Overview
A man unwittingly becomes a pawn in a political game while trying to help his friends.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- uneasy
- sardonic
- classic film night
- history themed viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly recognized the film's comic accessibility and strong performances while finding its treatment of McCarthyism oversimplified and politically superficial.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Howard Prince's accidental role as a front makes the blacklist accessible through comic misunderstanding and escalating responsibility.
The story centers on blacklisted television writers, front authors, and the entertainment industry's fear during McCarthyism.
Howard initially accepts money to pay gambling debts but becomes increasingly aware of the human cost of the blacklist.
Howard sells scripts under his own name while the actual writers are denied professional recognition and income.
Films like The Front, and why
Good Night, and Good Luck.
shared blacklisting-era political drama, comic framing, and concern with artistic integrity
The Crucible
shared McCarthy-era repression, principled resistance, and historical workplace tension
Trumbo
shared entertainment-industry setting, political pressure, and morally awakening protagonist
Movie Details
- Director
- Martin Ritt
- Release Date
- 1976-09-30
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (186)
Cast
- Woody Allen
- Zero Mostel
- Herschel Bernardi
- Michael Murphy
- Andrea Marcovicci
- Remak Ramsay
- Marvin Lichterman
- Lloyd Gough
- David Margulies
- Joshua Shelley
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Front about?
- A politically naïve restaurant worker becomes the public face of blacklisted television writers and is forced to confront the human cost of McCarthyism.
- What is The Front like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Front as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Front violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Front.
- What did critics think of The Front?
- Critics broadly recognized the film's comic accessibility and strong performances while finding its treatment of McCarthyism oversimplified and politically superficial.
- Which films are like The Front?
- Films with a similar feel include Good Night, and Good Luck., The Crucible, and Trumbo.
- How long is The Front?
- The Front runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Front?
- In United States, The Front is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
