The Front Page (1974)

73% of critics liked it
(22 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(3,094 ratings)

This third film version of the 1928 Ben Hecht/Charlie MacArthur Broadway hit The Front Page was the first one permitted to utilize all the salty profanities in the original play. Director Billy Wilder cast his two favorite leading men, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, as ace reporter Hildy Johnson… More This third film version of the 1928 Ben Hecht/Charlie MacArthur Broadway hit The Front Page was the first one permitted to utilize all the salty profanities in the original play. Director Billy Wilder cast his two favorite leading men, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, as ace reporter Hildy Johnson and ruthless newspaper editor Walter Burns, respectively. The plot of the Hecht/MacArthur play remains intact: Burns pulls every underhanded game in the book to prevent Johnson from leaving his Chicago paper to get married, and in so doing the two journalists uncover a cesspool of political corruption, centered around the planned execution of anarchist Earl Williams (Austin Pendleton). Carol Burnett has an extended cameo as Williams' tart girlfriend, Mollie Malloy. The Front Page was remade for a fourth time in 1988 as Switching Channels. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Billy Wilder
Written By: I. A. L. Diamond, Billy Wilder
Genres: Drama, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 1, 1974 Limited
On DVD: Jun 15, 1998
Studio: Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby, New York Times
Even though the mechanics and demands of movie-making slow what should be the furious tempo, this Front Page displays a giddy bitterness that is rare in any films except those of Mr. Wilder. It is also, much of the time, extremely funny.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
This third version of the 1928 smash play is only mildly entertaining; Billy Wilder has no new take on the text and his stars may be too old.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
Full of wonderful comedic business, throw-away lines and some effortless ensemble set pieces, The Front Page bristles with its collection of talents on both sides of the camera.... It's that Billy Wilder touch of hurtful grains of truth inside every com
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
This slick remake of the ebullient original falls short of being the film it could have been, despite the presence of master filmmaker Wilder and his engaging costars.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Too much of it seemed stretched thin and unfunny.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Funny retelling with Lemmon and Matthau guided by Billy Wilder.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
It relies too much on foul language, inappropriate slapstick, and superficial cynicism.
Tony Medley, tonymedley.com
not up to the original

Read all 8 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jennifer D

So, His Girl Friday is my favorite movie, like, ever. And this adaptation is certainly missing that *thing* that makes His Girl Friday king. His Girl Friday has a kind of lyrical, musical quality about it that makes it fun, fast-paced and AMAZING. This, is a movie. And painfully so. I… More
So, His Girl Friday is my favorite movie, like, ever. And this adaptation is certainly missing that *thing* that makes His Girl Friday king. His Girl Friday has a kind of lyrical, musical quality about it that makes it fun, fast-paced and AMAZING. This, is a movie. And painfully so. I watched this because of Jack Lemmon. And he was quite good. But not quite Rosalind Russell. I think he could have pulled off the fast-paced dialog that Hawks introduced too. Overall, glad I watched it, but Grant and Russell do it MUCH better.
AJ V

This is actually a remake of an older movie, which was a remake of an older movie too, so it's nothing new. It's pretty funny in some scenes, but that's about all I liked about it. It's pretty good, but it could be better.
Veronique K

"the front page" is the third time re-adaption of the stage play by ben hencht(who wrote the original scarface) and chas. macarthur. the first appearance on screen was in 1931, and the second time would be the most reputable one "his girl friday" in 1940 by howard… More
"the front page" is the third time re-adaption of the stage play by ben hencht(who wrote the original scarface) and chas. macarthur. the first appearance on screen was in 1931, and the second time would be the most reputable one "his girl friday" in 1940 by howard hawks who had co-operated with hecht previously in "scarface"...now this time, billy wilder gets his feet wet with this sassy script of rotten journalism, spicing it up with even more political cynicism which is wilder's trademark, a sneer to various aspects of conventional americanism, such as patriotism gets mocked in "stalag 17", bureaucracy of enterprise in "the apartment", homophobia in "some like it hot", hollywood decay in "sunset blvd.", capitalist's narcissism in "love in the afternoon"...etc. the script is also penned partly by wilder whose version is more faithful to the hencht's play except some few parts he added to make fun of emasculated dandyism, maccarthyism parody...and the stimulus appears so often that it loses its brightfulness and ceases to be funny when it comes to the satire of journalism, wilder does a superb job in his own script "ace in the hole" with kirk douglas in the 50s...
xGary X

Disappointing remake of His Girl Friday kept watchable by the comic talents of one of the best double acts in the business.
Anastasia B

Almost as good as its predecessor, "His Girl Friday" - but lacking the staccato rhythm and the charm that made Howard Hawks's film a classic. You can't compare Matthau's version of Walter Burns to Cary Grant's (they are playing on so different levels) but… More
Almost as good as its predecessor, "His Girl Friday" - but lacking the staccato rhythm and the charm that made Howard Hawks's film a classic. You can't compare Matthau's version of Walter Burns to Cary Grant's (they are playing on so different levels) but you may still enjoy it. It seems that (as the word has it) Hildy Johnson as a woman works better as a character than Hildy Johnson as a man. It totally adds a twist to the plot, linking the two protagonists with a romance undercurrent...Wait a minute, this is not a "His Girl Friday" review. Anyway, you get the point. I loved Hawks's film so much I can't even begin to write about this one. You can have your pick!

Cast

            Jack Lemmon as Hildy Johnson

            Walter Matthau as Walter Burns

            Carol Burnett as Mollie Malloy

            Susan Sarandon as Peggy Grant

            Vincent Gardenia as Sheriff

            David Wayne as Bensinger

            Paul Benedict as Plunkett

            Barbara Peterson Davis as Myrtle

            Charles Durning as Murphy

            Herb Edelman as Schwartz

            Biff Elliot as Police Dispatcher

            Lou Frizzell as Endicott

            John Furlong as Duffy

            Allen Garfield as Kruger

            Harold Gould as Mayor

            Allen Jenkins as Telegrapher

            Jon Korkes as Keppler

            Doro Merande as Jennie

            Dick O'Neill as McHugh

            Austin Pendleton as Earl Williams

            Noam Pitlik as Wilson

            Joshua Shelley as Cab Driver

            Martin Gabel as Dr. Eggelhofer

            Cliff Osmond as Jacobi

            Leonard Bremen as Butch
See full cast