Star Final" (also remade as "Two Against the World"), it is a dandy little film--and one that might surprise you. Surprising because it was produced and directed by Jack Webb--and has Webb in the lead actually plays a surprisingly vulnerable guy. This is not the tough as nails guy he played in "The D.I." or Joe Friday from "Dragnet" (though Friday could, on rare occasions, show a bit of heart). This guy is cynical but also a guy who is hurting--and Webb was able to do a surprisingly good performance in this complex role. Now the film at first does not appear to have a lot of depth--just a lot of hard-boiled stereotypical newspaper folks. But, as the film progresses, various tragedies occur--bringing some humanity to these folks who seemed cold as ice.

Overall, a very compelling film--particularly the last half hour. Very well written, a bit schmaltzy (in a good way) and never the least bit dull, this is a heck of a good film that is all but forgotten today. And, the same can be made for Webb's other films. If he hadn't been so successful on TV, you wonder what other film projects he might have made.

"-30-" is an anomaly among Jack Webb productions: it's the least realistic docudrama he ever made. Unlike "The D.I.," which got a ringing endorsement from the Marine Corps., journalists sneered at this picture. Newspaper critics harped on its wisecracks, its plot contrivances, and especially the constant abuse heaped on copy boys throughout the film. (Strangely, nobody commented on its LEAST realistic aspect: what kind of adoption agency releases a little boy to a family where the father refuses to meet with him?)

On the other hand, the film contains Webb's liveliest performance. His Sam Gatlin is animated and emotional. The closing scene, as Webb tries to explain to his second wife why he REALLY doesn't want to adopt a child, will shock you and perhaps put a lump in your throat. It's almost worth sitting through William Conrad's over-the-top, Edgar Kennedy-ish performance to see.

FACTOID: Warner Bros. really had a hard time marketing this one. In some cities, the ads labeled it a drama; in others, it was termed a comedy ("You'll laugh so loud, you might get arrested," read one ad under a picture of Jack "Sgt. Friday" Webb.) In the end, few people went to see it. It was the first Webb production to LOSE money, and it lost him his Warner contract.

This film is entertaining but marred by a too archly clever script, lines that are delivered, (particularly by William Conrad), as if the speaker were narrating a documentary and scenes that are played at 45RPM instead of 33. The effect is to make the film play like an opera without the music, complete with a mixture of low comedy and high tragedy. An attempt to break the news about a loved one's death becomes an extended discourse on God and the Universe. (I have always found that people in a certain situation are not very interested in the philosophies of people who are not.) Someone makes a wisecrack about the newspaper business and Conrad launches into a sort of aria about the purpose of the news business. He also sings lines like "BBBooooyyy!" when he calls for a copy boy. We have a kid trapped in sewers, another hoping to be adopted by the hero, another dying in a plane crash, etc. etc. I also agree that the thought of David Nelson having been a sergeant in the Korean War when the actor was born in 1936 is absurd.

Still, no one can deny that the film is entertaining for all it's faults. It moves and has real dramatic punch. Jack Webb's performance is his best in the movies since "The Men", (1950), although he still lacks the presence and charisma of the movie star he surely wanted to be. This was almost his last attempt at it after "Dragnet (1954), Pete Kelly's Blues, (1955) and The D.I. (1957). He had one more attempt, "The Last Time I saw Archie" (1961), a service comedy with Robert Mitchum, (now there's a Movie Star!) which, like -30-, was a box office flop and ended Webb's ambitions in this regard. He them became a Warner Brother's executive and then returned to the medium where he really excelled, television.