Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: 05/31/2005
SubTitles: French/Espanol
Dubbed: English/French
Sound: DDM2.0
Run Time: 105 Minutes
Flags: Not For Children, Profanity
Distributor/Studio: Universal Studios

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

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Cast:
Jack Lemmon - Hildy Johnson
Walter Matthau - Walter Burns
Carol Burnett - Mollie Malloy
Susan Sarandon - Peggy Grant
Vincent Gardenia - Sheriff
David Wayne - Bensinger

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

The Paper
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1974 Golden Globe