The Front (1976)

In 1953, a cashier poses as a writer for blacklisted talents to submit their work through, but the injustice around him pushes him to take a stand.

Director:

Martin Ritt

Writer:

Walter Bernstein

Stars:

Woody Allen, Zero Mostel, Herschel Bernardi

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Allen	...	Howard Prince
Zero Mostel	...	Hecky Brown
Herschel Bernardi	...	Phil Sussman
Michael Murphy	...	Alfred Miller
Andrea Marcovicci	...	Florence Barrett
Remak Ramsay	...	Francis X. Hennessey
Marvin Lichterman	...	Myer Prince
Lloyd Gough	...	Herbert Delaney
David Margulies	...	William Phelps
Joshua Shelley	...	Sam - Resort Operator
Norman Rose	...	Howard's Attorney
Charles Kimbrough	...	Committee Counselor
Josef Sommer	...	Committee Chairman (as M. Josef Sommer)
Danny Aiello	...	Danny LaGattuta
Georgann Johnson	...	T.V. Interviewer

Storyline

In the early 1950s Howard Prince, who works in a restaurant, helps out a black-listed writer friend by selling a TV station a script under his own name. The money is useful in paying off gambling debts, so he takes on three more such clients. Howard is politically pretty innocent, but involvement with Florence - who quits TV in disgust over things - and friendship with the show's ex-star - now himself blacklisted - make him start to think about what is really going on.

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Plot Keywords:

huaac | blacklist | hollywood blacklist | 1953 | friend | 

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Taglines:

America's Most Unlikely Hero.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

January 1977 (Austria)

Also Known As:

El testaferro

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Devon/Persky-Bright, Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film opens with a selection of black-and-white film clips from the early 1950s. These include, according to the "McCarthyism and the Movies" website, "Senator Joe B. McCarthy's wedding, bombing raids on Korea and a family entering a backyard air raid shelter".

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Goofs

When Howard and Florence are walking down a NYC street c. 1953, a woman wearing 1970s fashions can be seen.

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Quotes

Howard's Attorney: This friend of yours, Alfred Miller...
Howard Prince: We went to school together.
Howard's Attorney: And you had no idea that he was a Communist?
Howard Prince: He was only 12.

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Crazy Credits

During the credits the people involved with the movie who were blacklisted are listed along with the year they were blacklisted.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood on Trial (1976)

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Soundtracks

Daisy Bell
(uncredited)
Written by Harry Dacre
[played during Old Gold commercial]

User Reviews

A film that looks HUAC straight in the eye and doesn't flinch

The Front tells the story of an average Joe Loser whose friend, a blacklisted television writer asks for his identity so he can continue working. Thus begins not only an acceptable scam, but a personal odyssey for this man, played by Woody Allen. He begins to be become a `front' for other blacklisted writers as well, presenting their material as his own. His evolution is such that while he began to do this mainly for his own profit, he ends up taking a stand on behalf of the blacklisted artists he knows and along the way, finding his own relevance in life.

While starring Woody Allen, the film was directed by Martin Ritt, a blacklisted artist himself. Additionally, it featured a blacklisted writer and several blacklisted actors, including Zero Mostel. There are definite comedic moments in the film, but they are generally limited to a line or the facial expression of a character, therefore I consider this to be a largely dramatic film. (Albeit light drama). Making a comedy about HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) and the Hollywood Blacklist is like offering a comedy about the Salem Witch Trails. Both events involved the destruction of the lives of the victims due to the paranoia and hysteria of their contemporary societies and neither subject is comic fodder.

Of the films centering on HUAC that I have seen, The Front is by far the most representative and most meaningful I have seen to date. The Front is a very important chronicle of a dark period in 20th century history and deserves the many accolades it has received.

--Shelly