Deadline USA is the story of a newspaper ‘The Day’ and its editor, Humphrey Bogart.

The newspaper is about to be sold, against the wishes of the owner’s widow , Ethel Barrymore whose two daughters out-vote her regarding the sale.

This film has some relevance today as the crusading editor played by Bogart makes it clear that the newspaper should have “No allegiance to any political party.”

And “A free Press , like a free life, is always in danger.”

 

Bogart leads a team of 1500 staff at The Day and we meet several of the newspaper’s staff, including Ed Begley, Jim Backus, Warren Stevens, Paul Stewart, Willis Bouchey,  Dabbs Greer, John Doucette.

A strong cast but writer/director Richard Brooks doesn’t provide them with good character development – or maybe there were just too many of them!  Bogart seems to get about 90% of the dialogue!
But it is annoying when someone as good as Paul Stewart is only in a few scenes.

Even Ethel Barrymore seems wasted , though she has a few good scenes with Bogart.

 

Ethel Barrymore never disappoints but has little to do .

 

Ed Begley, Warren Stevens.

 

 

Ed Begley, Bogart’s friend and veteran journalist. Jim Backus is seen briefly as the paper’s society columnist.

 

Kim Hunter, as Bogart’s ex wife who is about to remarry .  Not much of a part.

 

 

The staff of “The Day”, Jim Backus, Paul Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Dabbs Greer.

The cast at the ‘wake’ for the paper.
But Bogart is determined not to go down without a fight and one last headline for The Day. – taking down gangster Martin Gabel.

 

 

Joe De Santis , impressive as the hoodlum who provides information  which results in his violent death.

 

 

Philip Terry ( one of Joan Crawford’s husbands), in another brief role as Kim Hunter’s boyfriend. (You  just know Kim isn’t going to settle for Terry!)

 

Martin Gabel suitably nasty as the gangster whom Bogart is determined to bring down.

 

Another memorable appearance by Kasia Orzazewski who holds the key to convicting Martin Gabel. ( I always remember her from Call Northside 777.}

Kazia (1888-1956) only  made 9 films.

 

 

A Bogart film I had never seen before. I enjoyed it but it can’t be classed as one of his best,mainly because his character doesn’t have a lot of depth or conflict . His sole purpose is to save the newspaper. But does he?

Oh, and there is one female reporter in the room with the lads – well played by Fay Baker.

There are good scenes,filmed at the New York Daily News.

It was re-issued as “Deadline”.

 

 

Foreign posters for the film: (Translations dodgy).

 

 

 

And surely one of the poorest film posters ever!