When the phrase "written, produced and directed by" appears in a movie's credits, watch out. In some cases, the result is a masterpiece, created by a visionary whose work is undiluted by lesser minds' tinkering. But too often this phrase means you're seeing the narrow-minded indulgence of an unchecked ego. Unfortunately, "Park Row" falls in the latter category. The flimsy plot and improbable romance are just vehicles to carry Fuller's pontifications on the nobility of the journalism profession.
The film is not without its merits. You get an interesting introduction to the mechanics of newspaper publishing and the technical / marketing innovations that characterized the business in the late 19th century. And the camera work is often striking (although like Welles and Scorcese, sometimes it seems the director is just showing off). Maybe the biggest plus of this movie is that it's mercifully short. The sermon is over in 83 minutes, then the preacher lets us go home.
The film is not without its merits. You get an interesting introduction to the mechanics of newspaper publishing and the technical / marketing innovations that characterized the business in the late 19th century. And the camera work is often striking (although like Welles and Scorcese, sometimes it seems the director is just showing off). Maybe the biggest plus of this movie is that it's mercifully short. The sermon is over in 83 minutes, then the preacher lets us go home.