Love is News (1937).

The Scoop:
The screwball comedy featuring the fast-talking reporter and the madcap heiress was a genre that was done to the death in the 1930s, and unfortunately "Love is News" was one of the murder suspects.

Maybe I'm being a little too hard on this movie, since its heart seems to be in the right place, and it does have its amusing moments. In fact, it's mostly charming. But there are also a lot of bland screwball clichés on parade, as well as a needlessly convoluted plot.

The story, in a nutshell, involves a cynical, amoral newspaper man (Tyrone Power) who scams his way into an exclusive interview with a celebrity heiress (Loretta Young), who in turn gets back at him by starting a media frenzy by saying they are engaged. This upends the reporter's life and he must tangle with his cantankerous editor (Don Ameche), the heiress' ex-fiancé (George Sanders) and a whole host of cloying stock characters to set the record straight, before true love finally wins out in the end.

"Love is News" was not the best screwball comedy produced in the era, but it was also far from being the worst. Power and Young have a good chemistry on screen, but they were no Hepburn/Tracy or Grant/Russell. This film had the potential to be a whole lot better, but just wasn't. In all, it's a good light entertainment, but not the place you want to start in exploring the screwball comedy genre.

Best Bit:
Either the booze checkers game, or the George Sanders photo flipbook.

Side Note:
Director Tay Garnett must have gotten on famously with Young. This was the first of three films they made together, and he also later directed several episodes of her TV show.

Companion Viewing:
"His Girl Friday" (1941), "Woman of the Year" (1942) and "Bringing Up Baby" (1938).

Links:
IMDb.
Laura's Miscellaneous Musings.

Take a Look:
The bickering lovebirds square off against the cranky country judge (Slim Summerville):