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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Five Star Final is an intense movie that resonates with today’s climate on fake news, journalism, and the morals of getting that story. It is incredible that no matter how much time has passed, a movie so old can still be so accurate and hit home for the news. The story is so good in the form of how one puts their morals aside to get the latest and greatest scoop or revisiting the past to make a story that will get a company circulations. It is a story that prays upon a person’s history even when they thought they could escape it.
It’s funny how you watch a movie, and it resonates with you today. In a world of clickbait, headline news, and social media attention for views, this story resembles everything that is going on today. Just like today, many will do anything to get followers and views. Whether it is making an insane video on YouTube to get views. Having tons of pictures on Instagram to get followers. Even tweeting about anything on a person’s mind on Twitter. We live in an age where we want more circulation of ourselves.
Five Star Final is directed by Mervyn LeRoy and written by Robert Lord and Byron Morgan from the play of the same name by Louis Weitzenkorn. Five Star Final presents an intense story of what a tabloid newspaper will do to get their circulation numbers up at the expense of a family. Taking place in the mean streets of New York. Bernard Hinchecliffe, owner of the tabloid newspaper, the New York Evening Gazette, is upset about the current sales of his paper. He decides to push for increasing circulation. He asks the paper’s managing editor, Joseph Randall (Robinson), to find a story to increase circulation. With high reluctance, Randall digs up a twenty-year-old murder case involving Nancy Voorhees (Frances Starr), who shot and killed her husband. Randall’s secretary, Miss Taylor (Aline MacMahon), is significantly against this idea, but Randall goes with it, assigning an unscrupulous and very creepy reporter named Isopod (Karloff) to pose as a clergyman to get into Nancy Voorhees’ home. After twenty-years, Nancy is happily married with her daughter planning to wed society bachelor Phillip Weeks. The Townsends mistakenly think that Isopod is an assistant of the minister who is marrying Jenny and confess their fears of having Nancy’s past exposed. When the story hits the papers, Nancy desperately tries to call Randall and ask him to cease and desist, but Randall is unmoved. As Nancy’s world begins to crumble, Randall continues to push until ultimately a decision has to be made that will rock Randall’s world to his core.
The story is actually really standard by today’s measures. Yet, you see the lengths journalist go to, to get a significant story. This is so prevalent because it seems like anyone on Randall’s staff would sell their own sell to get the story. For example, Isopod portrays himself as a priest to gain the trust of Nancy and her husband. He is like a snake, slithering inside their home, and he strikes with caution, obtaining all the information he needs. He has no remorse knowing that Nancy has moved on and made a family for herself. Another example (SPOLIER ALERT) is when Nancy and her husband commit suicide. Randall’s staff climbs through the window of Nancy’s apartment to get pictures. When they discover the bodies of Nancy and her husband, rather than calling the police, they take pictures and call the agency about the deaths. Straight scum. This whole thing reminded me of the Jenny Jones show. When she had the episode where a man confessed to a coworker that he had a crush on him. Trying to play it off on TV like it didn’t matter. Yet three days later he kills the man. That was crazy, and yet it made this story come to life for me because once again, the show, like the newspaper, needed more circulation. Just like in real life, the family’s reaction causes other family members to have a breakdown. Where the daughter straight-up wanted to kill everyone for taking her family and life away.
I must say that the acting of this film was outstanding. Edward G. Robinson, as Joseph W. Randall, is really entertaining and gives such a strong performance. When the staff of the film talks about him washing his hands all the time, his first scene is him walking in his office and washing his hands immediately before speaking. What makes Robinson so great is he portrays Randall as this fast-talking, go-getter editor. His mind is always working on getting the story. He commands the screen each time he is on. His ending speech about how he grew a conscience is so good.
Boris Karloff, as T. Vernon Isopod, is so creepy. This was before he became Frankenstein, but damn Karloff was disturbing in this film. He towers over everyone in stature, and his tone is just weird. When he speaks to the women of the film, he gives off the odd feeling that makes your skin shiver. Yet he is so good because when he gains an audience with Nancy, he is like a snake. Choosing his words carefully to gain trust but waiting to strike when the time is right.
Frances Starr as Nancy (Voorhees) Townsend and Marian Marsh as Jenny Townsend are really phenomenal in their respective roles. Starr makes you feel for Nancy. The love she has for her daughter is shown throughout the film as she about the story and what it might do to her daughter’s future. The one scene that is so powerful for her character is when she calls over and over again to the newspaper. They give her such a run around that makes you feel for her. You genuinely feel sad for her. Marsh plays Jenny so well. In the beginning, she plays her as the fun-loving daughter, ready to get married. By the end, she has a complete meltdown, prepared to kill the people that took her family away. She makes such a powerful speech continuously asking, “Who is at fault?” So good.
Five Star Final is a very entertaining but compelling movie to watch. One that will make you look at the world today and go “damn.” Doing whatever it takes to get a story to raise circulation comes at a price. The question is, what price is the company and a person willing to take to get those views or followers. Edward G. Robinson gives a powerful performance that but the real starts are Frances Starr and Marian Marsh for their performances as a mother/daughter. As a classic from the 1930s, this movie is very significant to watch. Anyone who watches this movie will be entertained.
