‘Weather Report by Clem Rogers.
Weather man promises sunshine today:
Clear Skies! Think what that means to the birds and flowers! Think what it means to the farmer that hardy son of toil upon whose shoulders the wealth of nations rests.
Think of the mothers and children in the parks and fields and babbling brooks!
Sunshine and health and happiness to all is what I promise today!’
Wannabe news hunter Clem Rogers, whose job is to write the weather reports and obituaries for the Times, tries to impress his boss with these kinds of creative phrases. But his boss is not impressed and almost completely deletes his text. If he receives a phone call that a murder has been committed and all reporters are away to cover other news, he is forced to send Clem. Because of more luck than brains, he sees a lady who behaves very suspiciously. His reporter's instinct tells him that this could be his chance to get a scoop. This time he gets more appreciation from his boss and the presses are stopped for a new front page.
The 19 year old Douglas Fairbanks Jr. plays newspaper cub Clem Rogers in 'The Power of the Press' from 1928. Fairbanks Jr. began in 1916, a year after his famous father had his acting debut, his acting career. I don’t want to compare the two here, others will probably have done that and I'm sure they did will be better, but two things stand out for me: Although Junior's career lasted longer than his father's, they were equally successful and talented. Pa is now mainly remembered for the many stunts he did in his films, but in the beginning of his career he made many comedies. In 'The Power of the Press' Junior shows that he inherited the talent for comic timing from his father. He makes me even laugh by mocking the most annoying habit of the stereotypical American; chewing gum.
Jobyna Ralston plays prime suspect Jane Atwill. The innocent Jane does not appear to be the helpless little lady she seems to be at first. After the initial shock the innocent Jane goes to the newspaper to seek redress, but she finds that Clem is very full of himself. When he answers ‘We newspaper men must print the news, no matter who it hurts!’ she shouts; ‘If I were a man, I’d punch your nose.’ But it’s the 1920s and women didn’t do these things in those days. So she turns on the Niagara Falls. And it proves just as efficient, even more I’d say. She manages to persuade Clem to help her prove her innocence and to search for the real murderer. Gradually, Clem loses his naivety and starts thinking like a true detective.
Fred Thompson wrote a story with a topical subject; one wrong conclusion from a journalist can have disastrous consequences. Scenario writer Sonya Levien has done a wonderful job at trivialising this topic. Suspense, comedy and drama change on a regular basis. One hour is not long enough to give real depth to the characters, but they didn’t want to make a profound film anyway.
Frank Capra, who later became one of the most influential directors of the 1930s, directed 'The Power of the Press'. He was the founder of the romantic comedy. You can put the predicate 'romantic' and 'comedy' on this film, but I don’t think this film is really a 'romantic comedy' in the style of the films in this genre that would make Capra famous later on. The humor in 'The Powers of the Press' is separate from the story. Moreover; I think the film had worked just as well when no humor had been and it had become a thriller. In his later romantic comedies the story and the comedy are more merged. I also think that it has to do with the arrival of the sound. It was easier to add witty dialogues in the film.
Capra also takes the time in this film to show how the printing proces of a newspaper works. It was a time when working in a printing company was still hard work and printing ink still smelled nice. At school I learned how to operate a printing press. This was in a period that they still were allowed to add all kinds of junk in printing ink that made it smell good (it was a little 60 years after this film was made I have to mention). So it makes me a bit nostalgic. Newspapers now publish the latest news on the internet and everyone can print one copy of a self-written book. They call this glorified printer very lovely ‘Betty’, but I do not see the romance of it.
But I digress. To reach the final conclusion; 'The Power of the Press' is great light entertainment that is technically very well put together.
Oh and 'Power of the Press' from 1943, although it has the same theme as 'The Power of the Press' from 1928, is not a remake.
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