FRONT PAGE (DVD) DVD

The Front Page
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, All Movie Guide

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

Crew Henry Bumstead - Art Director Burton Miller - Costume Designer Howard Kazanjian - First Assistant Director Billy Wilder - Director Carey Loftin - Second Unit Director Ralph Winters - Editor Billy May - Composer (Music Score) Billy May - Musical Direction/Supervision Buddy G. DeSylva - Songwriter Ray Henderson - Songwriter Jordan S. Cronenweth - Cinematographer Paul Monash - Producer Jennings Lang - Producer James W. Payne - Set Designer Robert Martin - Sound/Sound Designer Jesse Wayne - Stunts I.A.L. Diamond - Screenwriter Billy Wilder - Screenwriter Lew Brown - Featured Music Ben Hecht - Play Author

The Front Page
By 1974, cinematic standards regarding profanity had relaxed enough that a dialogue-faithful version of the famous play The Front Page could finally hit the screen. Legendary director Billy Wilder, with his quick wit, impeccable sense of timing, and masterful blend of cynicism and romance, seemed the natural choice for the assignment of bringing this classic to the screen, and he certainly made wise casting decisions for most of the roles. But what seemed like a perfect picture on paper somehow ended up somewhat disappointing. The end result is a good and entertaining picture, but not the one-of-a-kind experience it should have been. Wilder deserves most of the blame, for the picture rarely achieves the consistent comic madness it calls out for. Jack Lemmon's performance is also somewhat problematic; he's good, but a trifle too restrained, especially in comparison with Walter Matthau's dead-on, memorably over-the-top interpretation. Matthau is better matched by Austin Pendleton's excellent revolutionary with a fondness for putting "Free Sacco and Vanzetti" messages inside of fortune cookies. Vincent Gardenia and Martin Gabel are also very entertaining, but Carol Burnett is badly miscast as a two-dollar whore with the reliable heart of gold. Although not up to the efforts of Wilder's peak period, The Front Page still has moments of the director's magic touch. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
 

Jack Lemmon: Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Com (nominated) Walter Matthau: Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Com (nominated)

Golden Globe, Best Picture - Musical or Comedy (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: French, Spanish Sound Processing: DDM2.0: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (Recorded in mono, but split to give the illusion of a stereo mix on home theater systems). Additional Features: none specified DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1: Cinemascope MPAA Rating: PG DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 105 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Sentenced to Hang (Main Titles) [7:20] 2. No Hard Feelings [7:03] 3. On Probation [6:57] 4. Gentlemen of the Press [5:33] 5. Law & Order [7:54] 6. Prisoner Escape [7:00] 7. Suspect Statement [4:27] 8. An Exclusive [5:38] 9. Shoot to Kill [4:28] 10. I've Got Him! [3:57] 11. Breaking News! [9:04] 12. Leap of Love [6:35] 13. Give Me Everything You Got [8:12] 14. Aiding and Abetting [5:59] 15. Take Them Away [4:06] 16. All in a Night's Work [4:59] 17. Catch that Train [4:26] 18. End Titles [:51]