Starring Fred MacMurray, Frances Farmer, Charles Ruggles, Lloyd Nolan, Ray Holden, Ralph
Morgan, Irving Bacon, Cornel Wilde
Directed by Alexander Hall

Print: black/white
Runtime: 85 min.
Genre: drama
Print Quality: B

Frances Farmer plays the daughter of an honest and ethical newspaper publisher (Charlie
Ruggles). She wants to become a reporter herself, but when her Dad refuses to give her an
easy break, Frances goes to work for a rival "tell all" tabloid. Her irresponsible reporting
causes a highly respected citizen to commit suicide, and also loses her the respect of her
father. But when Frances gets "over her head" in tracking down a killer, her father comes to
the rescue. Taking a bullet meant for his daughter, Ruggles dies in her arms, but not before
advising her in how to report this late-breaking event: "Write it simply and clearly and keep
the paragraphs short."