 When national hero Robert Forrest is killed in an riding accident , the entire United States goes into deep mourning . Admirer and renowned journalist Stephen O 'Malley ( Spencer Tracy ) returns from Europe to write a biography of the great man . Among the throngs covering the funeral , he finds his old friends and fellow reporters , Jane Harding ( Audrey Christie ) and Freddie Ridges ( Stephen McNally ) . They remain after the rest of the press leave . 
