Scandal for Sale (1932) User Reviews

Charles Bickford plays a guy who just loves to wallow in filth and depravity!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 27 November 2016]

"Scandal for Sale" is a very Pre-Code sort of film, as there's no way they could have made a film this vivid and nasty in its depiction of the newspapers after the tough Production Code was enacted in mid- 1934. Because of the studios' willingness to get down and dirty, this film and "Five Star Final" are more timeless than many later films...and they certainly grab your attention.

When the film begins, there is a very florid murder in which a woman beats two folks to death with a hammer! You don't see it happen but you sure hear the screaming, sound effects and blood! Soon, a man arrives and pretends to be the investigating detective...and the cop watching the scene lets him into the room where the killing just happened. However, this man is actually a sleazy reporter and soon secrets the killer out of the place in order to make headlines and make her a star! The scene where they have her posing with the murder weapon is both shocking and darkly comic. Such is your introduction to the muck- raking journalism championed by Jerry (Charles Bickford). While this latest stunt gets him tossed off the paper, soon he lands on his feet as another local paper is more than welcome to lower their standards for increased profits!

Throughout all this film, you slowly see Jerry lose more and more of what was decent about him. His wife, who once adored him, is reduced to indifference and eventually hatred because of Jerry's actions on the job and inaction at home. In other words, he's seldom home and when he is, he isn't mentally at home. Throughout all this, his best pal and co-worker, Waddy (Pat O'Brien), is by his side...and secretly wishing Jerry's wife had chosen him instead. What's next? See the film!

The script is exciting and awful in a way that keeps your attention. My only regret is that the ending seemed very abrupt and didn't fit into who Jerry was....otherwise I might have even given the film an 8.

Half a Lively Movie

[roslein-674-874556 · 6/10 · 14 December 2016]

You can certainly tell this is pre-code--they say the word "sex" (ooh!) several times, and the opening sequence dwells on the brutality and gore of a love-triangle double-hammer slaying. There are also plenty of satirical and contemptuous snapshots typical of the era and this type of film--the boss who steals other people's ideas and who spends all his time chasing floozies; the floozy who pretends to be a betrayed innocent but turns out to be in a gangster's pocket.

But the raciness of the first third or so of the picture is let down by a meandering, repetitious plot and an increasingly censorious and lugubrious tone. Charles Bickford's triumphs as an editor are contrasted, reproachfully, with his neglect of his wife and children. The marriage is happy--though I'd walk out on any husband who never called me anything but "Mumsie"--so there is no sex angle as far as Bickford is concerned, or anyone else either. Pat O'Brien, as in so many pictures, leans against a lot of door jambs and makes wisecracks out of the side of his mouth, but, as in all his pictures, he...has...no...sex...appeal. When Bickford goes on trial, the courtroom scenes are brief, dull, and completely lacking in suspense.

On the whole, then, I'd say catch the first 20 minutes or so for the atmosphere, but when it starts to slow down, bail out--it's not going to get better.

Murder, Mystery, and Muck

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 13 February 2024]

It seems scandal sheets (what we now call tabloids) and unscrupulous journalists were a big problem in the '30's. Movies such as "The Front Page" (1931), "Scandal Sheet" (1931), "Five Star Final" (1931), "The Famous Ferguson Case" (1932), and "Picture Snatcher" (1933) were all dedicated to showing the world what certain newspapers and newspapermen were all about.

Add "Scandal for Sale" to the list. "Scandal for Sale" was extremely similar to "Scandal Sheet." They were virtually the same movie.

A bold, all-news all the time editor named Jerry Strong (Charles Bickford) was the editor of a small town paper until he left for New York where he could really flourish after he and his boss had a disagreement over what headline to run. Strong was about the salacious. He called it the "three M's": murder, mystery, and muck. That's what was going to sell papers.

He was contracted by The Daily Comet, a struggling rag desperate for more circulation. Strong was just the man to increase their circulation. He brought his good friend and ace reporter Waddell (Pat O'Brien) along with him to New York. Strong would have to hustle overtime to increase The Daily Comet's circulation and he would suffer heavy losses as a result.

Jerry Strong was essentially the same character George Bancroft played in "Scandal Sheet." They were both big imposing figures who barked orders to everyone and above all they were both newspapermen through and through. It was all about selling papers with them. The problem with worrying about nothing but selling papers is that ethics tend to take a back seat to sales.

"Scandal for Sale" was a good movie although I had one thing to quibble about. It's something that many characters in movies are guilty of and I don't like it.

I'm going to play spoiler here just to add this caveat.

In the end Strong earned a $50,000 bonus from The Daily Comet, but it had cost him his son, his best friend, and his family. Because of that he gave the money back to them as if to say, "This $50,000 isn't worth it. What is this $50,000 after what I suffered?"

His wife Claire (Rose Hobart) did the same thing. When he gave her his $25,000 bonus check she attempted to give it back to him as if to say she didn't want his blood money.

I've seen that in many movies where the protagonist is given money for whatever task he/she accomplished, but because of the lessons they learned along the way they no longer want the money. They came to the realization that money isn't all that important.

TAKE THE MONEY!!!

I get it. The money isn't that important in the grand scheme of things, but it's still yours! Give it to charity then or simply put it away, but why refuse it??? It's not like you no longer need money because you had an epiphany. Money still is needed to do the most basic things, so why refuse it?

OK, I'm done. "Scandal for Sale" was still a good movie even if two of the characters let their ethics interfere with their common sense.

Free on Odnoklassniki.

Great little Universal Precode

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 25 November 2009]

Charles Bickford plays the lead in a snappy little precode about a reporter ambitious to make it in the yellow journalism business. The scene opens on a woman who bursts in on her lover and beats her rival to death with a hammer. Pat O'Brien, as reporter Waddell, pretends to be with the D.A.'s office and takes the woman from the scene back to his newspaper's office so that he and reporter Jerry Strong (Charles Bickford) can get the whole story from her. The paper has a great lead story, but the big boss kills it because of the salacious angle. Jerry then quits in anger because he claims the boss wants to run an almanac, not a newspaper and takes his close friend and associate Waddell along for the ride.

Jerry has a nice little house and yard and a loving wife and two kids, but uproots everyone so he can build up a failing paper as a successful scandal sheet in New York City. His wife and kids live in cramped conditions in a small flat and are materially cared for but largely emotionally neglected as Jerry chases and lives his dream, ultimately at great personal cost.

Charles Bickford is largely forgotten today. He had some good leads in the early talkie era such as this one, but was largely relegated to character roles by the end of the 30's. Pat O'Brien is playing the fast-talking best friend in this one, but I could just as easily have seen O'Brien in the lead given his precode roles over at Warner Brothers later on. Keep an eye out for Glenda Farrell, another Warner player, as the murderess with the hammer at the beginning of the film. She only has a few lines here.

Highly recommended as one of the rarely seen non-horror pre-codes from Universal.

Universal mini-classic

[Shotsy · 3 April 1999]

Strong stuff from Universal. Good cast and acting. O'Brien's scenes are most memorable. Especially at the end. Story and dialogue are excellent.

Bickford At His Blazing Best!!

[kidboots · 8/10 · 20 February 2016]

The gangster cycle didn't disappear overnight but thanks to J. Edgar Hoover, the movie gangster was soon relegated to supporting parts as other non-threatening characters took over - such as the gossip columnist!! The gossip columnist as portrayed by Lee Tracy in "Blessed Event" was made for racy pre-codes as he hob- nobbed with both the underworld and the elite ("Love is a Racket"). Pat O'Brien who scored successfully in "The Front Page" seemed a good bet as the reporter who is manipulated by his ruthless editor, (Charles Bickford) into endangering himself, all for the sake of a scoop!! Borrowing heavily from "Five Star Final", (both films based themselves on a genuine newspaper from the 1920s, the New York Evening Graphic), the film focuses on the many ways Strong tries to boost "The New York Comet" circulation to the million mark!! - if he does there is a nice $25,000 bonus for him.

Quite a few interesting players in this - Glenda Farrell, just on the cusp of pre-code stardom, Claudia Dell, a sure bet for stardom in 1930 but soon after finding a home at poverty row, the always reliable J. Farrell MacDonald and Ralph Graves who had been a leading man in silents. Rose Hobart, whose most famous role was as the sweet girl in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" played Bickford's wife for whom O'Brien carries a torch!!

The first scene is a doozy - a jealous wife commits murder with a hammer and it's not a pretty sight!! All reporters to the Belmont Hotel!! And while the rest of the movie doesn't quite live up to that blazing beginning Glenda Farrell creates an indelible impression as the "hammer murderess" who tells her story in the staccato rat-a-tat style that Farrell would become famous for. When chief editor (MacDonald) kills the story from the front page for being too sensational, Strong (Bickford) quits in disgust, calling the Gazette an almanac and not a paper people are eager to read. He and fellow reporter Waddy (O'Brien) head to the New York "Daily Comet" and Strong talks himself into a job vowing to give the public what it wants - blood and muck!! He turns the boring Comet on it's ear - even at the expense of his family life, forgetting his promise to get the kids a pet and then neglecting to look for a doctor for little Bobby (Buster Phelps) until it's too late.

Doesn't have the intensity of "Five Star Final" but is pretty fast paced with the low times soon coming - Strong tries to bribe a gangster's girl into going public, even with $5,000 inducement she has no intention of doing so but is eager to be a part in his downfall as Strong is set up in a compromising position with his face plastered all over the front page!! He's also battling to get his bonus money - now that the Comet is topping circulation Editor in Chief Bunnyweather (Berton Churchill) who made out that all the sensationalism was his idea has conveniently forgotten about the promised payment. Until he is the survivor of a faked assassination attack!!!

Things come to a head when Strong sends best buddy Waddy up, as a promotional gimmick, on a transatlantic air flight. Waddy has always loved Claire and Claire realizes she has made a huge mistake in marrying the egotistical Strong. Film finishes ambiguously, viewers will find it hard to believe that the forceful driving Strong will find contentment on a local country paper!!

Very Recommended.

Where did you see it?

[bob-2837 · 7 April 2007]

I'd like to own a copy of this film, or at least see it. I'm willing to travel to do so, as part of a research project. But I'm not a film historian and haven't contacted any of them yet to see if they can help. I will whenever I find more time for this research project.

Still, if someone could review the film here in 1999, there must be a source somewhere. But where?

I've checked all the usual sources and see no evidence that it was ever released on VHS, much less DVD. I also didn't see an entry for it at Turner Movie Classics.

The film is based on a book by Emile Gauvreau (his name has been misspelled "Gavreau" at times), a newspaper editor in the 1920s. He is listed as a co-author of the film. (I've filled out a correction form for IMDb with the corrected spelling.)