This week’s mystery movie was the 1994 Universal film The Paper, with Michael Keaton, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, Randy Quaid, Robert Duvall, Jason Alexander, Spalding Gray, Catherine O’Hara, Lynne Thigpen, Jack Kehoe, Roma Maffia, Clint Howard, Geoffrey Owens, Amelia Campbell, Jill Hennessy, William Prince, Augusta Dabney, Bruce Altman, Jack McGee, Bobo Lewis and Edward Hibbert.

Casting by Jane Jenkins and Janet Hirshenson.

Music by Randy Newman.

Make Up Your Mind, by Randy Newman. Produced by Don Was and Randy Newman.

Costumes by Rita Ryack.

Edited by Daniel Hanley and Michael Hill.

Production design by Todd Hallowell.

Executive producers Dylan Sellers and Todd Hallowell.

Co-producer David Koepp.

Produced by Brian Grazer and Frederick Zollo.

Written by David Koepp and Stephen Koepp.

Directed by Ron Howard.

Photography by John Seale.

A Brian Grazer Production.

A Ron Howard Film.

Further information on The Paper is available from the AFI Catalog.

The Paper is available on Blu-ray from Critics’ Choice Video.

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The Paper was a last-minute substitution in honor of Catherine O’Hara. I also decided to highlight the Black performers as it’s Black History Month and, finally, it’s a film about newspapers, as they were in the 1980s. I missed the film when it came out and viewed in 2026 it carries loads of nostalgia for another era of the news business.

We are in Janet Maslin territory! (The New York Times, March 18, 1994):

It’s a busy day for the staff of The New York Sun, the raffish newspaper that is the subject of The Paper, Ron Howard’s strenuously eventful new comedy-drama. In the 24 hours spanned by the film, the audience witnesses, among other things, one birth, one shooting and one cancer diagnosis. To make sure all bases are covered, newspaperwise, there is even one full-throated cry of “Stop the presses!”

Naturally, there’s a story behind each of these little epiphanies. But it is never a story colorful or fresh enough to suit The Sun’s supposedly bold, savvy style. Mr. Howard trumpets the bighearted boisterousness of this tale without really straying from the calm, predictable waters of his earlier Backdraft and Parenthood, films most memorable for their eagerness to please and near-total lack of individual personality. Mr. Howard has a talent for keeping his storytelling on an even keel, but it’s not possible to be a yuppie Damon Runyon.

For Monday, we have two mysterious guests. This is mysterious guest No. 1.

Update: This is Vincent D’Arbouze.

And this is mystery guest No. 2.

Update: This is Michael Michael.

For Tuesday, we have a mysterious woman.

Update: This is Lynne Thigpen.

For “Hm Wednesday,” we have some persons of mystery.

Update: This is Geoffrey Owens, center, and Gary Dourdan, right. The man at left remains unidentified.

Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Megan and Thom (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Sylvia (Tuesday’s mysterious woman), Stacia (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman), Roget-L.A. (Tuesday’s mystery woman) and Benito (Tuesday’s mysterious woman).

For “Aha Thursday,” we have a woman of mystery and Back of the Head Woman.

Update: This is the Catherine O’Hara and Marisa Tomei as Back of the Head Woman.

Brain Trust roll call: Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery fellow No. 2), L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery fellow No. 2), Sylvia (mystery movie and all mysterious guests), Allie (mystery movie) and Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery fellow No. 2).

For Friday, we have a mysterious woman. Remember those shoulder pads?

Update: This is Glenn Close.

We also have two mysterious men.

Update: This is Robert Duvall, left, and Jason Alexander.

And a mystery couple.

Update: This is Marisa Tomei and Michael Keaton.

Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mysterious woman), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery woman) and Sylvia (Thursday’s mystery woman and Back of the Head Woman).