Sued for Libel

1939 "A WOMAN SCORNED! A man and girl murdered. A multiple mystery solved!"
6.1| 1h6m| en| More Info
Released: 27 October 1939 Released
Producted By: RKO Radio Pictures
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Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

A New York City newspaper is sued for libel after reporting the wrong verdict in a murder trial.

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RKO Radio Pictures

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Reviews

Buffronioc One of the wrost movies I have ever seen
FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
dougdoepke Nifty little second feature, with a non-cliché plot. I like the way the radio station studio is worked into the narrative. For oldsters like me, it's a trip down memory lane; for youngsters, it's a glimpse of communications before the I-Pad. It's a lively hour with an energetic cast, plus a neat twist at the end, though the in's-and-out's of the murders are sometimes hard to follow. And catch the snappy patter between the newspaper folks, something of a Hollywood cliché of the time. But what always amazes me in these budget features is how folks with big hats can speed down the highway in a convertible without the least windblown effect. Oh well, thanks for rear projection screens that made so many of these B-features commercially possible. No, nothing memorable here. It's just the Hollywood movie factory operating in smooth and entertaining fashion.
blanche-2 Kent Taylor, Linda Hayes, Lilian Bond, and Morgan Conway star in "Sued for Libel," another misnamed film, this one from 1939. There as a film starring Steve Cochran called "Slander" which should have been called "Libel," and now this one, which should have been called "Sued for Slander." Slander is the spoken word, libel is the print. One would think Hollywood would be more familiar with these terms.The film opens with Albert Pomeroy (Conway) on trial for murdering Edward Webster, his business partner. Webster's widow is standing behind him, swearing that he's innocent.The reporters are on hand waiting for the verdict, but the reporter who will phone the radio station that is re-enacting the trial, Smiley Dugan (Richard Lane) steps out for lunch. He asks another reporter, Maggie (Hayes) to call the station if a verdict comes in. Unfortunately for the station and the man who will announce the verdict, Steve Lonegan (Taylor), Smiley has been harassing Maggie all day. So when the verdict of not guilty comes in, she tells Steve it's guilty in order to get back at Smiley. The station is then wide open for a -- SLANDER -- suit.Lonegan figures if they can get something on Pomeroy, maybe an old crime he was never charged with or something, they can get off the hook. He hones in on the suicide of a young woman a few years back.A neat mystery, with rapid-fire dialogue, and a few magic tricks done by Lonegan, a magician on the side. Certainly not as bad as has been described in a couple of reviews here. Just the title is all wrong.
Ray Faiola This is a terrific RKO B, directed by sure-footed Leslie Goodwins. Aside from excellent performances (including one of Richard Lane's best as a REALLY fast-talking reporter), this picture has an ace radio dramatist who happens to dabble in magic on the side. Hmmmm...remind you of anybody?? Kent Taylor even shaved off his moustache to further pull off the Welles masquerade. A cute nod to the very popular Mercury Players, who were popular on CBS in 1939. The funny part is that Taylor works for a powerful publisher! Paging Mr. Hearst. Paging Mr. Kane. Talk about shades of things to come. Anyway, all that aside it's a fairly clever mystery and a great chance to see OLD DARK HOUSE's Lillian Bond go totally off her nut. And Thurston Hall has a wonderfully comic bit in the first reel. This is pure B-fluff, but if you enjoy great contract players doing their thing as they can only do it, you'll have fun with SUED FOR LIBEL.
David (Handlinghandel) This taut mystery, filmed just before "noir" began, is genuinely suspenseful. It has a wonderful jazzy rhythm.The scenes in which a radio show is being broadcast are fun and -- it seems -- accurate. Keye Luke is as always an asset, here as one of the radio players.Linda Hayes is a great, angular heroine, looking a bit like Katharine Hepburn. And Lillian Bond, in a crucial role, looks fabulous --especially with the wind blowing her hair in a convertible. She looks a little like Clara Bow and a lot like someone who could have been a star in the 1970-90s.Calling all cars: Be on the lookout for this little gem!