Back Page (1934)

A young female reporter (Peggy Shannon) is fired from a big city newspaper after she refuses to kill a story concerning an influential man. She accepts a job from a small hick town newspaper as an editor but the owner (Claude Gillingwater) wasn't expecting a woman and tries to talk her out of the job. But she persists until he gives in. She soon finds out however that corruption isn't restricted to just big cities. If you're a fan of newspaper movies like THE FRONT PAGE, this little seen programmer should be right up your alley. It's barely over an hour long but it's fast paced and its emphasis on sexism and feminism was ahead of its time. Shannon was a real charmer and it's a pity she didn't become a bigger star (alcoholism derailed her career and she was dead by 34). She was attractive, could act and had real spunk. The rest of the cast isn't up to her level unfortunately. Her leading man Russell Hopton is a bit of a stiff and she (and her character) are too good for him. Directed by Anton Lorenze. With Sterling Holloway, Edwin Maxwell and David Callis.