Spencer Tracy, whose first movie for MGM was July 1935's "The Murder Man," had been with Fox Pictures the previous five years ever since he arrived in Hollywood in 1930. He was getting really disgruntled with Fox, and had received feelers from MGM to see if he was interested in jumping ship. Fox was unhappy with the results of the 25 films Tracy had starred in, and none of them were outstanding successes. MGM was looking for fresh faces to rejuvenate its line-up of actors and realized the potential of Tracy's acting abilities despite rumors of his excessive drinking. By "mutual consent," the actor was able to get out of his Fox contract, and inked a new seven-year deal with MGM. It was during this contract where Tracy won consecutive Best Actor Oscars, making him one of cinema's most popular movie stars.
Tracy was known for his abrasive personality on and off the movie set. Compounding that, as biographer Jame Curtis wrote, "Tracy was scarcely a blip on the box office barometer in 1935, a critics' darling and little more." MGM's head of production Irving Thalberg appreciated the acting talents of the 35-year-old Spencer, and his instincts proved correct. Tracy noticed the difference between his new employer and his previous one at Fox immediately when making "The Murder Man." He saw the attention he was receiving on the MGM studio lot by its staffers, while at Fox he witnessed total incompetence and a lack of respect for him and his movies. The special care and the professionalism he felt in making his first movie for MGM was "like a shot of adrenaline." Tracy plays Steve Grey, the wizbang reporter for a city newspaper whose uncanny ability to solve murders before the police do proved his worth to his editor Robins (Robert Barrat), despite the journalist's excessive drinking. He's first seen in the morning on a merry-go-round with a string of amusement tickets around his neck sleeping off a night of heavy imbibing. The city's latest murder has a co-owner of a financial firm shot in broad daylight while in the back seat of a convertible. The main suspect is his associate, Henry Mander (Harvey Stephens), who earlier lost the life savings of Grey's father.
"The Murder Man" was actor James Stewart's first appearance in a feature film. His role was originally intended for a midget actor, but newly-hired Stewart, a gangly 6'3" and 138 pounds, was a last minute decision to play "Shorty," a fellow reporter of Grey's. The Indiana, Pennsylvania, born and raised Stewart had attended Princeton University as an architect major when he was drawn to the school's drama clubs. He was given a scholarship for graduate school in architecture, but opted to perform at Cape Cod's University Players instead. With the connections he made there, including Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullivan, Stewart ended up on Broadway. In between plays he appeared in his first film, an uncredited part called 'Art Trouble," a 1934 short with Shemp Howard, former member of what became The Three Stooges. Talent scout Bill Grady had seen the 27-year-older perform several times and persuaded MGM to sign him to a seven-year contract. Biographer Michael Rinella noted MGM's initial thinking of Stewart precluded him as a leading man, with one studio executive describing him as a "lanky young bumpkin with a hesitant manner of speech."
"The Murder Man" proved to be a pivotal movie for Tracy and Steward, who both ranked in the top ten in American Film Institute's poll of Hollywood stars-Stewart at number three and Tracy at number nine. Of note also is Virginia Bruce's character as newspaper columnist Mary who's in love with Grey. She appeared in the film not long after her divorce from actor John Gilbert. Their two-year marriage in 1932 dissolved from what she cited was his alcoholism.
Tracy was known for his abrasive personality on and off the movie set. Compounding that, as biographer Jame Curtis wrote, "Tracy was scarcely a blip on the box office barometer in 1935, a critics' darling and little more." MGM's head of production Irving Thalberg appreciated the acting talents of the 35-year-old Spencer, and his instincts proved correct. Tracy noticed the difference between his new employer and his previous one at Fox immediately when making "The Murder Man." He saw the attention he was receiving on the MGM studio lot by its staffers, while at Fox he witnessed total incompetence and a lack of respect for him and his movies. The special care and the professionalism he felt in making his first movie for MGM was "like a shot of adrenaline." Tracy plays Steve Grey, the wizbang reporter for a city newspaper whose uncanny ability to solve murders before the police do proved his worth to his editor Robins (Robert Barrat), despite the journalist's excessive drinking. He's first seen in the morning on a merry-go-round with a string of amusement tickets around his neck sleeping off a night of heavy imbibing. The city's latest murder has a co-owner of a financial firm shot in broad daylight while in the back seat of a convertible. The main suspect is his associate, Henry Mander (Harvey Stephens), who earlier lost the life savings of Grey's father.
"The Murder Man" was actor James Stewart's first appearance in a feature film. His role was originally intended for a midget actor, but newly-hired Stewart, a gangly 6'3" and 138 pounds, was a last minute decision to play "Shorty," a fellow reporter of Grey's. The Indiana, Pennsylvania, born and raised Stewart had attended Princeton University as an architect major when he was drawn to the school's drama clubs. He was given a scholarship for graduate school in architecture, but opted to perform at Cape Cod's University Players instead. With the connections he made there, including Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullivan, Stewart ended up on Broadway. In between plays he appeared in his first film, an uncredited part called 'Art Trouble," a 1934 short with Shemp Howard, former member of what became The Three Stooges. Talent scout Bill Grady had seen the 27-year-older perform several times and persuaded MGM to sign him to a seven-year contract. Biographer Michael Rinella noted MGM's initial thinking of Stewart precluded him as a leading man, with one studio executive describing him as a "lanky young bumpkin with a hesitant manner of speech."
"The Murder Man" proved to be a pivotal movie for Tracy and Steward, who both ranked in the top ten in American Film Institute's poll of Hollywood stars-Stewart at number three and Tracy at number nine. Of note also is Virginia Bruce's character as newspaper columnist Mary who's in love with Grey. She appeared in the film not long after her divorce from actor John Gilbert. Their two-year marriage in 1932 dissolved from what she cited was his alcoholism.