The Front Page
Billy Wilder's version of the classic play carries a lot of fond memories for former newspapermen like myself, but I don't expect The Front Page to resonate quite so well with the rest of the populace. Lemmon plays it straight as a reporter bent on getting out of the business in order to get married while Matthau's hilariously over-the-top editor does everything in his power to keep him on the payroll during a fantastic jailbreak in 1920s Chicago. It drags in the middle, but a good first act and a stellar finale make the movie completely worthwhile.
Rating
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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Read Heroes of filmcritic.com: Billy Wilder
- Director: Billy Wilder
- Producer: Paul Monash
- Screenwriter: Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond
- Stars: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Susan Sarandon, Vincent Gardenia, David Wayne, Allen Garfield, Austin Pendleton, Charles Durning
- MPAA Rating: PG
- Year of Release: 1974
- Released on Video: 08/21/1980
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