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Plot

Cleared of a crime, gangster Charles Gillette seeks vengeance against Mountain City townspeople who sought to put him behind bars, including Colonel Bogardus, owner of the influential Mountain City World newspaper. Gillette buys the Sentinel, rival to the World, and tries to hire star reporter Ralph Houston to be his editor, but Ralph declines.

Gillette then uses Ralph's girlfriend, Vina Swain, to dig up dirt on his enemies. A story on mayoral candidate Horace Mitchell smears his reputation and results in a suicide. Tod Swain, an editor at the World, chastises Vina for her poor judgment. Gillette then sets out to ruin a department store owner by having henchman Beak McArdle arrange an elevator accident that causes deaths as well as serious injury to Ralph.

Vina's own life is in peril when Gillette then orders McArdle to murder her so she can never tell what she knows. Tod helps her return safely, then tricks Gillette into a confession about the elevator accident. The Sentinel is sold to the town, with a recovered Ralph deciding to run it.

Cast

Fred MacMurray as Ralph Houston

Frances Farmer as Vina Swain

Charlie Ruggles as Tod Swain

Lloyd Nolan as Charles Gillette

Fay Holden as Mrs. Swain

Ralph Morgan as Horace Mitchell

Edward H. Robins as Colonel Bogardus

Harlan Briggs as Springer

Willard Robertson as Mr. Franklin

Horace McMahon as Beak McArdle

William Mansell as Formby

Steve Pendleton as Elliott

Chester Clute as Garner

Irving Bacon as Dr. Boomgarten

Frank Bruno as Lollipop

James Blakeley as Mr. Walton

Sam Hayes as Radio Announcer

Reception

Writing for Night and Day in 1937, Graham Greene gave the film a mildly good review, noting that it gives "the general impression [...] of slow old-fashioned sentiment [whose] result, like lavender, is not unagreeable". Characterizing the film as "a routine film of American newspaper life", Greene gave mixed reactions to the scenes, praising the elevator crash scene but finding himself disappointed by the precious delivery of the final scenes with the daughter speaking of her dead father.

Modern Screen’s Leo Townsend described the film as "an exciting, and at times, superior newspaper film" but he felt there were "inconsistencies" in the way Frances Farmer’s character was written that "served to weaken the picture." Townsend praised the performances and wrote, "Despite her role, Frances Farmer does a first-rate job which should entitle her to better things from the powers-that-be in the future. Fred MacMurray gives an honest portrayal … and Charlie Ruggles, in his first serious role, almost steals the picture. Best in the supporting cast are Lloyd Nolan, Ralph Morgan and Fay Holden."

The Film Daily described the film as "fast-moving and exciting" and wrote "Newspaper men may criticize technique and procedure, but the film undoubtedly has punch and entertainment for the fans." Motion Picture Daily reviewed the film as an "exciting melodrama spiced with enough comedy to make it an entertaining film of general appeal." It noted that "Frances Farmer continues her climb to stardom [and] Fred MacMurray turns in a realistic performance as the assistant city editor." Motion Picture Herald stated that the film should prove to be a money maker as it was "vividly gripping" and "well prepared, acted, directed and produced."

Variety wrote a negative review, describing the film as a "hodgepodge"

and a "disappointment lacking in originality and without benefit of good workmanship in direction or writing." The reviewer noted that the acting was good, and that Fred MacMurray, Frances Farmer, Charlie Ruggles and Lloyd Nolan gave the best performances, but were unable to overcome the deficiencies in the direction and storyline.Harrison's Reports also provided a negative review and found the storyline to be "distasteful." It wrote, "This lurid newspaper melodrama offers fairly exciting but not particularly pleasurable entertainment; the story is, for the most part, extremely far-fetched."