User reviews

Three of 20th Century Fox's stars of the late '30s team up for "Love is News" - Tyrone Power, Loretta Young, and Don Ameche. Power plays a clever reporter, Steve Layton, who is after a big story on a $100 million heiress, Toni Gateson (Young). Sick of being hounded night and day by the press, Young turns the tables on him and announces to the world that she and Layton are engaged. It comes as a surprise to him, as it does to his editor, Ameche, and of course, they don't have the story and the rest of the papers do. Layton soon learns that being engaged to Gateson has some perks and also a few things that aren't so great, particularly when the two of them end up in adjacent jail cells.

There is a very funny scene in the beginning where Power and Ameche become hysterical laughing as they reminisce about the horrible things they've done to one another. The actors worked together often and make a great team. Young is gorgeous as the heiress, and she and Power are a beautiful couple as usual. This is one of Power's very early films - he was about 23 at the time - and still in his pretty phase. You can't take your eyes off of him when he's on screen - he lights it up.

This is a high-energy, pleasant comedy with a delightful cast, though there's nothing particularly unusual about the story. Madcap heiresses abounded in '30s films. Power actually remade this movie with Gene Tierney in 1948 as "That Wonderful Urge." By then, it was tired stuff, and Power was tired of these roles. But here, it's three young stars on top of the world, and you can't beat the spirit with which they imbue "Love is News."

Loretta Young, Don Ameche and Tyrone Power in a madcap comedy about an heiress who turns the tables on a reporter by announcing they are engaged. Power as Steve Leyton is classicly comic as the sensationalistic reporter whose world is turned upside down when the media spotlight is focused on him. Don Ameche wonderfully offsets him as the city editor, an old friend, who grapples with Power to get a scoop. Loretta Young is pretty and charming as heiress Toni Gateson who chases after Power to keep him in the media spotlight.

The acting is wonderfully funny, and the supporting actors do equally well--George Sanders as the egotistical count jilted by Young, Dudley Digges as Young's wealthy uncle, and Jane Darwell in a minor role as Power's landlady.

Though remade in 1948 as "That Wonderful Urge" with Gene Tierney, this is one case where the original is much better. The comic rapport between Young and Power keeps the action moving. Though Power was one of the most romantic of leading men throughout his career, this movie showcases his talent for comedy.

Screwball comedy mixed with romance has worked so well in many films, 'The Awful Truth' immediately springing to mind, though there are also a fair share of unsuccessful endeavours. Tay Garnett will never go down in my estimations as one of the greatest directors, but he is deserving of more credit. There is always a main reason or two for me when watching a film, in 'Love is News' case that main reason is the cast. Talented actors in roles that sounded just right for them conceptually.

'Love is News' will never be one of my all-time favourites and it is not quite one of the all-time best screwball comedies. It succeeds (hugely so) much more than it fails, and actually it never really does that, though and is an immensely enjoyable film in its own right. It is not to be seen for its plot, but if one wants to see a deftly written and easy to like film with a lot of talent on display to distract one from all the stress 'Love is News' very much does the trick.

The least good asset is the story, which can get very far-fetched and tends to be quite slight. One should expect to see a lot of credulity straining, the latter stages of 'Love is News' is full of that.

On the other hand, there is an enormous amount to like here. For one thing, it is beautifully acted by these very talented actors. All in roles perfect for them and ones that they did prove more than once in other films that they could do them well. Tyrone Power is in his element and gives an immensely appealing performance full of life and strong comic timing. Loretta Young is in the type of role she could do easily and do it in her sleep, she is as perky, charming and amusing as ever and there is no going through the motions here. Don Ameche's role is not that challenging and is quite one-dimensional, but he acts the heck out of it and clearly was having fun.

Slim Summerville is hilarious and his material is a highlight. George Sanders did deserve a larger part but he does very well with what he has, few people did suave cads better than him and his performance here does nothing to change the mind. The rest of the cast are fine, though to me Stepin Fetchit didn't really fit with everything else. The film is slickly directed, with things moving along at a crisp pace, and it looks lovely. The photography doesn't try to do too much and is framed beautifully. The costumes are stylish too.

Music is lively and there is some nice use of pre-existing material. The script is full of hilarious and not over-worked lines and witty, tasteful banter. There is sparkling chemistry between the leads. Along with the comedy, the romantic angle is genuinely charming without being too frothy and the energy is present and crackles throughout.

In conclusion, immensely enjoyable. 8/10

this is one of those fast talking reporter movies that makes you laugh a lot-- and wish that you were a reporter...or an heiress. when steve tricks Toni into giving him an interview she tells all the other papers in town that they're engaged to show him what it feels like to be a "public freak". they fight it out throughout the entire movie..trying to outwit the other the whole way. they end up in jail together, in mud puddles, steve gets caught with his pants off and Toni deals with her ex husband, the Count. and of course they fall in love...choosing not to admit it to the other. it's a pretty cute movie if you like romance, comedy, tyrone power, don ameche and/or loretta young.

LOVE IS NEWS is a great old style film that they just don't make any more. It's really a shame, as I had a lot of fun watching it and don't know why the film isn't better known. Sure, I'll admit that the plot is hard to believe, but this is like most screwball comedies of the era! You just need to suspend disbelief and enjoy.

This is one of the earliest films of Tyrone Power and considering his short record in films, it was quite the coup to be starring in this film with Loretta Young. Power plays a guy much like many of Clark Gable's--glib, good looking and not afraid to stretch the truth...'a bit'. In fact, Gable played newspaper men like this on at least a couple occasions at rival MGM. Power, despite his lack of experience, was at the top of his game--delivering a professional and enjoyable performance. Young is equally likable, though considering she'd been in films for some time and her track record, it wasn't surprising at all that she was up to the task.

The film begins with Power sneaking on to a plane to get an interview with a rich millionairess (Young). The problem, though, is that Young hates reporters, as they've made her life a circus for years and she gets no peace at all. So, on a lark, when she discovers that Power is yet another reporter, she decides to give him a piece of his own medicine and have him learn what it's like to be constantly hounded. She tells the other reporters that she and Power are engaged and soon Power is besieged with fortune hunters, reporters and people wanting to sell him practically everything! And, no matter how much he tries to convince everyone that his is NOT engaged, Young insists that they are! Knowing where this all will end isn't a total surprise but the journey there is exceptional--and fun! The supporting characters (I particularly liked Slim Summerville as the judge and he had a great little jail) were great, the writing (aside from a ridiculous plot) was great and the whole thing was directed very well--resulting in a funny as well as romantic old film. After seeing it, I could easily see why Power soon rose to fame--this was an excellent vehicle.

By the way, this film and its remake (also starring Tyrone Power), THAT WONDERFUL URGE, are available bundled together on DVD. Of the two, LOVE IS NEWS is definitely the better film--not just because it's original but because it just works much better.

Back when this film was made in the mid Thirties there seem to be an abundance of films about madcap heiresses. In the middle of the Great Depression films about the rich partying away seemed to find an audience.

Back then the real life model was Peggy Hopkins Joyce, today it's Paris Hilton. We just love to read about the rich doing their reveling.

So the premise is a bit ludicrous about Loretta Young getting very angry at the newspaper reporters for reporting on her every move. Believe me if she didn't want publicity she wouldn't get any. Believe it or not, then as now, there are rich people out there who are not tabloid fodder.

But I guess anyone can get a little cranky and Loretta has come her time of crankiness in Love Is News. When an especially enterprising reporter gets on board her private plane, she's had it. While reporter Tyrone Power thinks he's scooped his colleagues, Young has an impromptu press conference with the others and announces she's engaged to Tyrone Power.

And then Power as he was in real life becomes the object of a lot of tabloid fodder. His editor is Don Ameche who keeps firing and hiring him back to straighten the mess out. If this were done at Warner Brothers, Love Is News would have been perfect for James Cagney and Pat O'Brien.

Twelve years later Power did a remake of this same film with Gene Tierney. Hard to choose between the two which is better.

Ty is at the beginning of his career and Darryl Zanuck was casting him in all kinds of parts, comedic, adventurous, dramatic. And Power himself was perfecting his screen image.

Best scenes in the film involve small town judge Slim Summerville who Young comes up before for speeding and that sets up a whole bunch of funny situations.

I can see this being remade today, unless Paris Hilton herself wants to star in it.

A madcap, if lightweight screwball comedy with Tyrone Power and Loretta Young making like Grant and Hepburn in this Tay Garnett-directed feature. Power is the maverick ace reporter at the New York Post who scoops his fellow-newshounds by deceiving Young, the eligible millionaire heiress "It Girl" of the day into giving him an exclusive interview. When she gets wise to his ruse, she repays him in kind, not by reporting him to the Press Complaints Commission as you might expect but by declaring to the world that he's her fiancé and that they're to be married within a month. It could only happen in a 30's Hollywood picture like this of course.

From there, things proceed on a hair-brained will-they-won't-they basis until the unsurprising ending barely 77 minutes later. It's pleasantly agreeable but the comedy here can't compete with its obvious staging posts "His Girl Friday" or "Bringing Up Baby".

Power shows he has the facility to play light comedy and Young is probably the best thing about the film as she runs rings around Power and the rest of the paparazzi who regularly make her life a misery. Don Ameche too is good value as Power's literally drag-out-knockdown editor and the distinctive Elisha Cook Jr makes an early appearance as the office junior who gets in above his head. The weirdest piece of casting is the ubiquitous George Sanders as an effete titled gold-digger after Young's millions. I swear he looks uncomfortable with every line he utters.

The piece didn't lack for pace and I enjoyed the running gags about Ameche's always-on-the-phone wife, "Yes, Mabel", his forever hiring-and-firing of Power from the paper and their ongoing fisticuffs.

Compared to some of the real classics, the writing just isn't as sharp as it needs to be and there's also the deplorable, subservient treatment of the Stepin Fetchit character too to further denigrate the viewing experience. But with the enthusiastic playing of the three leads to carry it through, you'll be hard-pressed (ouch!) to hate it.

This picture is killingly funny. Newspaper man Tyrone Power is sent by his editor (Don Ameche) to get a scoop: an exclusive interview with an heiress arriving in New York (played by Loretta Young). He tricks his way into her airplane, she realises what he is after and turns the tables on him by announcing to his colleagues that he is her fiancee. Now they are hounding him. For the rest of the film, the two of them trick and fool each other, with hilarious results. The scene in jail is unsurpassed. There are elements of slapstick (Ty trying to close the drawers of his dresser without banging his head, Don Ameche taking him on and off the payroll), but the focus is on dialogue and on the reporter and the heiress sparing with each other. The two of them have great chemistry and comic timing. I can't imagine why this film is not much better known.

1937's "Love is News" marked the second film to pair Tyrone Power and Don Ameche ("Ladies in Love" came first), but it was the first to offer Power top billing, which reportedly infuriated leading lady Loretta Young. She definitely comes off worst of the three, as heiress Tony Gateson, tiring of the gossip printed about her, getting even with hot shot reporter Steve Leyton (Power) by offering up a scoop for all the other newspapers, that she and Leyton are engaged. Naturally, this doesn't sit well with her former fiancée (George Sanders), but her uncle (Dudley Digges) plays along so far as to buy an interest in Steve's ailing paper, Don Ameche as the harried editor. The stars are able to carry the thin screwball plot, while the supporting players prove even better, in particular Slim Summerville's judge and Walter Catlett's fellow reporter. Fans of Lon Chaney Jr. will be most disappointed, as what would have been his first film under a two year contract with Fox found his role as an unbilled newsman left on the cutting room floor, a fate repeated in "That I May Live," "Born Reckless," and "Walking Down Broadway."

This is an old movie that stats two of the most beautiful people in it that ever lived. It's such a fun story with snappy banter that makes it a good story. No wonder fans flocked to see it. I recommend this to all fans of Tyrone Power and Loretta Young. They seemed to enjoy each other's company and it shows on screen. Off screen, they remained friends for life

While watching Love is News, what I wished for was that this film would have been cast and directed by a whole different team. Because I like screwball comedy, it's hard to do, and requires a finesse, a light touch, and a specific feather tone from both director and actors to handle delicate material - like a soufflé - a little bit too heavy- handed, and it falls flat. With the exception of Slim Summerville as the small-town judge, the performances were uniformly bad. None of the very young and green principals knew how to handle comedy - so they just went broad and big - Don Ameche bellowed, Loretta grinned and mugged, and Tyrone Power was over-animated. Of course it was the director's fault - pump it up, give me bigger, bigger. But he was dealing with actors who were not natural comedians, whose charms were more in smaller gestures. I kept dreaming of the usual stable who could handle the material - Jean Arthur, Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, Melvyn Douglas - because the storyline was fun and sillilly amusing - an heiress turns the tables on a reporter, and decides to put him under the glare of publicity by planting a false story. I watched it all the way through, seeing potential in the script, and wishing it had been at another studio and cast differently, with a different director. I think it could have been a classic. There were priceless moments, from the fake car crash, to the jail scene, the airport scene - that with the right actors and a director like Mitchell Leisen or Greg LaCava or Howard Hawkes could have catapulted this film in a minor classic instead of an ersatz version of the classic screwballs by people who knew how to do it

Love is News (1937)

*** (out of 4)

Loretta Young plays a millionaire with a strong hatred of the press who she feels is constantly telling lies on her. One reporter (Tyrone Power) is the most guilty with his lies but Young plans on getting even by announcing to the world that they're going to be married. This way the reporter will know what it's like to be in the spotlight all the time. I read a couple negative reviews of this film but I thought they were way too hard on the film, which I found to be incredibly entertaining throughout with some terrific laughs from the cast. Young is my favorite actress and she delivers another strong performance here as she really captures that society girl image and delivers great comic timing. Power also comes off terrific as does Don Ameche in his role as Power's editor. The two men are constantly battling over the headlines and their comic timing together is wonderful and adds many laughs. Power also works great with Young and the two deliver the laughs as well as the romantic angle. George Sanders has a small role as Young's ex-fiancé. The film runs 78-minutes and there are very few scenes that don't work. The screwball antics are all very funny and the entire situation just makes for some wonderful laughs. One of the highlights is a scene in the bar where Power and another reporter are playing checkers on the floor with whiskey and beer.

Not knowing this, I approached it with trepidation thinking : Oh no, not another loud un-funny so-called Screwball Comedy. But wow - this is actually brilliant. Guaranteed to make you smile for 80 minutes!

If only all Screwball Comedies were this good I wouldn't have avoided them all my life. I love BRINGING UP BABY and IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT but loathed the plethora of all those formulaic copy cat movies. They're all essentially drivel .... or so I thought until finding this - the third best 1930s Screwball Comedy!

Admittedly I confess that I only watched this for of the pleasure of seeing lovely Loretta Young for an hour and a bit - undoubtedly the most beautiful young woman who's ever lived. I'm so glad I did and not just for opportunity to seeing my bird. It's surprisingly genuinely funny from start to finish. Perfectly directed at a perfect pace (again by the hugely underrated Tay Garnet), it's witty, well acted and professional.

It's hardly an original story, a cynic might call it a complete rip off of IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT but what makes this special is the likeability of its cast. Apparently these comedies legally required a prescribed cast of a ditzy heiress, a mischievous rakish reporter, a newspaper editor on the verge of a nervous breakdown and a gruff but wise old parent. OK, it is a rip-off but Power, Young and Ameche seem to be having such genuine fun together and are just so nice, you can't help but love them all and love this wonderfully sweet, sparkling and silly film.

Tay Garnett probably deserved greater status among directors after directing the 1941 version of THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, but if I were to choose a favorite among his films, LOVE IS NEWS would be it.

This light, quasi screwball comedy, has wonderful moments thanks to a sharp yet always humorous script from the Tugend and Yellen duo, and the mostly interior cinematography by Ernest Palmer certainly deserves praise for its effectiveness.

However, Tyrone Power and Loretta Young are the real cherries on this cake: both beautiful and charismatic, sharing strong chemistry, they command the screen (Loretta lamentably only appears after 10'... but when she does, sheer glory!)

They are ably supported by Don Ameche as Tyrone's newspaper chief, who either fires or rehires him, raising his salary every time he changes his mind. Slim Summerville delivers a small but memorable part as the judge cum warden of a jail whose doors keep falling. However, it is the great George Sanders who stays with me, gracefully handling an unenviable part as an European aristocratic gold digger trying to get his hooks on famously wealthy Loretta's millions, and resorting to subtle blackmail, other underhand and illegal tricks along the way, but showing that he is a good loser when his greed prevents him landing similarly well-off Pauline Moore.

At 77' minutes long, I was sorry to see it end. LOVE IS NEWS far surpasses its 1948 remake, also with Tyrone Power, entitled THAT WONDERFUL URGE. 9/10.

this film is hilarious from beginning to end. don ameche getting phone calls from MABEL...the two reporters in a laughing craze remembering old times......the jail scene the doors......Loretta young has got to be one of the best looking of all actresses. and good in comedy. as for TYRONE POWER may i say its not a good thing to see him so often on screen. we tend to look at only him and not the expressions of other actors. this man is perfection. and power handles comedy just as well as CARY GRANT. was going to give it a 10...but lets not go overboard. heard it has been remade as the wonderful urge....i got this one too and will watch it later. buy or watch this funny unpretentious little screwball comedy....you wont regret it

This is the best of the films Loretta Young and Tyrone Power played together. A must see.

"Love is News" is a hilarious screwball comedy with a first rate cast. It's the second pairing of Loretta Young and Tyrone Power after "Ladies in Love" of 1936. Fans reacted so well to the young Power from his supporting role in that film, that Fox paired him in the lead with their established top star at the time for this movie. They click so well here that they had three more pairings.

But this film also has a great supporting cast, most of whom add much to the comedy. Don Ameche is superb as Martin Canavan, a long-time newspaper comrade and jousting friend of Power's Steve Leyton. George Sanders plays a titled foreigner who has been engaged to Young's Tony Gateson. Jane Darwell is Mrs. Flaherty, a society friend of Tony. Slim Summerville is very good as Judge Hart. Dudley Diggs plays Tony's millionaire uncle, Cyrus Jeffrey. And, Walter Catlett is very good and funny as Eddie Johnson, a rival newspaper reporter and drinking buddy of Steve's.

The plot for this film is simple, but runs fast and furious with dialog and changing scenes. In a nutshell, Tony Gateson is a mega-millionaire heiress. She has just broken her engagement to Count Guyon. This is big news to the newspapers of the day. Since the late 19th century, through the Great Depression of the 1930s, the press in America competed with sensationalism and exaggeration. Yellow journalism, as it was called, peaked in the 1920s and 1930s.

Steve Leyton has been writing scathing articles about the millionairess. She doesn't know him from a hole in the ground, so he wards off other reporters and cons his way into the confidence of Tony Gateson. But, when she learns who he is, she gets even by telling the rest of the press corps that she and Steve are engaged. All of the other papers get the story but Steve's, so the city editor, Canavan, fires him. From thereon, the mayhem takes off with Tony and Steve pulling one trick after another on the other. She clearly has the upper hand, playing perfectly off his injured and angry straight man. And, Canavan rehires and fires Steve again and again.

Young shows her great comedy talent in different personas - whether she's the sly, knowing person as here, or the humble, down-to earth person (Karin Holstrom in "The Farmer's Daughter" of 1947), or the wise woman of the world (Marianne Duval in "He Stayed for Breakfast)" of 1940). The handsome Power and Young did have good chemistry, and while Power was good in their comedy romances, Loretta Young is the true talent that put their films over as very good comedies.

It occurred to me that Steve could have turned the tables on Tony by going along with the engagement. And then, when she had enough and would decide to call it off, he could sue her for alienation of affections or some such thing - to her further chagrin. Of course that would have been a different angle to write for the comedy. Instead, we have it this way, and it works very splendidly.

One scene should be noted. After Tony and Steve are both jailed in a small community for her speeding, driving without a license, and half a dozen other charges, the rest of the press get the story. The newspaper headlines are hilarious. One reads, "Steviekins in Jail to be Near his Tonikins." (sic)

Here are some favorite lines from this very funny and fun wacko comedy.

Tony Gateson, "I can't understand why they call them 'gentlemen of the press.'"

Martin Canavan, on his intercom, "Take Steve Leyton off the payroll." Voice back, "How about the bonus?" Canavan, "What bonus? No! Cancel it."

Tony Gateson, holding the phone away and faking that she's talking to Steve Leyton, "Oh, Steviekins, Mr. Canavan on the phone. Oh, darling. I couldn't tell him to do that." Back on the phone, "I'm sorry, Mr. Canavan. Steviekins doesn't seem to want to talk to you right now. Goodbye."

Uncle Cyrus Jeffrey, "Tony, this isn't true, is it?" Tony Gateson, "Well, it's just as true as a lot of other things that gentleman of the press has been writing about me."

Steve Leyton, "You can't tie a tin-can heiress to my tail."

Count Andre de Guyon, with others visiting Tony in jail, "Antoinette, how is it possible that they'd put you in so terrible a place like this?" Tony Gateson, "Heh, it's not so bad, Andre. As a matter of fact, it reminds me of your chateau - especially the plumbing."

Mrs. Flaherty, visiting Tony in jail and seeing Steve in the adjoining cell, "Why, this must be one of those public enemies." Steve Leyton, walking up to his cell bars in front of her, "Hiya, tubby. How's for a little kiss, huh? Boo!!" She then screams and hurries away.

Judge Hart, "You big city slickers are not gonna tell me how to run my court."

Judge Hart, after visitors ask about sending food to Tony, "I don't care what you send. As long as you don't go smellin' up the place with none of that French perfume."

Martin Canavan, "Why, you crank! I wouldn't believe your dying confession. And if I ever see that pretty puss of yours in this office again, I'll put my fist through it."

Uncle Cyrus Jeffrey, as Steve is dictating a sensationalistic story on the phone, "That scandal mongerer, I'll..." Tony, "Shhhh! Don't disturb him, darling. He's dictating his own obituary."

Eddie Johnson, "Oh, uh, Steve, here's hoping all your kids will be city editors."

Eddie Johnson, "Oh, uh, Steviekins. If Tonykins has a sister, remember, I can be had."

Tony Gateson, "You're old-fashioned, Lois. Marrying titles isn't being done anymore."

Toni Gateson is an heiress with an edge. She flies into town and is hoodwinked by reporter Steve Leyton, who gets an exclusive interview under false pretenses. "OK, you got me", right? No,no. She proceeds to make his life miserable with a series of humiliations, and he responds in kind. Sound funny?

Things get far afield. He gets her arrested, and she does the same. As a millionairess, she has breakfast served at her cell and when she is bailed out, she bails him out. He refuses. Soon, he loses his job, is rehired, fired, rehired, etc. to further the comedy. If this all sounds funny, you might like "Judgment At Nuremberg", which is even funnier.

If done right, screwball comedy is very funny. For instance, take "The Awful Truth" - now that was funny. This picture tried too hard and was the visual equivalent of fingernails dragged down a blackboard. Tyrone Power and Loretta Young were very attractive and gave it their best, to no avail. Don Ameche was reduced to shouting his lines and slamming down phones as the beleaguered editor in a one-dimensional role which did him no credit. Humorous moments in "Love Is News" were too fleeting for a higher rating.