69 minutes
7/12/1935
Steve Grey, reporter for the Daily Star, has a habit of scooping all the other papers in town. When Henry Mander is investigated for the murder of his shady business partner, Grey is one step ahead of the police to the extent that he often dictates his story in advance of its actual occurrence. He leads the police through an 'open and shut' case resulting in Mander being tried, convicted and sentenced to death. Columnist Mary Shannon is in love with Steve but she sees him struggle greatly with his last story before Mander's execution. When she starts typing out the story from his recorded dictation, she realizes why.
Spencer Tracy
as Steven 'Steve' Grey
Virginia Bruce
as Mary Shannon
Lionel Atwill
as Captain Cole
Harvey Stephens
as Henry Mander
Robert Barrat
as Robins
James Stewart
as Shorty
William Collier Sr.
as 'Pop' Grey
Bobby Watson
as Carey Booth
William Demarest
as 'Red' Maguire
John Sheehan
as Sweeney
Lucien Littlefield
as Rafferty
George Chandler
as Sol Hertzberger
Fuzzy Knight
as 'Buck' Hawkins
Louise Henry
as Lillian Hopper
Robert Warwick
as Colville
Joe Irving
as Tony
Francis X. Bushman Jr.
as Pendleton
Lita Chevret
as Clara - Robins' Secretary (uncredited)
Jeanie Roberts
as Mabel (uncredited)
Theodore von Eltz
as James Spencer Halford (uncredited)
Howard Hickman
as Howard Jennings (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson
as Lt. White - Ballistics Expert (uncredited)
Al Bridge
as Judge John C. Garfield (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin
as Warden's Secretary (uncredited)
Edward Keane
as Joe - Editor (uncredited)
Stanley Andrews
as Police Commissioner (uncredited)
Cyril Ring
as Man at Defense Table (uncredited)
Charles Trowbridge
as District Attorney (uncredited)
Harry Tyler
as Doc Warren (uncredited)
James Flavin
as Policeman at Merry-Go-Round (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack
as Bartender Questioned by Shorty (uncredited)
Charles Coleman
as Doorman (uncredited)
Irving Bacon
as Merry-Go-Round Operator (uncredited)