5.2
Joe Harris, preparing a eulogy for popular radio commentator Herb Fuller, finds that nobody has a good word to say about him.
José Ferrer
Joe Harris
Dean Jagger
Philip Carleton
Keenan Wynn
Sid Moore
Julie London
Carol Larson
Joanne Gilbert
Ginny
Ed Wynn
Paul Beaseley
Jim Backus
Nick Cellantano
Russ Morgan
Eddie Brand
Edward Platt
Dr. O'Conner (as Edward C. Platt)
Robert Foulk
Mike Jackson
Lyle Talbot
Harry Connors
Vinton Hayworth
Charley Carruthers
Henny Backus
Mrs. Rieber
Vikki Dougan
Receptionist
Robert Schwartz
Mailboy
Janie Alexander
Mary Browne
Director, Screenplay
José Ferrer
Dialogue
Leon Charles
Novel, Screenplay
Al Morgan
January 7, 2025
7
When national treasure "Fuller" dies, it falls to his erstwhile radio colleague "Joe"(José Ferrer) to put together the traditionally adulatory obituary programme, and so he routinely sets about gathering information and comments from the man's contemporaries. Quite quickly, though, he begins to discover that maybe this man wasn't as pure as the driven snow after all. Indeed, though people don't wish to speak ill of the dead to a microphone, there are soon no shortage of detractors assessing his character and posing quite a quandary for "Joe". Meantime, there's some internal politicking going at the station as his boss (Dean Jagger) sort of promises him the man's shoes if he delivers a positive, glowing, hour of tribute so "Joe" has to choose. Does he go with the flow or does he expose the man? Ferrer delivers competently enough here and the story is one that resonates quite potently across a society that never really feels comfortable being unkind to the dead - however fake their façade they'd presented. It all comes to an head using a conversation between "Joe" and "Beaseley" (Ed Wynn) who delivers us the best, most insightful, ten minutes of the film and poses some interesting questions about where we might draw our own lines. When it comes to the broadcast, what will "Joe" do?
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00