Mark Flint (George Bancroft) is the editor of the titular scandal sheet, possessing all of the gall and none of the ethics of your average big-city journalist. Knowing full well that his wife (Kay Francis) plans to leave him in favor of handsome but unscrupulous banker Noel Adams (Clive Brook), Flint digs up as much dirt as possible on his rival. When this proves to have no effect on Mrs. Flint, the editor shows up at Adams's art-deco apartment and shoots the man dead. Ever the dedicated newsman, Flint returns to his city desk and dictates his confession in the form of a lead story, banner headlines and all. Scandal Sheet is supposed to have been inspired by the story of real-life tabloid editor Charles Chapin, who died in prison (Flint's fate is not so grim; when last we see him, he's energetically putting together the bulldog edition of the Sing Sing newspaper!)