The Story That Couldn't Be Printed

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The Story That Couldn't Be Printed (1939)

Costume DramaHistorical EpicBiographyHistoryShort

The story of John Peter Zenger, who was tried for sedition based on what he printed in his newspaper. His subsequent acquittal established the concept of freedom of the press.The story of John Peter Zenger, who was tried for sedition based on what he printed in his newspaper. His subsequent acquittal established the concept of freedom of the press.The story of John Peter Zenger, who was tried for sedition based on what he printed in his newspaper. His subsequent acquittal established the concept of freedom of the press.

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6.8/10

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2User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

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Top Cast11

John Nesbitt

Narrator
(voice)

Naomi Childers

Courtroom Spectator
(uncredited)

Mary Gordon

Woman Reading Newspaper
(uncredited)

Edward Hearn

Trooper
(uncredited)

John Hubbard

Attorney John Alexander
(uncredited)

Victor Kilian

John Peter Zenger
(uncredited)

Carl Stockdale

Hank
(uncredited)

Vera Tattersall

Mrs. Zenger
(uncredited)

Emmett Vogan

Judge
(uncredited)

Frederick Worlock

Governor Cosby
(uncredited)

Wolfgang Zilzer

Undetermined Role
(uncredited)

Director
- Joseph M. Newman
Writer
- Samuel H. Chain
All cast & crew
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User reviews2

6.877

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Storyline

Did you know

Trivia
Text of Andrew Hamilton's courtroom speech: "This is not the trial of a poor printer but of every free man who lives in America. John Zenger is guilty. He is guilty of printing the truth. Arbitrary governments oppress the people under their power. When those people cry out and complain, the governments make those complaints a crime. Every man here who prefers freedom to slavery is on trial with John Zenger. Not the cause of a man but of liberty itself. And we can bring but one verdict. Not for ourselves but for our children and for our children's children in the years to come. One supreme right for all, given us by the laws of our land---The liberty of speaking and writing the truth."

Quotes
[first lines]
Narrator: The people in this theater know more about what is going on in a dozen other countries than the people of those nations themselves, because many a government today believes that in order to rule, the news must be completely censored. And in America, voices are raised which demand censorship of our press - but raised in vain, for on a sheet of parchment in Washington are eleven words which forced this government to work forever under the blazing spotlight of a free press. This is the story of those eleven words, and it is the story that couldn't be printed.