Why so much hype?

Don't Believe the Hype

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Although this film stars Lew Ayres and has some decent acting, you can't look past the fact that the script practically screams 'B-movie'. It's cheap, full of clichés and isn't all that interesting. Thankfully for Ayres, he soon got a job at MGM as well as better scripts.The film begins with Ayres playing a guy with very little ambition. He takes his poor girlfriend for granted and she doesn't see much future for herself with him. So, she soon sets her sights on a rich guy--a guy who turns out to be a mobster. As for Ayres, to try to keep her, he suddenly shows a lot of ambition--but it's too late. Now in one of the most ridiculous scenes in film history, Ayers goes from selling newspapers to running the paper in only five minutes. How? He storms into the owner's office and announces that he can increase circulation. And, despite a spotty work record, he's given this job!! How all this works out is a bit predictable and silly.Not a terrible film...but you could do A LOT better--and without trying very hard to find it!

Republic Pictures which normally was in the B western business did this urban drama that more properly belonged over at Warner Brothers. King Of The Newsboys stars Lew Ayres as a rough young man from 11th Avenue looking to move up in the world to impress the girl next door Helen Mack. The problem is that Ayres ain't moving fast enough to suit her and she's starting to step out with gangster Victor Varconi. Ayres starts a circulation business from one newstand and that has him branching out into publishing a racetrack sheet something like the old Morning Telegraph. That also has him bumping up against Varconi and Ayres has now taken up with society girl Sheila Bromley.If this had been done at Warner Brothers, Jack Warner would have offered it on the spot to James Cagney and Cagney would have turned it down. In the economical tradition of Herbert J. Yates and Republic Studios, King Of The Newsboys looks like it was shot on a weekend commuting between the track and the studio for interiors. Still the stars and a host of good character actors like Horace McMahon, Jack Pennick, and Billy Benedict pull it through.

Young man has his girlfriend run off with a gangster because he can give her anything she wants. He starts up a newspaper distribution company and rises as well only things don't go quite as either planned. Soon they are both wondering if they made mistakes and if they are in over their heads.Good entertaining but largely forgettable romance drama is decidedly better than I'm making it out to be. The characters are well drawn and the dialog is sharp. The trouble is that even accounting for the lateness of the hour that I watched it I really didn't retain all that much about the film.I really liked it, I just don't remember a damn thing about it.

Even though this film is a little dated, the basic premise still works. Lew Ayers plays the blue collar guy with dreams and plans to marry his sweetheart, played by the beautiful Helen Mack. Unfortunately, Helen's character wants to have the finer things in life and leaves the life she has for one of money and powerful men (albeit a gangster). Lew's character feels betrayed and sets out to prove to himself (and mostly to his ex-girlfriend) that he can succeed and to show her that he doesn't need her. He starts a newspaper distribution company, and soon has made it the largest distributership in town. He is jealous of Helen's new boyfriend and ends up trying to show Helen what a mistake she made. Alas, as with all stories like this, both characters realize soon enough (the hard way) that what is truly important is each other and that happiness can not be bought for any price. Of course, this realizaton comes after both have lost everything that they worked hard for. The movie is quick paced and covers a lot of ground. There is so much good material for a much more detailed film. Helen shines in her dramatic role. She has a lot of the time in the film to showcase her abilities and strength as an actor - and does so well. Lew Ayers does a great job portraying the blue collar type. He surprised me in his role as a rough and tough guy. I think his acting is underrated and this movie role makes him shine. My only complaint is that this movie QUICKLY wraps up. In one short scene all loose ends are tied up. I think the ending does not do justice to this film. I wanted to see more of the resolution of the problems and how the two main characters resolved their differences.