The Czar of Broadway is a 1930 American pre-Code crime film produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, directed by William James Craft and starring John Wray, Betty Compson, John Harron and Claud Allister.[1]

The Czar of Broadway
Swedish release poster
Directed byWilliam James Craft
Written byGene Towne
Produced byCarl Laemmle
StarringJohn Wray
Betty Compson
John Harron
Claud Allister
CinematographyHal Mohr
Edited byHarry W. Lieb
Music byHeinz Roemheld
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • May 25, 1930 (1930-05-25)
Running time
79 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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Jay Grant is a journalist who prioritizes friendship over his career, offering a critique of the journalism industry. Hired by a managing editor, Grant's assignment is to unveil the illicit activities of Morton Bradstreet, a powerful underworld figure who dominates a significant part of the city's nightlife and has considerable influence over the media. Adopting the disguise of an innocent countryman, Grant gets close to Bradstreet. However, when Bradstreet discovers Grant's true intentions, he orders one of his subordinates to eliminate him. Before this can happen, Bradstreet and his associate are taken down by a competing gang. Owing to their formed bond, Grant chooses not to publish a revealing article about the mobster, leading to his resignation.[2]

Cast

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Preservation status

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This film is preserved in the collection of the Library of Congress.[3]

References

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  1. ^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The Czar of Broadway, afi.com; accessed August 10, 2015.
  2. ^ Langman, Larry (2009). The Media in the Movies. p. 69.
  3. ^ Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at the Library of Congress (1978), p.39
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