Deeply infatuated with the dignity of newspaper publishing, almost to a fault. There are a few points in this film where characters monologue about ideas and journalism in a way that wouldn't feel out of place in a late West Wing episode. I'm not opposed to how much this film reveres the business of news publication but it certainly has been done better. One thing this film really exceeds at is its production design. It's remarkable how a film with this low of a budget pulled off a really stunning street set which feels like peak backlot construction. The costuming and even makeup on some of these characters feel as though they were made with an incredibly close eye for detail and it's these details that make the world feel alive. I love Mary Welch's performance a lot; she plays the film's antagonist as a woman who is determined to maintain her control over Park Row but she's never villainous. There's so much passion for the early days of journalism here and a lot of it works, but it also feels like a movie I won't remember much of in a month or two.
Deeply infatuated with the dignity of newspaper publishing, almost to a fault. There are a few points in this film where characters monologue about ideas and journalism in a way that wouldn't feel out of place in a late West Wing episode. I'm not opposed to how much this film reveres the business of news publication but it certainly has been done better. One thing this film really exceeds at is its production design. It's remarkable how a film with this low of a budget pulled off a really stunning street set which feels like peak backlot construction. The costuming and even makeup on some of these characters feel as though they were made with an incredibly close eye for detail and it's these details that make the world feel alive. I love Mary Welch's performance a lot; she plays the film's antagonist as a woman who is determined to maintain her control over Park Row but she's never villainous. There's so much passion for the early days of journalism here and a lot of it works, but it also feels like a movie I won't remember much of in a month or two.
