An irresistible comedy with thrills and derring do set in the news room. Hildy wants to break away from journalism and go on a belated honeymoon. There is a jailbreak and into Hildy's hands falls the escapee as hostage. He conceals his prize in a rolltop desk and phones his scoop to his managing editor. Their job is to prevent other reporters and the sheriff from opening the desk and finding their story. Some hoodlums are enlisted to remove the desk, but they get mixed up with a Boy Scout troop and the mayor and a cleaning woman, among others. It's a whirlwind wrap up with Hildy finally making his breakaway, but the cynical managing editor has him arrested before he leaves town for having stolen a watch he planted on Hildy.

本作は、新聞記者という人種の業と狂気を描いた不朽の報道喜劇です。最大の魅力は、機関銃のような台詞回しが生む圧倒的なテンポと、特ダネのためなら倫理さえ投げ捨てるシニカルな人間像にあります。仕事への執着と私生活の幸福の間で揺れ動く葛藤は、現代の働く人々にも通ずる普遍的な悲喜劇を内包しており、読む者の心を熱く焦がします。 映像化作品、特に性別を入れ替えた名作との対比は白眉です。活字で味わう粗野で骨太なシカゴの空気感に対し、映像版では超高速の掛け合いが強調され、各メディアの強みが際立ちます。原作のト書きに宿る冷徹な観察眼と、スクリーンで爆発する喜劇的エネルギーの相乗効果は、物語の多層的な面白さを再発見させてくれるでしょう。