Deadline - U.S.A.

Humphrey Bogart plays the editor of a well-respected newspaper, but as the movie begins, he learns the paper has been sold to a rival paper, which intends to shutter them. He gets drunk and despondent for a night, but by the morning he learns one of his reporters was found badly beaten. The reporter was trying to follow a lead on a local Mista Big, Tomas Rienzi.

In the few days left before the paper is closed for good, Bogart directs the full force of it at Tomas Rienzi. Rienzi already managed to flummox a state senate committee's investigation into his finances and the likelihood he influenced recent election, but he's no match for the power of the press, although he gives it a good shot. Well, not really, he's kind of incompetent. Or the men he hires are.

There's also a subplot about Bogart and the widow (Ethel Barrymore) of the paper's founder trying their best to block the sale and shuttering of the paper, after Bogart inspired her with a speech about how important the press is. Plus another subplot about Bogart still not being over his wife (played by Kim Hunter) having divorced him and getting ready to remarry.

It's mostly a movie about the critical function good reporting serves in a society. Pity we don't have more of it today, or more people that will actually read it. Take your pick. So Bogart makes a lot of speeches, including one during the final hearing to determine if the sale will go through. Which requires the judge to let him to continue, even though it has no bearing on things. I guess there was always a chance one of Ethel Barrymore's daughters would change their minds and throw in with her to nix the deal.

The enjoyable part is just watching all the different aspects of the paper that get brought to bear against Rienzi, and watching Rienzi get flustered and stupid because of it. The research department, the cartoonist, Bogart's editorials. One person of interest is involved in boxing, because Rienzi has interests there as well, so one of the sportswriters is able to call in favors to track the guy down.