Park Row
Written/directed by Samuel Fuller, 1952.
Set in 1880s New York, a journalist successfully sets up his own newspaper, drawing the ire of a larger paper’s owner.
The Pelican Brief
Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington, 1993.
A law student finds out the truth about who killed two supreme court justices, which makes her a target for some who want to truth covered up, but an investigative journalist wants to publish her story.
A River Runs Through It
Directed by Robert Redford, 1992.
Brad Pitt plays a journalist as the movie follows the story of two brothers growing up in Montana with their minister father.
Salvador
Directed by Oliver Stone, 1986.
A journalist covering the military dictatorship in El Salvador allies with both countryside guerillas and the right-wing military.
Shattered Glass
Hayden Christensen, 2003.
Based on the true story of a prodigious young journalist whose career is ended when his articles are found to be false.
Spider-Man
J.K Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, 2002.
The comic book classic featuring nerd-turned-super hero, Peter Parker, against the evil Green Goblin involves a tenacious newspaper editor in Jameson.
State of Play
Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, and Rachel McAdams, 2009.
Investigative reporters work with a detective to solve the mystery of how a congresswoman’s mistress was murdered.
Street Smart
Christopher Reeve and Kathy Baker, 1987.
A magazine reporter finds himself at the center of a scandal when the police think that the pimp he described in a fake story is a real pimp suspected of murder.
Striptease
Demi Moore and Burt Reynolds, 1996.
A single mother dancing at a nightclub for money tries to blackmail a congressman in order to regain custody of her daughter.
Superman
Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman, 1978.
Journalist by day and superhero by night, Clark Kent must defeat Lex Luthor and his evil schemes.
Sweet Smell of Success
Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis, 1957.
A powerful newspaper columnist convinces a seedy press agent to break off his sister’s engagement to a jazz musician.
Teacher’s Pet
Clark Gable and Doris Day, 1958.
The city editor of a newspaper balks at first when he is instructed to help a college journalism professor with her class, but he masquerades as a student when he finds himself attracted to her.
Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press
Directed by Rick Goldsmith, 1996.
Documentary about the American investigative journalist and media critic who published In Fact.
Under Fire
Nick Nolte and Gene Hackman, 1983.
Three journalists entwined in a romantic triangle get drawn into the political intrigue of the Somoza regime, which soon falls to a popular revolt.
W.
Directed by Oliver Stone, 2008.
Josh Brolin plays the former president in this account of his life and presidency.
Welcome to Sarajevo
Stephen Dillane, Woody Harrelson, and Marisa Tomei, 1997.
While reporting on the Bosnian war in Sarajevo, two teams of journalists from the US and the UK get involved with an orphanage near the front line.
The Year of Living Dangerously
Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver, 1982.
An Australian journalist tries to navigate the political landscape of Indonesia as a foreign correspondent.
Interestingly, 'The Front Page' (1931) and especially its remake 'His Girl Friday' (1940) depict exactly the kind of behavior that is getting Rupert Murdoch and his minions in hot water these days - but have a record of being admired by 'media people', including journalists. Maybe because it is one of the funniest comedies ever. (In my opinion, the funniest.) Challenge to viewers: find the gay character, there are only one or two sly lines that give it away. He is a figure of humor, of course. Times change.
Another newspaper picture from the same era, 'Five Star Final' (1931) treats the subject of tabloid sensationalism and harm done to ordinary people more seriously.
#1 Posted by Mark Richard, CJR on Fri 29 Jul 2011 at 07:48 PM
BTW, anyone watching the George Seldes documentary should actually go back and read some of Seldes' pieces from 'In Fact' magazine during the 1940 presidential campaign. Anyone who couldn't distinguish Wendell Willkie from Adolf Hitler had serious reality issues.
#2 Posted by Mark Richard, CJR on Fri 29 Jul 2011 at 07:51 PM