The Finger Points (1931) - Watching a reporter go bad is weirdly fun

If you are in the mood for something fast and cynical, you should probably give this one a look. It is perfect for people who like those old black-and-white movies where everyone talks like they have a train to catch. 🚂

But if you want a hero who stays good and saves the day, you will probably hate this. The main guy is kind of a loser by the end, honestly.

Richard Barthelmess plays Breckenridge Borden. That is a very long name for a guy who starts out so green he practically smells like grass. He comes to the city with no money and high hopes. 🏙️

The first few scenes in the newsroom are great because of the noise. You can hear about fifty typewriters going at once and it sounds like a war zone. It made me miss when offices actually sounded like people were doing something.

Borden gets beat up pretty early on because he's too honest. He gets a massive medical bill and realizes his paycheck is garbage. That is the moment where the movie gets interesting.

He decides to start taking "tips" from the mob. Basically, they pay him to not write stories about them. It is a pretty sweet deal for a while.

There is a scene where he gets his first big bribe and the way he looks at the envelope is so relatable. You can see him thinking about his empty pockets. 💸

I noticed that Barthelmess has these really big, sad eyes. He looks like a tired puppy even when he is being a criminal. It makes it hard to stay mad at him for being a sell-out.

Then we get to Clark Gable. He isn't the star here, but he steals every scene he is in. He plays a gangster named Louis Blanco.

He has this mustache that looks like it was drawn on with a very careful pencil. He is so much more charismatic than the lead actor that you kind of want him to win. 🧔🏻‍♂️

Fay Wray is in this too as the love interest, Marcia. She works at the paper and starts to suspect Borden is a dirty reporter. To be honest, she doesn't have a lot to do except look disappointed in him.

There is a weird bit where they are talking about marriage and it feels like it belongs in a different movie. Like a boring romance. I wanted to get back to the gangsters and the envelopes of cash.

The pacing is a bit jumpy. One minute he is poor, and the next he has a fancy apartment and a really nice car. The movie doesn't spend much time showing the transition, he just suddenly has money.

I liked the scenes where the gangsters are just hanging out. They look like they are having a lot of fun compared to the guys at the newspaper. 🚬

There is one shot where Borden is looking out a window and the shadows make it look like bars on a jail cell. It was a bit obvious, but I liked it anyway.

The movie is based on a real guy named Jake Lingle. He was a reporter who got killed because he was too deep with the mob. Knowing that makes the ending feel a lot heavier.

Speaking of the ending, it is pretty brutal for 1931. It doesn't wrap everything up with a bow. It feels like a cold splash of water to the face. 🧊

The dialogue is snappy, but sometimes it feels like they are saying too much. There is a lot of talk about the "ethics of journalism" that gets a bit preachy. I found myself checking my phone during the long speeches.

It reminds me a little bit of Interference in the way the drama feels very stagey sometimes. But this has more guns and fast cars.

One thing that bothered me was how easily Borden got away with it for so long. Nobody at his job noticed he was suddenly wearing $200 suits on a $30 salary? Come on.

His editor is also weirdly oblivious. He just keeps patting him on the back while the city is literally burning down around them.

There is a specific moment where a gangster lights a cigarette and the flare of the match is the only thing you see. It was a very cool bit of lighting for such an old flick.

I think the movie works because it shows that most people aren't villains, they are just greedy. Borden isn't a bad guy at heart, he just likes nice things. 🏎️

It’s not a masterpiece or anything. The middle part drags a bit when he is trying to hide his secret from Marcia. We all know she is going to find out, so just get to it already.

Also, the music is barely there. It’s mostly just the sound of city streets and talking. It makes the movie feel more like a documentary sometimes.

If you like Gable, you have to see this just to see him before he was The Clark Gable. He still has that rough edge here. He doesn't feel like a movie star yet, just a guy who might actually punch you.

The movie is only about 80 minutes long, which is the perfect length. Any longer and the "reporter with a secret" trope would have gotten annoying. ⏳

I’m glad I watched it, even if I won't probably watch it again for a long time. It’s a good late-night movie when you want to feel a bit grimy.

Some random notes:

• The hats in this movie are incredible. Everyone has a perfect fedora.
• The way they handle the "finger points" theme is a bit literal. There is actual pointing.
• I wish Fay Wray had more to do. She’s too good for this tiny role.
• The car chase near the end is actually pretty exciting for being filmed nearly 100 years ago.

Overall, it's a solid 7 out of 10. It loses points for the preachy bits but wins them back for the ending. If you find it on a streaming service, just put it on. You won't regret it.