Scandal Sheet (1952)

A tawdry tabloid focusing on lurid journalism like ax murders and exploiting grieving victims sees its circulation rising. But when a "lonelyhearts" woman (Rosemary DeCamp) is found murdered, a reporter (John Derek) exploits her murder by dragging out the story and offering a reward for her killer. But the killer is right under his nose (not a spoiler), the editor of the newspaper and his boss (Broderick Crawford) who is placed in the uncomfortable position of exploiting a story that may put him behind bars. Based on the novel THE DARK PAGE by film maker Samuel Fuller and tautly directed by the underrated Phil Karlson (HELL TO ETERNITY). This is a nifty "B" pulp thriller with a noir-ish  feel. It's a well written look at tabloid journalism and still resonates today given the public's greed for trash tabloids and reality television. Donna Reed is Derek's girlfriend and his conscience but the two performances that stand out are DeCamp (usually cast as perfect mothers and wives) as the burned out victim and Henry O'Neill as an alcoholic, washed up fromer Pulitzer prize winning journalist. The final shot in the film is a zinger! If you've not seen it, you have to check it out. With Harry Morgan and James Millican.