Big News (1929)

Overview: A reporter's marriage is jeopardized by his drinking and he finds himself accused of a murder he didn't commit.

Director: Gregory La Cava

Cast: Robert Armstrong, Carole Lombard, Louis Payne, Wade Boteler, Charles Sellon

Original Language: EN

Original Title: Big News

Budget: N/A

Revenue: N/A

MPAA Rating: PG

Keywords: pre-code

CinemaSerf (June 6, 2022)

Robert Armstrong ("Steve") is a reporter at a busy newspaper where he spends much of his time drinking or nursing an hangover. His behaviour is testing the patience not just of his bosses, but of his wife Margaret (a feisty Carole Lombard) who works for another newspaper and for some reason is still keen on him. When he finds himself on the wrong end of a murder investigation, she must help him track down the true culprit. The thing about this film is the dialogue - it is relentless and after a while becomes quite irritating and largely humourless. Sure, it deals with alcoholism (and it's side effects) in a way that the code would soon discourage, but as he comes across as somewhat odious and the whole pace, though frenetic as you might expect in a 1920s newspaper office, goes nowhere fast for the vast majority of the film. Even the last fifteen minutes - in which everything of note occurs - doesn't really lift it. I just found myself a bit bored by it all and it seemed longer than it's 75 minutes.