This Man Is News

This Man is News is a 1938 British comedy mystery film directed by David MacDonald and starring Barry K. Barnes, Valerie Hobson, Alastair Sim and Edward Lexy. The screenplay concerns a journalist who solves a crime of which he himself is suspected .^[2] A "quota quickie", it was made for a mere £6,000, but "was among the highest grossing films of 1938".^[3] (A contemporary account said it was made for under £15,000.^[4])

This Man is News
Directed by	David MacDonald
Written by	Basil Dearden Roger MacDougall Allan MacKinnon
Produced by	Anthony Havelock-Allan
Starring	Barry K. Barnes Valerie Hobson Alastair Sim Edward Lexy
Cinematography	Henry Harris
Edited by	Reginald Beck
Production company	Pinebrook Studios
Distributed by	Paramount British Pictures
Release date	September 1938 (1938-09)
Running time	77 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£6,000 or £14,000[1]

It was loosely modelled on the American Thin Man series of films. A sequel, This Man in Paris, was made in 1939.

Plot

Simon Drake (Barnes) has predicted the death of a prominent man in advance, which makes him Scotland yard's top suspect for his murder; the only one who believes in his innocence is his loyal wife Pat (Hobson). Meanwhile, Macgregor (Sim) is Drake's beleaguered city editor, who hires and fires him multiple times depending on how guilty or innocent he looks at the moment.

Cast

• Barry K. Barnes as Simon Drake
• Valerie Hobson as Pat Drake
• Alastair Sim as Lochlan Macgregor
• Edward Lexy as Inspector Hollis
• Garry Marsh as Sergeant Bright
• John Warwick as Johnnie Clayton
• Philip Leaver as "Harelip" Murphy
• James Birrie as Doyle
• David Keir as Brown

Box office

Kinematograph Weekly reported the film did well at the British box office in December 1938.^[5]

Critical reception

TV Guide gave the film three out of five stars and wrote, "Though Barnes and Hobson may not quite be another William Powell and Myrna Loy, they handle the assignment with humor and great style. The film is directed with energy and the dialogue helps carry the brisk pace along. This is the first screenwriting credit for Basil Dearden, who would go on to do many stories, both serious and topical, in association with noted British producer and art director Michael Relph."^[6]