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ComedyCrimeDramaRomance

The Front Page

- A Picture That Has Cracked This Shock-Proof Town Wide Open!

Hildy Johnson is an investigative reporter looking for a bigger paycheck. When an accused murderer escapes from custody, Hildy sees an opportunity for the story of a lifetime. But when he finds the criminal, he learns that the man may not be guilty. With the help of his editor, Hildy attempts to hide the convict, uncover the conspiracy and write the scoop of his career.

Release Date : 1931-04-04

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : The Caddo Company

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Pat O’Brien

Character Name : Hildy Johnson

Original Name : Pat O’Brien

Gender : Male

Adolphe Menjou

Character Name : Walter Burns

Original Name : Adolphe Menjou

Gender : Male

Mary Brian

Character Name : Peggy Grant

Original Name : Mary Brian

Gender : Female

Edward Everett Horton

Character Name : Bensinger

Original Name : Edward Everett Horton

Gender : Male

Walter Catlett

Character Name : Murphy

Original Name : Walter Catlett

Gender : Male

George E. Stone

Character Name : Earl Williams

Original Name : George E. Stone

Gender : Male

Mae Clarke

Character Name : Molly

Original Name : Mae Clarke

Gender : Female

Slim Summerville

Character Name : Pincus

Original Name : Slim Summerville

Gender : Male

Matt Moore

Character Name : Kruger

Original Name : Matt Moore

Gender : Male

Frank McHugh

Character Name : McCue

Original Name : Frank McHugh

Gender : Male

Clarence Wilson

Character Name : Sheriff Hartman

Original Name : Clarence Wilson

Gender : Male

Fred Howard

Character Name : Schwartz

Original Name : Fred Howard

Gender : Male

Phil Tead

Character Name : Wilson

Original Name : Phil Tead

Gender : Male

Eugene Strong

Character Name : Endicott

Original Name : Eugene Strong

Gender : Male

Spencer Charters

Character Name : Woodenshoes

Original Name : Spencer Charters

Gender : Male

Maurice Black

Character Name : Diamond Louie

Original Name : Maurice Black

Gender : Male

Effie Ellsler

Character Name : Mrs. Grant

Original Name : Effie Ellsler

Gender : Female

Dorothea Wolbert

Character Name : Jenny

Original Name : Dorothea Wolbert

Gender : Female

James Gordon

Character Name : The Mayor

Original Name : James Gordon

Gender : Male

Herman J. Mankiewicz

Character Name : (Undetermined Secondary Role)

Original Name : Herman J. Mankiewicz

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-02-10

Newspaper man "Hildy" (Pat O'Brien) is heading to New York with his fiancée "Peggy" (Mary Brian) to take a better paid job in the advertising world. His editor "Burns" (Adolphe Menjou) has one last story for him to cover and has to play quite a clever game to ensure that his best reporter takes on the story. It's all about convicted killer "Earle Williams" (George E. Stone) who manages to escape from death row. "Hildy" spends his honeymoon fund to tap up an insider and to track down the man - only to conclude that maybe he didn't actually commit the crime for which he is to hang, after all. He now concocts a clever plan to hide the man - in a bureau, whilst he and his editor try to get to the bottom of the real crime. With the sheriff getting ever closer and with his fellow press hounds on the trail too, what now ensues is a quickly paced and fast-talking look at press journalism. Most of them are hacks, making up what they don't know, safe in the knowledge that the only scrutiny will come should the circulation drop. There are a few pithy one-liners too - not least from a recent visitor to the grotty prison who wonders how the prisoners stay alive long enough to be hung! What does work here is the cynicism. The writing takes a swipe at just about everyone from the press to the police; the courts and the system. Corruption and back-handers are rife up and down the greasy pole and the humour here is a little more sophisticated than in your face. I did find, however, that there is way too much dialogue and the investigative elements border on the farce a little too much for my liking, but it's still a cleverly constructed story of cats, mice and balls of wool that shows off the talents of the often under-rated Menjou well.