History Film / TheFrontPage

There have been two films called ''The Front Page'', both adaptations of the 1929 play of the same name. The first was released in 1931 and the second was released in 1974.

Walter Burns, editor of the ''Chicago Examiner'', wants IntrepidReporter Hildebrand "Hildy" Johnson to cover the execution of convicted murderer Earl Williams--but Hildy announces that he's quitting the newspaper business, getting married, and moving to Philadelphia. Burns promptly sets out to lure Hildy back, mainly by sabotaging his engagement to the [[DisposableFiance sweet but bland]] Peggy. Then, when Hildy goes to the courthouse to say goodbye to the other reporters, Williams escapes, and Hildy [[GoingForTheBigScoop gets drawn back into the game]] as he senses a lead and starts uncovering the political machinations behind Williams's arrest and pending execution.

The 1931 film was directed by Lewis Milestone and starred Adolphe Menjou as Walter and Pat O'Brien as Hildy. It was produced by Creator/HowardHughes. The 1974 adaptation was directed by Creator/BillyWilder, and starred Creator/WalterMatthau as Walter and Creator/JackLemmon as Hildy, in one of [[ThoseTwoActors the ten films]] they starred in together. A young Creator/SusanSarandon also appeared as Hildy's dull fiancee Peggy.

Besides being made twice under this title, the story has been remade two more times under different titles. The 1940 classic ''Film/HisGirlFriday'' did a GenderFlip, casting Rosalind Russell as a female Hildy Johnson, and making Walter (Creator/CaryGrant) her ex-husband as well as her old boss. ''The Front Page'' was remade yet again as ''Switching Channels'' in 1988, which updated the story from newspapers to TV and starred Burt Reynolds and Kathleen Turner.

* BatmanGambit: In the 1974 adaptation Burns assigns an inept cub reporter to replace Hildy, knowing that Hildy won't be able to stand by and let the kid mess up.

* BringMyBrownPants: In the 1974 adaptaton the new ''Examiner'' reporter "did a bad thing in [his] pants" when the guards start shooting during Williams' breakout. This spoils a key photograph of Earl Williams due to wet film.

* ChekhovsGun: Bensinger's desk, and the governor's reprieve for Williams. Also Walter's signal of tapping the desk three times to check on Willliams--when Walter does this by accident Williams is exposed.

* GroinAttack: When Dr. Eggelhofer gets Williams to re-enact the shooting, Williams winds up shooting him in the groin. After operating on himself at the hospital (he doesn't trust American doctors), Dr. Eggelhofer publishes ''[[TheJoyOfX The Joy of Impotence]].'' (1974 film)

* AudienceMurmurs: Lampshaded. After Hildy insists to his fiancée that he's in the press room saying goodbye to his friends, he says "Can't you fellas say something?" They respond with sarcastic nonverbal murmurs.

* ChekhovsGun: Bensinger's desk, and the governor's reprieve for Williams. Also Walter's signal of tapping the desk three times to check on Willliams--when another person does this by accident Williams is exposed.

* HallOfMirrors: A throwaway gag when the entrance to Hildy's apartment in the 1931 film is shown to be one of these.

* HypocriticalHumor: In the 1931 film, the reports who relentlessly slut-shame poor Molly have pictures of naked women on the wall.

* IronicJuxtaposition: The 1931 film opens with a large bag of flour that is labeled "Sunshine Flower--Insures Domestic Happiness." The camera zooms out to reveal that the bag of flour is being used as a weight to test a gallows.

* ProductPlacement: InUniverse in the 1931 film. Bensinger has taken a payoff from the restaurant that provided Earl Williams' last meal, which requires him to name the restaurant in his story.
* RoundTableShot: The 1931 film has a variation on this in which, instead of the camera spinning around to capture the people at the table, it follows Hildy and Walter as they walk around the table. They circle the table at least twice as Walter puts on the hard sell and gets Hildy to forget about his impending marriage as they get excited about bringing the mayor and the sheriff down.

* {{Streetwalker}}: Molly Malloy, Earl Wlliams' only friend, identifies herself as this in the 1931 film.

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: This is how we learn that Hildy left Peggy and ended up as Managing Editor of the ''Examiner'' (1974 film).

* AudenceMurmurs: Lampshaded. After Hildy insists to his fiancée that he's in the press room saying goodbye to his friends, he says "Can't you fellas say something?" They respond with sarcastic nonverbal murmurs.

* ChekhovsGun: Bensinger's desk, and the governor's reprieve for Williams.

* GroinAttack: When Dr. Eggelhofer gets Williams to re-enact the shooting, Williams winds up shooting him in the groin. After operating on himself at the hospital (he doesn't trust American doctors), Dr. Eggelhofer publishes ''[[TheJoyOfX The Joy of Impotence]].''

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: This is how we learn that Hildy left Peggy and ended up as Managing Editor of the ''Examiner''.

The 1931 film was directed by Lewis Milestone and starred Adolphe Menjou as Walter and Pat O'Brien as Hildy. It was produced by Creator/HowardHughes. The 1974 adaptation was directed by Creator/BillyWilder, and starred Creator/WalterMatthau as Walter and Creator/JackLemmon as Hildy, in one of [[ThoseTwoActors the ten films]] they starred in together. A young Creator/SusanSarandon as Hildy's dull fiancee Peggy.

The 1931 film was directed by Lewis Milestone and starred Adolphe Menjou as Walter and Pat O'Brien as Hildy. The 1974 adaptation was directed by Creator/BillyWilder, and starred Creator/WalterMatthau as Walter and Creator/JackLemmon as Hildy, in one of [[ThoseTwoActors the ten films]] they starred in together. A young Creator/SusanSarandon as Hildy's dull fiancee Peggy.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/front_page_ver3_666.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''[[Theatre/TheOddCouple "Can two divorced men work in a newspaper office without driving each other crazy?"]]'']]

There have been two films called '''''The Front Page''''', both adaptations of the 1929 play of the same name. The first was released in 1931 and the second was released in 1974.

The 1931 film was directed by Lewis Milestone and starred Adolphe Menjou as Walter and Pat O'Brien as Hildy. The 1974 adaptation was directed by Creator/BillyWilder, and starred Creator/WalterMatthau as Walter and Jack Lemmon as Hildy, in one of [[ThoseTwoActors the ten films]] they starred in together. A young Creator/SusanSarandon as Hildy's dull fiancee Peggy.

Besides being made twice under this title, the story has been remade two more times under different titles. The 1940 classic ''Film/HisGirlFriday'' did a GenderFlip, casting Rosalind Russell as a female Hildy Johnson, and making Walter (Creator/CaryGrant) her ex-husband as well as her old boss. ''The Front Page'' was remade yet again as ''Switching Channels'' in 1988, which updated the story from newspapers to TV.

There have been two films called ''The Front Page'', both adaptations of the 1929 play of the same name. The first was released in 1931 and the second was released in 1974.

The 1931 film was directed by Lewis Milestone and starred Adolphe Menjou as Walter and Pat O'Brien as Hildy. The 1974 adaptation was directed by Creator/BillyWilder, and starred Walter Matthau as Walter, Jack Lemmon as Hildy, in one of [[ThoseTwoActors the ten films]] they starred in together. A young Creator/SusanSarandon as Hildy's dull fiancee Peggy.

The 1931 film was directed by Lewis Milestone and starred Adolphe Menjou as Walter and Pat O'Brien as Hildy. The 1974 adaptation was directed by Creator/BillyWilder, and starred Walter Matthaw as Walter, Jack Lemmon as Hildy, in one of [[ThoseTwoActors the ten films]] they starred in together. Susan Sarandon as Hildy's dull fiancee Peggy.

* BatmanGambit: Burns assigns an inept cub reporter to replace Hildy, knowing that Hildy won't be able to stand by and let the kid mess up.

* BringMyBrownPants: The new ''Examiner'' reporter "did a bad thing in [his] pants" when the guards start shooting during Williams' breakout. This spoils a key photograph of Earl Williams due to wet film.

* DisposableFiance: Peggy.

* MarriedToTheJob: The core conflict is largely about this.

A 1974 film, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. An adaptation of the 1929 play of the same name.

Walter Burns (Matthau), editor of the ''Chicago Examiner'', wants IntrepidReporter Hildebrand "Hildy" Johnson (Lemmon) to cover the execution of convicted murderer Earl Williams--but Hildy announces that he's quitting the newspaper business, getting married, and moving to Philadelphia. Burns promptly sets out to lure Hildy back, mainly by sabotaging his engagement to the [[DisposableFiance sweet but bland]] Peggy (Susan Sarandon). Then, when Hildy goes to the courthouse to say goodbye to the other reporters, Williams escapes, and Hildy [[GoingForTheBigScoop gets drawn back into the game]] as he senses a lead and starts uncovering the political machinations behind Williams's arrest and pending execution.

''The Front Page'' is the 3rd of four film versions of the play. It was preceded by a 1931 version starring Adolphe Menjou and Pat O'Brien, and by ''HisGirlFriday'' in 1940; it was followed by ''Switching Channels'' in 1988, which updated the story from newspapers to TV.

* ChekhovsGun: Bensinger's desk, and [[spoiler: the governor's reprieve for Williams]].

* TheDanza: Walter Matthau as Walter Burns.

* LastMinuteReprieve: A messenger arrives with a reprieve for Earl Williams hours before he's scheduled to be executed (but after he escapes). The Mayor explains he can't accept a reprieve for someone not in their custody and offers the messenger a night at a brothel on his dime. [[spoiler: The Sheriff then raids that same brothel ("for the family vote") and the reprieve winds up in the cell next to Walter and Hildy, who are more than happy to see it used.]]

* TrainStationGoodbye: Walter sends off Hildy and Peggy at the station, giving Hildy his watch as a wedding gift. [[spoiler: Then he wires ahead to have Hildy arrested for stealing it.]]

* BringMyBrownPants: The new ''Examiner'' reporter "did a bad thing in [his] pants" when the guards start shooting during Williams' breakout.

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[TheOddCouple "Can two divorced men work in a newspaper office without driving each other crazy?"]]'']]

* GroinAttack: When Dr. Eggelhofer gets Williams to re-enact the shooting, Williams winds up shooting him in the groing. After operating on himself at the hospital (he doesn't trust American doctors), Dr. Eggelhofer publishes ''[[TheJoyOfX The Joy of Impotence]].''

* GroinAttack: When Dr. Eggelhofer gets Williams to re-enact the shooting, Williams winds up shooting him in the groing. After operating on himself at the hospital (he doesn't trust American doctors), Dr. Eggelhofer publishes "[[TheJoyOfX The Joy of Impotence]]."

''The Front Page'' is the 3rd of four film versions of the play. It was preceded by a 1931 version starring Adolphe Menjou and Pat O'Brien, and by HisGirlFriday in 1940; it was followed by ''Switching Channels'' in 1988, which updated the story from newspapers to TV.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[TheOddCouple Can two divorced men work in a newspaper office without driving each other crazy?
]]]]