The Front Page
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.36 You Save: $7.62 (59%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.84 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Front Page
Movie Review: Pleased with item and Amazon
Summary: 5 Stars
Very pleased with the DVD [Front Desk] and the service I received from Amazon.
Carlos Bonner
Movie Review: It works well even if it doesn't exceed any expectations...
Summary: 4 Stars
Critics had mixed feelings about this 1974 newspaper comedy starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. I too have them. The fact is that `The Front Page' works, at times very well, but in the end the truth remains that it never exceeds its limitations. It never becomes something great, rather sufficing to stay merely good.
Hey, that's better than being content with mediocre.
So, in the film Hildy Johnson is Walter Burns best reporter, but when Hildy wants to quit so he can move and get married, Walter loses it. He needs Hildy to stay, at least for a little while, since the biggest story they'd ever get is just about to break; but Hildy is determined. So Walter maneuvers things so that Hildy is basically forced to stay and cover the story; and when actions within their own building force the action inside, well then there is no way that Hildy is going to let just any other reporter steal his thunder.
Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are an undeniably impenetrable team. They work very, very well off one another and it shows in every scene they share. Sadly, Matthau isn't in a lot of the movie. He's absent through a lot of the middle, surfacing on a few telephone conversations really, and then he makes a larger appearance at the end of the film. This is one of the rare times where I feel Matthau upstages Lemmon, so I was saddened to see so little of him. Lemmon is great here, but Matthau is slightly better. The cast is rather diverse, so much so that I was really expecting great things. What I got was a lot of good things, but nothing really jumped out at me as spectacular. Susan Sarandon is sorely underused, but she had yet to really prove herself as an actress (and what an actress!); and Carol Burnett is far below her own standards (even she has reportedly panned her own performance). I was really looking forward to Vincent Gardenia and Charles Durning, but neither of them wowed me like I was hoping. Gardenia has his moments, and is probably the most entertaining of the supporting players, but he never really capitalizes on his character. Durning is nothing but background noise, which is sad because he's probably my favorite supporting actor of the 70's. He could have really done so much more, but they gave his so little.
I know that last paragraph sounds like one long complaint, but seriously it is a minor one when you look at the overall picture. It is a good film. It is funny and entertaining; the point I was trying to make is that it never becomes more than that. It's just simple fun entertainment.
There's nothing wrong with that; right?
Movie Review: 'The Front Page' pleases with smart humor
Summary: 4 Stars
If you are a journalism nerd or just enjoy a good laugh, "The Front Page" is a good choice. The movie is set in 1920s Chicago follows the story of Hildy Johnson (Jack Lemmon), who is the top reporter for newspaper editor Walter Burns (Walter Matthau). Hildy decides he wants to get out of the newspaper business and get married, but Walter doesn't want to lose his ace just as the biggest story of the year breaks out.
The laughs are many, but only if you listen to the banter between the characters because there isn't a lot of physical humor.
Also, from a journalism standpoint, it does provide an interesting look at what journalism was like, even if it is exaggerated a great deal.
From my standpoint, it was kind of fun to see Lemmon and Matthau when they were younger, too. They are a great, comedic duo.
I recommend this movie, but remember, you have to pay attention a little to get all the jokes and appreciated the cleverness.
Movie Review: Okay, but not as good as the original or first remake...
Summary: 3 Stars
This is the remake of a remake. The original "Front Page" (1931) was a great movie. It was remade in 1940 as "His Girl Friday." This 1974 remake is not quite as good as the original or the first remake, but is 10 times better than the 1988 remake ("Switching Channels"). The main problem with this movie is that the attempt at "adding jokes" distracts away from humorous situations. Carol Burnett's performance as the killer's girlfriend is absolutely horrible. All that aside, it is still an entertaining story, but stick to the original or the 1940's remake.Movie Review: Now in Widescreen
Summary: 3 Stars
Kudos to Universal for reissuing "The Front Page" in wide screen (and enhanced for 16x9 televisions). The first DVD version, released in 2001, was in full screen. "The Front Page" may not be the best version of this story ("His Girl Friday") but it isn't the worst either ("Switching Channels"). And any film directed by Billy Wilder and featuring the team of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau is worth a look.