The Story on Page One (film)

The Story On Page One
Directed by Clifford Odets
Produced by Jerry Wald
Written by Clifford Odets
Starring Rita Hayworth
Anthony Franciosa
Music by Elmer Bernstein
Cinematography James Wong Howe
Edited by Hugh S. Fowler
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release dates

December 1959 (premiere)

  • January 13, 1960 (1960-01-13) (New York City)
Running time
 123 mins.
118 mins. (FMC Library Print)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1,748,000[1]

The Story on Page One is a 1959 American drama film written and directed by Clifford Odets, and starring Rita Hayworth, Anthony Franciosa, and Gig Young. Shot in CinemaScope, the film was distributed by 20th Century Fox.[2]

Plot

As the film begins, young Los Angeles lawyer Victor Santini (Franciosa) is hired to defend Josephine "Jo" Morris (Hayworth), who is accused of conspiring with Larry Ellis (Young) to murder her husband Mike Morris (Ryder), a police detective. In flashbacks, it is shown that her marriage to Morris is loveless and dull. She met Ellis a widower, with whom she finds companionship and comfort.The two see each other regularly, and are intimate once. Larry's mother (Dunnock), a righteous, controlling mother, finds out about their relationship. She threatens to expose Jo to her husband unless it stops. Jo tells Larry what had happened, and Larry travels to see her and comfort her.

Believing her husband is asleep, Jo lets Larry into her kitchen to talk. However, Mike discovers them, and pulls out his service revolver and struggles with Larry. It ends with Mike's being shot dead. Both are charged with attempted murder, and a large part of the film consists of the trial.

At the trial, prosecuting attorney Phil Stanley (Meisner) stresses how Jo first told police that a prowler had killed her husband, until a cufflink belonging to Larry was found at the scene of the crime. He also notes that an insurance policy was purchased a week before the shooting.

Santini erodes the prosecution's case and include a searing cross-examination of Larry's mother. Both are found not guilty and leave the court room.

Cast

Actor Role
Rita Hayworth Josephine Brown Morris
Anthony Franciosa Victor Santini
Gig Young Larry Ellis
Mildred Dunnock Mrs. Ellis
Hugh Griffith Judge Edgar Neilsen
Sanford Meisner Phil Stanley
Robert Burton District Attorney Nordeau
Alfred Ryder Lt. Mike Morris
Raymond Greenleaf Judge Carey
Katherine Squire Mrs. Hattie Brown
Myrna Fahey Alice
Leo Penn Morrie Goetz
Sheridan Comerate Officer Francis Morris

See also

References

  1. ↑ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p252
  2. ↑ Blum, Daniel (1961). Daniel Blum's Screen World. Biblo & Tannen Publishers. p. 13. ISBN 0-819-60302-3.


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