Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #98192 in DVD
• Released on: 1998-06-17
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.com
Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht's classic newspaper comedy--about a conniving editor who talks his star reporter out of getting married long enough to cover a big story--has survived lesser adaptations than this one. (Ever see Switching Channels?) But few have been more disappointing. Billy Wilder teamed Walter Matthau (as the unscrupulous editor) and Jack Lemmon (as the fast-talking reporter), who try to get the scoop on everyone else in the story of a convicted killer who escapes on his way to the electric chair. But Matthau and Lemmon, as good as they are, succumb to the temptation to do shtick--and Carol Burnett shows up in a florid, unfunny performance as a hooker. An attempt to bottle the same lightning that struck with The Sting--but Wilder, Lemmon, and Matthau just can't do it. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews

Lemmon and Mathau are comic gold!!
"The Front Page" is a must-see for any fans of Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau! I bought the movie before I ever even saw it and I loved it! These two are as funny as ever in this comedy about two reporters who are on top of the hottest story in town. This is a great film to watch, although Carol Burnett's character was a down side to it, but you hardly even notice it with the rest of the fine cast. The DVD offers an overall good presentation of the film in standard (unfortunately not widescreen)format. Bottom line- it's worth buying, even if you've never seen it! Especially with the great price!

Now in Widescreen
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.

Great Entertainment!
In my opinion the best of the Lemmon/Matthau movies. It's everything a screwball-comedy should be: fast, funny, cynical. The cast is perfect and Wilder's direction brilliant. I liked "His Girl Friday" but "The Front Page" is even better.