Un homme à la page

Suave newspaper editor Melvyn Douglas proudly runs the Guardian, a noble institution that has served the public for 75 years. But look out—tabloid owner Douglas Dumbrille has just purchased the Guardian and intends to kill it to increase his own rag's circulation. Seems like a serious newspaper melodrama....

But the picture quickly morphs into a detective story when sharp- eyed Douglas stumbles on a $100 bill that he recognizes as a marked bill used as ransom money in a recent high profile kidnapping case. He sets out to trace the bill's journey, hoping it will lead him to the kidnappers.

The search for the bill leads Douglas through an interesting series of vignettes….Each clue he follows leads him to a new stop where his visit has a strange and surprising effect (an imminent wedding is abruptly called off, for example). A post-funeral family gathering is the film's most somber and serious moment.

Douglas also manages to connect with schoolteacher Louise Platt, who witnessed the kidnapping. Although the police have her school pretty well surrounded specifically for her protection, clever Douglas manages not only to sneak into the school and find her, but to talk her into sneaking out with him to go chase the crooks….

Okay, so it gets a little far-fetched at times. However, despite some silliness the picture is not only entertaining but fascinating—even if it's not particularly good or believable, somehow you care what happens. Melvyn Douglas and Louise Platt are both easy to watch, and the supporting cast is full of fine performances from MGM's great roster of character actors.

A Rich and Nifty Little B-Movie that Takes an Investigative Journalist on a Quest to Find Kidnappers and Stop His Newspaper from Folding. Melvyn Douglas is the Protagonist, but it is the Many Set-Pieces of People and Places that Make This Special.

Always Engaging and there are Outstanding Side-Bars and a Surprisingly Dark Atmosphere and Snappy Dialog Along the Way that was Not Typical of MGM. The Scene at an African American Wake and the Climatic and Dark Display in the Gangster's Car are Exceptional, as are Brief Encounters with a Bird Loving Casino Owner and a Henpecked Groom to be.

Overall, a Very Good Sleeper that is Virtually Unknown and is Deserving of a Rediscovery.

Director Leslie Fenton had more acting roles than directing roles, but he sure worked with some of the biggies as an actor. and was married to the delicious Ann Dvorak. In Tell No Tales, Melvyn Douglas is the editor of a newspaper that's being shut down, but he thinks he can solve one last big crime to save the paper. Co-stars Gene Lockhart, Louise Platt, and Douglass Dumbrille. some running gags to keep it light. Cassidy (Douglas) helps Ellen (Platt) hide out while he tries to solve the riddle. this one goes all around the mulberry bush.... through a black funeral, through an opera. it's actually quite good. we go along for the ride. and the whole time, we're never sure who's telling the truth. plays now and then on turner classics channel.

Michael Cassidy (Melvyn Douglas) runs the old respected newspaper, The Guardian, like a family affair. The new owner Matthew Cooper orders it to shutdown in favor of his own tabloid, The Evening Record. Cassidy turns down his pick of a job at the Record. With a clue to a famous kidnapping, he makes a final stab at saving his beloved paper with the hot new story in a final edition. He sneaks pass the police to retrieve kidnap victim Ellen Frazier (Louise Platt) who is under police protection.

The plot is a straight line of one stop to another as Cassidy tracks down the journey of that $100 bill. It's not the most imaginative plot structure. It is good enough to leverage a good performance and a nice crime thriller. The movie is able to maintain its kinetic motion all the way through. It's not really a mystery to solve. It does need some action to punch it up. It's a little flat but it's pretty good.

Saw 'Tell No Tales' seeing as it has the kind of story that has always appealed to me straightaway. It was interesting to see how actor Leslie Fenton (have much more of his work to see though) would fare in his feature debut as director. And also to see Melvyn Douglas in a different and less suave role to usual (he was one of the best at that kind of role at the time in my view) and talented actors such as Gene Lockhart and Theresa Harris in also atypical supporting roles.

'Tell No Tales' turned out to be very entertaining and always engaging, very solidly done in most areas. Those playing against type surprisingly excel at it, Fenton does a remarkably good job as first time director and it always intrigues. It is not quite great, despite it having potential to be, and is not perfect, but despite any misgivings there is so much done right and the best of the good things are pretty brilliantly done. So well worth seeing.

Admittedly, 'Tell No Tales' gets far-fetched and contrived in places. The very end is too tacked on and doesn't ring true, due to not gelling with what goes on before.

It could have gotten going a little earlier perhaps too.

However, 'Tell No Tales' is well filmed with a slick, stylish yet never glossy look, with some atmospheric lighting, and Fenton keeps things moving at a crisp pace. Without rushing events through. William Axt's score has the appropriate typical moodiness. The script is taut, eventful and has very little extraneous fat, meaning that it always intrigues and it never goes limp. Some nice sharp wit too to not allow the film to get too dark.

Furthermore, the story has a good deal going on and doesn't feel dull, with some nice tension (towards the end to the maximum) and an exciting climax. It doesn't try to do too much and has enough surprises without being over-complicated, even if it does get silly and contrived as said in spots. The Wake sequence is a powerful one. All the actors do well, with Douglas having his usual suave persona mixed with a gritty edge. Louise Platt is charming without being pallid, Lockhart is fun in his part and Harris stretches her acting chops in a more substantial role than as a maid type of part.

On the whole, good fun though with flawed moments. 7/10