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The Front Page (1974)

7.2
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Ratings: 7.2/10 from 5,976 users  
Reviews: 43 user | 21 critic

As a tabloid newspaper editor tries to prevent his top reporter from retiring, an escaped death row convict shows up at the office trying to convey his innocence.

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Title: The Front Page (1974)

The Front Page (1974) on IMDb 7.2/10

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Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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...
...
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Sheriff
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...
Kruger
...
...
Murphy
...
Schwartz (as Herbert Edelman)
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...
The Mayor
...
Jacobi
...
McHugh
Jon Korkes ...
Rudy Keppler
Lou Frizzell ...
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Storyline

Hildy Johnson is the top reporter on a Chicago newspaper during the 1920s. Tired of the whole game he's determined to quit his job to get married. His scheming editor, Walter Burns, has other plans though. It's the day before guilty (but insane) murderer, Earl Williams, is due to go to the gallows and Burns tempts Johnson to stay and write the story. Written by Col Needham <col@imdb.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

It's the hottest story since the Chicago Fire... And they're sitting on it.

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

17 December 1974 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Prima pagina  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

SEK 4,427,652 (Sweden)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System)

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The stage version of The Front Page, on which this film is based, opened at the Times Square Theater on August 14, 1929 and ran for 276 performances. See more »

Goofs

The girls at the mayor's favorite cat house know him as The Green Hornet, after the radio superhero. The Green Hornet did not air until 1936, and The Front Page is set in the year 1929. See more »

Quotes

Mollie Malloy: I never said that I loved Earl Williams and was willing to marry him on the gallows. You made that up!
Murphy: Oh, come on. You've been sucking around that cuckoo ever since he's been in the death house.
McHugh: Everybody knows you're his soul-mate.
Mollie Malloy: That's a lot of bunk! Like all that other stuff you been writing. Calling me an Angel of the Pavement and the Midnight Madonna. Who ya kiddin'? I'm a two-dollar whore from Division Street and you know it!
See more »


Soundtracks

"Congratulate Me"
Lyrics by Bob Rothberg
Music by Lou Handman
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Great cast gives powerful performances as Matthau as scheming managing editor and Lemmon as convincing star journalist
16 January 2012 | by See all my reviews

Rip-roaring third remake of the classic newspaper comedy ¨The Front Page¨ makes some memorable exchanges and sensational acting from everyone . Cynical editor newspaper (Walter Matthau) wants to get a big scoop on a death row which involves convincing star reporter (Jack Lemmon) to come back to work and put off her marriage to handsome pianist woman (Susan Sarandon) . Lemmon can't resist covering some good news , even when it mean helping a condemned man (Austin Pendleton) getaway the law . And the escaped convicted murderer offers the journalist an exclusive interview . Other reporters (Dick O'Neill, Charles Durning, Allen Garfield , David Wayne , Cliff Osmond) also give hilarious acting in this breathless pursuit of an exclusive with the escaped death row inmate .

A splendid remake of the Ben Hecht , Charles MacArthur play about a scheming managing publisher of a 1920s Chicago newspaper and his incautious reporter. Very good performance from Jack Lemmon as ace journalist who wants to quit the business and get married and exceptional Walter Matthau as editor who finds out his main reporter wants to leave him and gets in the way . Phenomenal playing from everyone , including a top-notch secondary cast as Carol Burnett , Vincent Gardenia , Harold Gould and magnificent direction render this frequent-told story more funny than usual . One of Wilder's most inventive and furious screen combats in which Lemmon and Matthau are given equal footing with staccato dialog and marvelous interpretations . I.A.L. Diamond's brilliantly tart screenplay overlaps dialogue and scenes to carry the black farce along the roller-coasted speed . Certainly the kind of movie that Billy Wilder only can make , though achieved moderated success in 1974 . Meanwhile , do't miss this stunning adaptation.

Other versions about this classic story are the following : 1931 ¨The Front Page¨ by Lewis Milestone with Adolph Menjou , Edward Everett Horton , Mae Clark and Pat O'Brien in his film debut ; ¨His Girl Friday ¨ 1940 by Howard Hawks with Gary Grant , Ralph Bellamy and Rosalind Russell with the pivotal character assigned to a woman instead a man ; ¨Switching channels¨ 1988 by Ted Kotcheff with Kathleen Turner , Christopher Reeve , Ned Beatty and Burt Reynolds in which an attractive TV anchorwoman want to marry tycoon but his mean ex-husband impedes it .


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