'Five Star Final'

 

imdb.com

Five Star Final movie poster.

Penny Press, Yellow Journalism, Press Barons. 

The Penny Press era. 

It established the idea that newspapers needed to chase the mass audience. "Five Star Final" shows how this was still alive and well a century later. The publisher pressures the newspaper to cut the coverage of the League of Nations and play up "shopgirls in trouble" on the front page. 

'Five Star Final'

A scene from 'Five Star Final'

I believe this was a direct echo of the Penny Press Era, because it shows how when people drop serious news and the newspapers catch wind of it, they rush to sell more papers. "Five Star Final" stands on this premise throughout the entirety of the film. For example, digging up a 20-year-old murder. As we see this, we can see that this is rooted in the Penny Press era and how crime, tragedy and even sex can sell more copies.

Yellow Journalism era.

This is the primary target; in this movie because of how much tabloid newspapers are seen. This connection is not just theatric, it's also real. In this movie we see people dig up this twenty-year-old murder, manipulation of grieving people, and taking photos of dead bodies.

These were the tactics that many people used in yellow journalism that were never abandoned. Many people still cut corners to be the headline in the paper. 

'Five Star Final'

A scene from 'Five Star Final'

Press Barons

The publisher is the film's press baron figure; the dynamic between him and the editor is the moral engine of the whole story. Randel is seen having a battle in his mind of integrity and wanting to capture more readers. 

Throughout the movie you truly see how much he feels guilty about everything, shown through the series of shots of him washing his hands. Showing this continues to prove the point that even though they feel guilty about everything it isn’t enough to stop them. 

For press barons it takes less effort and integrity than honest human centered journalism, but it is more profitable.

'Five Star Final'

A scene from 'Five Star Final'

All throughout we see the moral principle and the pushing and pulling of not knowing whether or not selling papers of a twenty-year-old murder is right or not. The breaking and entering of a house to take a picture of a dead body, and even the manipulation of grieving people.

We can take these concepts and think on how all together they are seen. 

Penny Press created mass markets

Yellow Journalism exploited moral limits 

The Press Baron shows the power in the hands of men who answer to no one. 

'Five Star Final' truly reminds me of how cruel journalism can be. Some people want to sell papers to get money but at what cost? Journalists also have the question who they write about versus the ones they have to write for. 

Well, this answer is clearly shown in this movie. 

Two innocent people are dead.

A young women's wedding is destroyed

and what does the paper call it still? 

A great story?