Uma Mensagem de Reuter

I saw A Dispatch from Reuters ages ago (before Netflix, etc), and it was good night viewing for sure. This was a time when news was in print (and TV), so in a way it was the prequel to A Social Network, which charted the rise of Facebook which is its own news outlet.

Edward G. Robinson was in top form as Paul Reuter (without an s) in this black and white movie.

I saw this again the other night after many years and was impressed at how entertaining it was. It moves at a cracking pace (so typical of Warner Bros style) and has a great cast of fine character actors (especially Albert Bassermann, Nigel Bruce and Otto Kruger) supporting Edward G Robinson in the title role, who gives a nicely understated performance.

The telescoping of events and the dramatic license with facts are to be expected in a film from this period, and in the main, the film presents a stirring account of how the transmission of news grew in the 19th century. Some reviewers here criticise Warners for not mentioning Reuter's conversion from Judaism to Christianity but anyone thinking a Hollywood studio would tackle such a complex subject in 1940 is expecting far too much. The direction by Dieterle is first rate and the pace is brisk, with the hand of Hal Wallis very obvious in the snappy editing and excision of any superfluous material.

Much was made on the historical accuracy of the sets such as the London Stock exchange) and certainly, the recreation of the House of Commons in London while smaller than the real thing, looked very convincing.

There is much else to enjoy here if you are a movie buff of Warner films from this period. When Reuter & Max are walking through the city near the beginning, we see many of the famous standing sets on the Warner back-lot at the time, including :- the Casa di Bonnyfeather and canal at Leghorn (built for Anthony Adverse): the large church structure built circa 1930, with the pillars & big flight of steps that featured in so many films including The Roaring 20s (Cagney dies on those steps at the end) and Deception (Bette Davis runs up those steps at the beginning) and we even see the large Nottingham Castle Gate with portcullis built for The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1937. Some of these sets were still standing as late as 1975! Above all, there is Max Steiner's terrific score. This tale clearly resonated in him and he produces one of his most arresting and dramatic works, with a superbly heraldic Main Title which reappears throughout at key points of the story, and also Steiner's most gorgeous waltz (for Reuter's wife played by the lovely and underrated Edna Best) that betrays his Viennese background. Steiner's score for REUTER cries out for a modern recording, yet few ever mention it when discussing his work for films.

I think it is one of his finest, the equal to Now Voyager, All This & Heaven Too and Big Sleep. If the film were shown more, maybe it would be noticed by the CD companies.

So, while this may not be the greatest of the Warner bio-pics, it is certainly unjustly overlooked. Let us hope it reaches DVD soon.

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.

Enjoyable Warner Bros. biopic about Paul Julius Reuter, the man who built the famous Reuters news service. Edward G. Robinson players Reuter. The movie covers his story from when he was using carrier pigeons up through the use of the telegraph. As is often the case with these biopics, he faces hardships and doubt from critics but perseveres. It's all pretty formulaic, I admit, but also undeniably entertaining. I was never bored. Eddie G's backed up by a fine stable of character actors, including Gene Lockhart, Otto Kruger, Nigel Bruce, and Albert Bassermann. Edna Best is the love interest and Eddie Albert plays Robinson's assistant. A solid cast. The subject matter may not lend itself to the most exciting story but they do a surprisingly good job keeping it interesting.

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.