The Front
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Movie Reviews of The Front
Movie Review: Biased but important reminder of a dark time
Summary: 4 Stars
I suppose first up, given some of the comments here, that it's worthwhile acknowledging that communism was a threat to the United States and the West in the 1950s, and that the CPUSA played a subversive role in supporting the foreign policy interests of the Soviet Union. How culpable were the one-time communist sympathisers in Hollywood is another matter entirely, however, and the crudity and narrow-mindedness of McCarthy was unworthy of a democratic nation. That the real danger of Soviet-style communism (both to the Americanist flagwavers and the progressive liberals and workers who understandably despised both the right and the CPUSA left) doesn't come across in this film is perhaps understandable: the personal hurt felt by all those who made it may over-ride their own sense of complicity. Unfortunate, but there you are. And it is a comedy.
As for the film itself, Allen is brilliant as Howard Prince, although once again, he seems to be playing Woody. The real star, however, is Mostel, whose bravura performance throughout puts you through the wringer with him.
The ending is ambiguous - his testimony before HUAC is supposedly carefully planned by him (without his counsel's knowledge), but instead Woody playing Woody (ie. with all the nervous tics and unfinished, stuttering sentences) gives the perhaps misleading impression that he's floundering, and therefore can leave viewers wondering whether his rebuke to the system was a political statement or merely a desperate outburst from one who was outwitted by a group of professionals.
Nevertheless, the film is v. enjoyable.
Movie Review: "It's Nice when Nice Things Happen to Nice People."
Summary: 4 Stars
This film is so good, it's important. As a rebuff against the damage dealt certain artists in the early 50's, including director Martin Ritt and writer Walter Bernstein, this is a message film, as well as a good time.
In the times of the Red Scare, when Sen. McCarthy was hunting down real and/or supposed Communist "infiltrators," those in Hollywood who had Socialist or Communist affiliations were blacklisted and unable to work. Some found others, Fronts, whose past wasn't deemed treasonouos, to put their names on scripts-as I realize now, only writers could do this-and turn the paycheck over to the real writer, for a fee.
Such is the case for Woody in this. But it is a refreshing Allen here, with a minimum of his patented neurotic persona, and some real acting. While funny and witty, the film is also menacing. We see the interrogations levelled on the accused by PI-type investigators, and the according concessions made by desperate people to compromise themselves.
A large note of awe must be directed to Zero Mostel here. Himself a victim of the witch-hunts of HUAC, his Hecky Brown is a consomate entertainer, but ultimately a destroyed man...a beautifully tragic performance.
Great film. Worthy of a history class, one willing to show the damage done by fear mongering.
Movie Review: The tyranny of the ideal
Summary: 4 Stars
I cannot recall why in conversation this movie came up as a must see but I dutifully ordered it and watched it despite my wife's distaste for anything made by someone who would marry his own daughter. I prefer to leave that late development in Woody Allen's life to those closer to the event to make such a character judgment and was interested only in the movie. I confess to realizing I had seen the movie before though the only point at which that startled my memory was the last night for Zero Mostel's character. I remember that. There are several great Woody Allen lines that might be worth keeping in a list. There is certainly the oppression of the ideal as a main focus of the plot. I can easily think of some of Slavoj Zizek's critiques from "Living in the End Times" as pertinent. The unlikely hero may have been the topic of our conversation. All in all this is certainly one of those movies one should keep in memory.Movie Review: When Hollywood went amnesiac...
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm so glad to see all those praising reviews, and just one which tells us a little more about it...
What can we say ? Communist sympathisers in the 50s depicted in the film didn't know a thing about stalinism... they all were about helping out poor people... then why not helping Eastern Europe ? Didn't those people deserve to be helped ? But no, there was no such thing as communist Europe, all those poor dumb people were liberated by the Red Army who had the politeness to stay and help them out... and the CPUSA was such a free party, which never had a nickle from Uncle Joe... what a wonderful world... and the Rosenbergs were innocent, of course... don't forget : it's only a 1971 movie. Only ?