''Washington Story'' is a 1952 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Robert Pirosh Robert Pirosh (April 1, 1910 – December 25, 1989) was an American motion picture and television screenwriter and director. In 1951, he was nominated for another Academy Awards, Academy Award for the screenplay ''Go for Broke! (1951 film) ...

and starring

Van Johnson Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American film, television, theatre and radio actor. He was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during and after World War II. Johnson was described as the embodiment o ...

and

Patricia Neal Patricia Neal (born Patsy Louise Neal, January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010) was an American actress of stage and screen. A major star of the 1950s and 1960s, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and two ...

. The screenplay concerns a reporter in search of government corruption who falls for a congressman.

Plot

On her first trip to Washington, D.C., aspiring reporter Alice Kingsley is shown around by Gilbert Nunnally, a successful radio commentator. Nunnally has a cynical view of the Capitol and everybody in it, expressing his belief that every politician can be bought. Alice wants to see if there is any truth to that, so she chooses a young Massachusetts congressman with a squeaky-clean image, Joe Gresham, and introduces herself. Joe is wary of the press and makes a telephone call to check her credentials, but Alice, having anticipated this, gives him a number for Nunnally, who pretends to be the reporter's editor and vouches for her credentials. Following him around, Alice is impressed by Joe's work ethic and personality. She wonders if veteran politician Charles Birch is a corrupting influence, only to learn that Birch has been a mentor to Joe and is greatly admired. Nunnally persuades Alice that something is going on between Joe and a lobbyist named Phil Emery, who is trying to get Joe's key vote for a bill to pass. Joe is more concerned about its effect on his own constituents than its greater impact. Alice isn't sure what to make of that, or of Joe's seeming disinterest in an elderly immigrant's possible deportation. After a late-night meeting, apparently with Emery, colleagues in Congress end up applauding for Joe after he has a change of heart about the bill. Alice is now persuaded by Nunnally that he sold his vote for a price. She is made aware by Birch that the reason for Joe's attitude toward the press is that he has a libel suit pending against Nunnally in two weeks' time. Nunnally confronts the congressman and offers to suppress the story about Joe selling his vote if the lawsuit is dropped. Joe punches him instead. Alice runs into the immigrant, who tells her how Joe went to great effort making sure he could remain in the country. It was he, not Emery, that the all-night meeting was with, and Alice also learns that Joe had an honest change of heart about the bill, recognizing it was for the greater good. Alice writes a column singing Joe's praises, and they also realize they are in love.

Cast

as Joe Gresham *

as Alice Kingsley *

Louis Calhern Carl Henry Vogt (February 19, 1895 – May 12, 1956), known professionally as Louis Calhern, was an American stage and screen actor. Well known to film noir fans for his role as the pivotal villain in 1950's ''The Asphalt Jungle'', he was n ...

as Birch *

Philip Ober Philip Nott Ober (March 23, 1902 – September 13, 1982) was an American screen and stage actor. He later retired from acting to work as a diplomat. Ober is best remembered for his roles in the films ''From Here to Eternity'' (1953) and ''North ...

as Nunnally *

Sidney Blackmer Sidney Alderman Blackmer (July 13, 1895 – October 6, 1973) was an American Broadway and film actor active between 1914 and 1971, usually in major supporting roles. Biography Blackmer was born and raised in Salisbury, North Carolina, t ...

as Emery * Elizabeth Patterson as Miss Dee *

Emory Parnell Emory Parnell (December 29, 1892 – June 22, 1979) was an American vaudeville performer and actor who appeared in over 250 films in his 36-year career. Early years Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Parnell trained as a musician at Morningside ...

as Howard - INS Chief (uncredited) * Gordon Richards as Butler (uncredited) *

Hugh Beaumont Eugene Hugh Beaumont (February 16, 1909 – May 14, 1982) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Ward Cleaver on the television series '' Leave It to Beaver'', originally broadcast from 1957 to 1963; and as private detec ...

as House Chaplain (uncredited)

Reception

Box office

According to MGM records the movie was not a hit, earning $557,000 in the US and Canada and $127,000 elsewhere, making a loss to the studio of $1,060,000.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, 0045312
''Washington Story''
at

TCMDB Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of Atl ...

1952 films 1952 drama films American drama films Films directed by Robert Pirosh Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films