A Dispatch from Reuters (1940) User Reviews (18)

A More Unscrupulous Man Would Have Caused Great Harm

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 15 July 2009]

A Dispatch From Reuter's was the second of two biographical films that Edward G. Robinson did while at Warner Brothers. Previously those prestige roles were reserved for Paul Muni and Robinson acquits himself well both as Dr. Paul Ehrlich in Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet and now as Julius Reuter. The former film however is far better.

Julius Reuter had a fascinating story to tell, but a lot was left out of this movie. For one thing, Reuter was born Jewish and converted to Christianity. I'm not sure how well that stood with Jack Warner as a Jew, but Jack Warner the film maker who did items like Confessions Of A Nazi Spy was not about to send that kind of message out in 1940 to his audience. One does wonder just what did attract him to the Reuter story.

Reuter, first with the use of carrier pigeons and then with the telegraph, developed wire service reporting as we know it. Technology be it animal or human did fascinate him. He understood that news was power, fortunately if he was anything he was honest. A more unscrupulous individual might have caused great harm. One also wonders how Reuter would have viewed the internet in these days.

The story begins when Reuter was a juvenile in the 1820s and ends in 1865 with Reuter a successful individual in the news business. Reuter lived another 34 years and in that time was involved in some imperial schemes, certainly in keeping with the times, but would not be viewed well today and again not a message Jack Warner wanted to convey in 1940.

Edward G. Robinson is fine as the dedicated Reuter with Eddie Albert in the sidekick role and Edna Best not having to do much, but be loyal and supportive as Mrs. Reuter. It's not quite up to the level of the Muni biographical films, nor as good as Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet, but entertaining enough though it barely touches on the real Reuter.

Good to see a non-gansterish Edward G. Robinson; fine film

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 17 July 2011]

This film is one where -- thank goodness -- Edward G. Robinson has an opportunity to once again star in a vehicle where he is not a gangster...and such non-gangster roles are the ones that I most enjoy him in (another favorite is "Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet").

From consulting Wikipedia, it appears that this film's script is more faithful to the story of Julius Reuter than most bio-pics tend to be toward their subjects. It's an interesting story, well told, with a group of supporting actors that lend authority to the script. You'll recognize many of them, but I'll single out Nigel Bruce who, for a change, isn't a buffoon! Eddie Albert has a thankless role, and to be honest, I don't find his performance here very favorable...but perhaps it's because of the character he plays. Edna Best is fine as Reuter's wife, and other favorites such as Albert Bassermann (who was not very prolific in the movies) and Otto Kruger make this a fine cast.

Well worth watching for both a good, solid story and the fine acting talents of Edward G. Robinson.

Biography by Warner Brothers...

[xerses13 · 8/10 · 12 April 2006]

The 'BIO PICTURE' was a staple of Warner Brothers (WB) from its inception. Now lets be clear about that, it does not mean historical accuracy. It was (and is) a form of entertainment that loosely uses real events and people and spins a story that was (and is) appropriate at the time of it's release. There is enough facts and truth in these productions to stimulate interest to those who wish to delve deeper. We suggest that A DISPATCH FROM REUTER'S may have a lot more in it then is shown on screen. For that you need to go to the library or catch something on one (1) of the educational channels.

What is shown though is very entertaining. Edward G. Robinson plays 'Julius Reuter' who created the first world wide information system. His performance like all those when he was interested in the role is credible and sincere. Edna Best plays his wife 'Ida' and also delivers in a way that is believable. The supporting cast of WB contract players of the time all do their job. Photography by James Wong Howe and musical score by Max Steiner is what you come to expect for such a production, professional. As well as direction by William Dieterle who was the WB's director of choice during that period for the 'BIO' picture.

The only fly in the ointment is the irritating performance of Eddie Albert's 'Max Wagner' as 'Reuter's' friend and irresponsible jerk. We will not catalog all 'Max's' shortcomings but lets just say this. Any normal business owner would have fired him or had him disappear by way of THE SOPRANOS! For some reason during the 30's and 40's this type of character was supposed to be endearing to the audience in a way that escapes us today. There is a parallel to this during that period known as the "idiot plot". A simple misunderstanding that if simply explained away would have solved everything in the first reel.

Other then that we endorse watching this film. If you can also catch DR. EHRLICH'S MAGIC BULLET, do so. Mr. Robinson also stars in that one (1) and the film is a stronger drama with a tighter plot. Rating for DR. EHRLICH'S MAGIC BULLET IMDb**********Ten (10).

Vintage Warner Biopic with great score

[brendangcarroll · 8 September 2011]

I saw this again the other night after many years and was impressed at how entertaining it was. It moves at a cracking pace (so typical of Warner Bros style) and has a great cast of fine character actors (especially Albert Bassermann, Nigel Bruce and Otto Kruger) supporting Edward G Robinson in the title role, who gives a nicely understated performance.

The telescoping of events and the dramatic license with facts are to be expected in a film from this period, and in the main, the film presents a stirring account of how the transmission of news grew in the 19th century. Some reviewers here criticise Warners for not mentioning Reuter's conversion from Judaism to Christianity but anyone thinking a Hollywood studio would tackle such a complex subject in 1940 is expecting far too much. The direction by Dieterle is first rate and the pace is brisk, with the hand of Hal Wallis very obvious in the snappy editing and excision of any superfluous material.

Much was made on the historical accuracy of the sets such as the London Stock exchange) and certainly, the recreation of the House of Commons in London while smaller than the real thing, looked very convincing.

There is much else to enjoy here if you are a movie buff of Warner films from this period. When Reuter & Max are walking through the city near the beginning, we see many of the famous standing sets on the Warner back-lot at the time, including :- the Casa di Bonnyfeather and canal at Leghorn (built for Anthony Adverse): the large church structure built circa 1930, with the pillars & big flight of steps that featured in so many films including The Roaring 20s (Cagney dies on those steps at the end) and Deception (Bette Davis runs up those steps at the beginning) and we even see the large Nottingham Castle Gate with portcullis built for The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1937. Some of these sets were still standing as late as 1975! Above all, there is Max Steiner's terrific score. This tale clearly resonated in him and he produces one of his most arresting and dramatic works, with a superbly heraldic Main Title which reappears throughout at key points of the story, and also Steiner's most gorgeous waltz (for Reuter's wife played by the lovely and underrated Edna Best) that betrays his Viennese background. Steiner's score for REUTER cries out for a modern recording, yet few ever mention it when discussing his work for films.

I think it is one of his finest, the equal to Now Voyager, All This & Heaven Too and Big Sleep. If the film were shown more, maybe it would be noticed by the CD companies.

So, while this may not be the greatest of the Warner bio-pics, it is certainly unjustly overlooked. Let us hope it reaches DVD soon.

How much of this is true?

[F Gwynplaine MacIntyre · 7/10 · 14 April 2006]

I briefly worked for the Reuters news agency (in a very minor capacity) during the Cold War, so I was curious to see the film 'This Man Reuter', which purports to be a biopic of Paul Julius Reuter. I knew almost nothing about the agency's founder before I saw this film ... and now that I've seen it, I still know almost nothing about him. How much of this movie is true? I get the impression that very little of it is.

The good news first: this is an extremely well-made Warner Brothers 'prestige' picture, expertly directed by the great William Dieterle and splendidly photographed by the legendary James Wong Howe. There are some fine montage sequences (by Don Siegel?), easily up to this studio's standard. (Warners always had the best montages.) There's a good supporting cast, and Edward G Robinson gives conviction and humanity to the leading role. I was even pleased to see a brief appearance by former silent-film comedian George Ovey.

The bad news: in spite of all of the above, I still find myself wondering how much of this actually happened. We see Reuter (Robinson) in the mid-19th century, as a man obsessed with acquiring information and disseminating it as rapidly as possible. He begins by using a telegraph and carrier pigeons to collect the stock-market quotations, selling the information to a cartel of brokers. (Ovey appears during this pigeon sequence.) There's an amusing scene with Gene Lockhart as a broker who schemes to get one jump ahead of his rivals, and who is promptly outsmarted by Robinson. Lockhart was one of those character actors whom audiences liked to see humiliated and outsmarted. (Another such was Walter Catlett.) Lockhart is in good form here, but I suspect that he's portraying a fictional character.

Another fictional character here, surely, is the hero's buddy Max, portrayed by Eddie Albert. I've always liked Albert and regretted that he never really clicked in films: he was typecast as the hero's earnest pal, and hardly got a chance to transcend that niche: he certainly doesn't transcend it here. I suspect that Jack Warner inserted the handsome Albert into this film as an attraction for female movie-goers who mightn't want to look at Edward G Robinson.

SPOILERS COMING NOW. Inevitably, Reuter's empire prospers ... and here comes a climax which I well and truly suspect is Hollywood fiction. It's now April 1865, and there's still no transatlantic telegraph cable to replace the one that broke in 1858. With the Civil War raging in the U.S.A., Reuter has a rival in London who's receiving transatlantic despatches faster than Reuter can get them. Reuter comes up with a Heath Robinson system to shave a few minutes off his rival's time, by dropping messages overboard as ships reach the Irish coast, trusting them to wash ashore and be retrieved, then cabling the gen to London. Will Reuter's method work?

Astoundingly, the very FIRST message that Reuter receives by this method is the assassination of Lincoln. (Which we see in one of the montages.) Is this true? Was the news of Lincoln's assassination indeed Reuter's first transatlantic despatch ... or merely his first major scoop? (Another big scoop -- the end of America's Civil War -- occurred only a few days before Lincoln's assassination, yet we get no mention of that here.) 'This Man Reuter' is a very enjoyable film, of the sort they don't make any more, but it has a strong aroma of Hollywood hokum rather than fact. I wish I knew how much of this movie was accurate. Purely for its entertainment value, I'll rate it 7 out of 10.

Fine WB Biopic

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 18 July 2014]

Enjoyable Warner Bros. biopic about Paul Julius Reuter, the man who built the famous Reuters news service. Edward G. Robinson players Reuter. The movie covers his story from when he was using carrier pigeons up through the use of the telegraph. As is often the case with these biopics, he faces hardships and doubt from critics but perseveres. It's all pretty formulaic, I admit, but also undeniably entertaining. I was never bored. Eddie G's backed up by a fine stable of character actors, including Gene Lockhart, Otto Kruger, Nigel Bruce, and Albert Bassermann. Edna Best is the love interest and Eddie Albert plays Robinson's assistant. A solid cast. The subject matter may not lend itself to the most exciting story but they do a surprisingly good job keeping it interesting.

70 years before A Social Network

[safenoe · 7/10 · 6 January 2021]

I saw A Dispatch from Reuters ages ago (before Netflix, etc), and it was good night viewing for sure. This was a time when news was in print (and TV), so in a way it was the prequel to A Social Network, which charted the rise of Facebook which is its own news outlet.

Edward G. Robinson was in top form as Paul Reuter (without an s) in this black and white movie.

Robinson is More Than A Gangster Honest Bio Presented

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 2 September 2020]

This film is out on you tube now including the trailer. I recommend that it is watched as it presents the story of how Reuters News Service started. The original story of Reuters might be a bit changed to account for Robinson playing him, but his acting here dominates this film despite a talented supporting cast.

Reuters was set up in 1851 by Paul Julius Reuter, a German-born immigrant. He opened an office in the City of London which transmitted stock market quotations between London and Paris via the new Calais-Dover cable. Two years earlier he had used pigeons to fly stock prices between Aachen and Brussels. So the film starts out with the pigeons which seem to have brought together Reuter and his wife. Then it goes through the story from there until the Ford Theater event of 1865 where this movie ends. The story goes through how technology grew during this 16 years.

Robinson plays Reuter as a hero who even when his company was attacked by foes without scruples that he would be honest and righteous always in gambling his company to survive the rapid development of technology. The film makes a powerful message about freedom of the press at the end. Still it is quite a ride.

Eddie Albert is Reuters partner, but other than 1 scene he really gets very little to do. It's very much the same with the rest of the cast. There are many excellent supporting people here out of Warner's assembly line of players but this Bio was set up for Robinson who is at his best in this one. Looking for Nigel Bruce, Otto Hruger, and the rest gets difficult but it's a pleasure to see all the Warner's players, great music from Max Steiner, and the sets that get lots of use in their films being used again as Europe locales.

Robinson is no doubt one of the great actors and proves here he doesn't need the mob to pull off a great performance. Entertainment matters and this one, while a little sentimental with the pigeons early on, really does the job of telling the story of how Reuters was really started.

Engaging Biopic with Heart

[loloandpete · 8/10 · 8 May 2021]

I approached this film thinking it might be a rather dull and worthy biopic but my fears were unfounded. It moves along at a great pace and is engaging throughout thanks to skillful direction from acclaimed director William Dieterle (Among his credits The Devil and Daniel Webster, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and A Midsummer Night's Dream). This film is great at telling the story of the man who revolutionised press reporting from carrier pigeons to the telegraph and has tremendous heart. The fact that Dieterle was also an actor may also be the reason why this film features a host of great performances from principal to support players alike. Edward G Robinson is superb as Julius Reuter, not only as a businessman but as as a shy romantic and a trusted friend. Whether Reuter himself was a man of such honesty, conviction and innate goodness I do not know but Robinson paints a picture of a heroic yet still human individual. Edna Best , as his wife, anchors things and brings great warmth to make her believable as the rock Reuter could depend upon. In the supporting cast Eddie Albert and Albert Bassermann bring some lovely light comic touches as part of Reuter's management set up, Montagu Love and Alec Craig are memorable as newspapermen, Otto Kruger and Nigel Bruce provide staunch backup as friends and supporters of the main man and Gene Lockhart is a great deal of fun as a roguish but likeable banker.

Fascinating biopic

[HotToastyRag · 8/10 · 17 January 2024]

In this fascinating biopic of Paul Reuter, Edward G. Robinson stars and transforms into yet another very convincing non-gangster. For someone remembered most for Little Caesar, it's astonishing how many roles in his career were intelligent, sensitive men. In this period piece, he plays a dedicated inventor who wants people to be able to communicate with each other quickly. He develops the carrier pigeon service by training the pigeons to fly between two cities. No one believes in him or gives him financial backing until his birds save the lives of countless children who are about to be poisoned by the wrong medicine. He still has an uphill battle, particularly against slimy and selfish villain Gene Lockhart, and he puts his entire heart and soul into his business. From pigeons to telegrams to stock trading to newspapers, he transforms Europe and the rest of the world.

If you're interested in the historical story, you'll love this movie. I don't know how historically accurate it is about his personal life, but his inventions and systems have truly changed our lives. You might want to check out Eddie G in the same year's drama, Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet, in which he stars as the man who cured syphilis. On a sweeter note, I loved the romance between Eddie G and Edna Best. There is a friendship and business relationship with Eddie Albert, but Albert's character is silly and irresponsible. Eddie G and Edna are adorable as they fall in love at first sight. He's too shy to make a move until he knows of her feelings, but as soon as he does, he sends a carrier pigeon with an important question: will she marry him? He stands at the window of the pigeon coop for hours, anxiously awaiting her reply. It's so adorable! History buffs might not care about his proposal, but Hollywood fans will find it very endearing.

Not too bad but not that great

[stevenfallonnyc · 5/10 · 15 July 2009]

"A Dispatch From Reuter's" pretty much has one great thing going for it, and that is Edward G. Robinson of course as Julius Reuter. Otherwise, this is semi-standard old-movie fare that can be quite dull most of the time.

Reuter of course was a news pioneer, but not every successful story always makes for a good movie. Seeing guys in the 1930s and 1940s play people in the 1800s is always kind of funny. (Especially when they do the "harumph" thing when they get angry.) There's a lot of talk concerning pigeons that the viewer will get tired of pretty quickly. The characters aren't engaging and the plot is, well, boring and thin. It's a ten-minute movie stretched out to 90 minutes.

Unless you are a fan of Edward G. Robinson really, which I am, this is definitely one you can certainly live without seeing.

Great Entertainment!

[fscriva · 26 October 2000]

Another gem from Hollywood's golden age, "A Dispatch From Reuters", tells the fascinating true story of Julius Reuter (played by the marvelous Edward G. Robinson), founder of the famous news agency, and who started to transmit information using pigeons. Impeccable production, was a distinguished addition to Warner's series of biopics, with fine cast and a typically wonderful music score by the brilliant Max Steiner.

Who we are and how we got here.

[schappe1 · 8/10 · 13 January 2024]

Another in EGR's quest to be considered a 'prestige' actor in the Paul Muni mold, (although he is far better than Muni, IMO), by playing biographies. This would make an excellent double bill with Dr. Erlich's Magic Bullet. Both are about idealistic rebels going up against the establishment in their professions and eventually triumphing. Both are entertaining with lively, well-acted characters, despite not having any conventional 'action'. Both are Hollywood's attempt to tell us who we are and hint at where we are going by looking at how we got here.

EGR is fine. Edna Best, with whom I was not familiar, (she was Herbert Marshall's wife and had been a major success on the London stage in the 20's) was very impressive. I really like Albert Basserman, Gene Lockhart, Montau Love and Nigel Bruce in supporting parts.

I really didn't like Eddie Albert's character, a long-time friend and assistant to Reuters who has none of Reuter's qualities: he's lazy and rather stupid, hardly the type an ambitious genius would have around him or give a substantial role in his business. But an old Hollywood trick is to pair the clever hero with an idiotic companion to make him look smart, as it with Bruce's performance as Dr. Watson, (who should be a smart character in his own right, the better to appreciate Holmes' genius) in the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes series.

So-So Biopic

[fwdixon · 4/10 · 31 August 2020]

"A Dispatch From Reuter's" is best viewed by fans of the inimitable Edward G. Robinson, who turns in one of his usual excellent performances as Julius Reuter. The thin plot and sappy romance are best forgotten however. The usual supporting cast of Warner's does a credible job considering the deficiencies of the script. The notable exception is the always repulsive and completely untalented Eddie Albert, featured here as Reuter's assistant, Max Wagner, an apparent moron who is even dumber and more hapless than Gilligan from "Gilligan's Island". He manages to completely ruin every scene he's in. One would have to wonder why a smart guy like Reuter would hire such a complete boob.

Charming, but beware of excessive pigeon-kissing

[Sleepy-17 · 17 January 2003]

Just like the other reviewer stated, this one has it all, great acting, great script, great music and direction. It has all the elements of the Warner Brothers films that I grew familiar with when I was a grammar school student, watching the Early Show on TV. I learned about literature, biography, acting, photography styles, music (Korngold, Steiner,Waxman), directing (Curtiz, Dieterle), and a warped view of history (They Died With Their Boots On), all at the same time. This one rests on the great humanity of Edward G. Robinson's acting ability. ****Possible Spoiler***** Watch for the pigeons bearing proposals of marriage! Sheer hokum, but very watchable, and yes, moving. I had never seen this one before; when I was young I would skip movies like this to watch ones promising more violence. But it brought back all those Warner Brothers emotions of warmth and idealism.

fictionalized bio of Paul Julius Reuter

[blanche-2 · 17 July 2011]

Edward G. Robinson was a most interesting movie star in classic film history. Like Bogart, James Cagney, and Spencer Tracy, he was a character actor who became a leading man. That didn't and doesn't happen to many actors or actresses. Robinson could do anything - he could be mean, pathetic, a blowhard, a loser, hilarious, whatever the role called for. Along with his Warners colleague, Paul Muni, he did his share of biopics. "A Dispatch from Reuters" from 1940 is one.

Robinson plays Julius Reuter. Since this film is really about the news agency he founded, much of Reuter's life is left out. Of interest, he was a German Jew who moved to London and ultimately converted to Christianity (before marrying Ida, who was a Christian), taking the first name of Paul. He also became a naturalized British citizen and was named a Baron by Queen Victoria. He had three sons, and the last member of the Reuter family, the widow of one of his grandsons, died in 2009.

Anyway, to get back to the film - there was some dramatic license taken, but the basic story is accurate. Reuter did start out with carrier pigeons, and the film does follow the evolution of the agency accurately as far as his news beating the ships, etc.

Edward G. Robinson is excellent as Julius, and though it's unclear how much of a struggle the real Reuter had in getting clients, Robinson shows determination and ambition throughout the film. I have to agree with one of the reviewers on this site who thought the Eddie Albert character was too lazy to have continued to be employed. Albert is good, though, as is the rest of the cast -- Albert Basserman, Edna Best, Gene Lockhart, Nigel Bruce, Otto Kruger, and Montagu Love.

Entertaining film.

Fair Bio

[Michael_Elliott · 12 September 2009]

Dispatch from Reuter's, A (1940)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Minor bio-pic from Warner features Edward G. Robinson as Paul Julius Reuter, the man who started off with pigeons and then building Europe's fastest news wire service. The late 30's and early 40's were full of biography movies and this one here is somewhat entertaining but there's just not enough here to make it really worth seeing. I know a few things about Reuter's life that wasn't included in this film and I can only guess that the subject wouldn't have interested folks in 1940. With that said, I'm really not sure what Jack Warner himself would have found so interesting about the story actually filmed. The main story has Reuter trying to stay ahead of other people and a big finale about his report on the Lincoln assassination and whether or not it's true. There really never is any drama that builds from any of the situations, although I will admit the stuff with the pigeons was pretty good. The film covers a wide range of years but the time itself never seems to move in the film. Not for a second did I believe I was watching something taking place in the 1820's and this really takes away from the atmosphere that should have been created. Robinson turns in a fairly good performance but I did expect more from him. He fits the role quite well but not once did I feel too much passion coming from him. Edna Best serves as the wife but doesn't really add too much. Eddie Albert does the best work of the cast with Gene Lockhart, Otto Kruger, James Stephenson and Nigel Bruce rounding out the supporting players. Child star Dickie Moore has a brief part in the film. I'm sure a good movie might be made with this story but sadly it's not this one.

Reuter's magic bullet

[dbdumonteil · 12 October 2008]

At the time ,Robinson used to play illustrious men (what Greer Garson did for illustrious women):Reuters and Ehrlich.Both movies were released the same year ."Reuters" is certainly less interesting than "Ehrlich" although the endings are similar (both heroes stand accused and get final vindication)."Reuters" marks the beginning of what we call today the global village .It's a long way from Reuters' pigeons.

That said,neither "Ehrlich" nor " Reuters" are among Dieterle's great works.They are certainly interesting ,but impersonal :if you want to discover a great director,you'd better choose "portrait of Jennie" or "the hunchback of Notre Dame".