Key Post: 'Five Star Final'

The film Five Star Final (1931) shows a version of journalism that can feel exaggerated or dramatic to modern viewers. However, the movie is really commenting on how newspapers actually operated during earlier periods of American journalism history. One of the clearest examples appears in the scenes with the newsboys shouting headlines and selling papers in the street. 

Their job is simple. Sell as many copies as possible. 

This idea reflects a major theme in the movie that the newspaper’s main goal is simply increasing circulation. 

Five Star Final reflects several important stages in journalism history, including the Penny Press, Yellow Journalism, and the power of Press Barons. The film also raises important questions about journalism ethics and whether the people working in the newsroom are thinking about the consequences of their actions.

Penny Press Era

The focus on selling newspapers connects directly to the Penny Press Era during the 1830s. Before the Penny Press, newspapers were expensive and mostly aimed at wealthy readers interested in politics. The Penny Press changed this by producing cheap newspapers that anyone could buy. In order to attract a large audience, these papers began publishing stories about crime, scandals, and human drama. The goal was to grab attention and sell more papers.

This same idea is clearly visible in Five Star Final. When the publisher orders editor Joseph Randall to reopen the old Nancy Vorhees murder case, the decision is not based on whether the story is important or useful for the public. Instead, it is about increasing circulation. The publisher believes the scandal will attract readers, and therefore sell more newspapers. In this way, the movie shows how journalism during this era often treated news as a product to sell rather than information meant to serve the public.

Yellow Journalism

The film also reflects the influence of Yellow Journalism, which became popular in the late 1800s through publishers like William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. Yellow Journalism focused heavily on sensational and emotional stories designed to excite readers. Accuracy and fairness were sometimes less important than creating dramatic headlines and shocking details.

The Gazette’s coverage of Nancy Voorhees follows this pattern. Even though the crime happened many years earlier and Nancy has already rebuilt her life, the newspaper publishes dramatic articles about the case to create interest and outrage. The reporters dig up old information and present the story in a way that makes it seem shocking and scandalous again. This shows how Yellow Journalism often prioritized attention and excitement over the well-being of the people involved.

One of the clearest examples of unethical behavior is the reporter Isopod. She pretends to be a charity worker in order to gain access to Nancy’s home and gather information. This kind of deception raises serious ethical concerns. Journalists today are generally expected to be transparent about who they are and why they are gathering information. Isopod’s actions show how the newspaper treats the family as a source of drama rather than as real people whose lives could be harmed by the story.

Press Barons

The movie also reflects the influence of Press Barons, powerful newspaper owners who controlled their publications and often made decisions based on profit or personal interests, which in the film was represented by the publisher Hinchecliffe. He is mainly concerned with circulation numbers and advertising revenue. 

When Randall expresses concerns about the story, Hinchecliffe dismisses them because the story will sell papers. Even when the situation leads to tragedy, the publisher shows little concern about the consequences. This demonstrates how much control publishers had and how little accountability they sometimes faced.

Journalism Ethics

Because of these situations, the film raises important questions about journalism ethics. Journalists have ethical responsibilities both to the people they write about and to the readers who rely on their reporting. Toward the people they cover, journalists should try to minimize harm and avoid unnecessary damage to someone’s reputation or personal life. In the case of Nancy Vorhees, the newspaper clearly fails in this responsibility. The story serves no real public interest, yet it destroys the life she built after her earlier mistake.

Journalists also have ethical obligations to their readers since they depend on newspapers for accurate and meaningful information about the world. 

In Five Star Final, however, the Gazette focuses more on entertaining readers than informing them. The sensational coverage turns a real person’s tragedy into a form of public spectacle, which shows how the newspaper is prioritizing sales over responsible reporting.

Joseph Randall seems to struggle with the situation. 

Throughout the film, he shows signs of guilt and discomfort about continuing the story. This suggests that he understands the ethical problems but feels pressured by his position and by the publisher’s authority. In contrast, Hinchecliffe appears completely unconcerned about ethics. His main focus is profit and circulation.

The character who most clearly expresses the moral consequences is Jenny Voorhees. When she confronts the newspaper after her mother’s death, she directly blames the paper for what happened. Her confrontation forces the newsroom to face the real human impact of their reporting.

Even though the movie takes place nearly a century ago, the questions it raises about the responsibilities of journalists are still relevant today. Ultimately, Five Star Final serves as a powerful warning about what can happen when journalism values profit and sensationalism over truth, responsibility, and the human lives affected by the news.