Spéciale première

Original title: The Front Page

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Pat O'Brien, Mary Brian, and Adolphe Menjou in Spéciale première (1931)

Dark Comedy Satire Screwball Comedy Comedy Crime Drama Mystery Romance

A crusading newspaper editor tricks his retiring star reporter into covering one last case.A crusading newspaper editor tricks his retiring star reporter into covering one last case.A crusading newspaper editor tricks his retiring star reporter into covering one last case.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

3.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 4 wins & 3 nominations total

Photos34

+ 28

Top cast29

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Adolphe Menjou

Walter Burns

Pat O'Brien

Hildy Johnson

Mary Brian

Peggy Grant

Edward Everett Horton

Bensinger

Walter Catlett

Murphy
(as Walter L. Catlett)

George E. Stone

Earl Williams

Mae Clarke

Molly

Slim Summerville

Pincus

Matt Moore

Kruger

Frank McHugh

McCue

Clarence Wilson

Sheriff Hartman
(as Clarence H. Wilson)

Fred Howard

Schwartz
(as Freddie Howard)

Phil Tead

Wilson

Eugene Strong

Endicott
(as Gene Strong)

Spencer Charters

Woodenshoes

Maurice Black

Diamond Louie

Effie Ellsler

Mrs. Grant

Dorothea Wolbert

Jenny

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Chagrin d'amour

7.4

Grande dame d'un jour

7.3

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6.7

La foire aux illusions

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La vie privée d'Henry VIII

7.3

Spéciale première

7.1

Le lieutenant souriant

6.6

The Racket

7.0

La Citadelle

6.7

La divorcée

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The last line of the stage play had to be partly obliterated in the film version by the sound of a typewriter being accidentally struck because the censors --even of that day--wouldn't allow the phrase "son-of-a-bitch" to be used in a movie.

Goofs
(at around 1h 9 mins) Hildy types furiously at a typewriter; however, with his right hand he only uses his index finger and pushes the same key over and over again.

Quotes
Irving Pincus: Can we help it if the people rise to support this administration's stand against the Red menace!
Sheriff Hartman: Personified by Mr. Earl Williams. The guy who loses his job he's held for 14 years, joins a parade of unemployed, and, because he's goofy from lack of food, waves a red handkerchief.
Irving Pincus: Williams is a dangerous radical! And he killed a policeman.
Jimmy Murphy: Williams is a poor bird who had the tough luck to kill a colored policeman in a town where the colored vote counts!

Crazy credits
The end credits consist of Walter and Hildy above a big 'THE END,' covering a large question mark, while the sound of the train is heard and music plays. There is also laughter, presumably coming from Walter Burns.

Connections
Featured in Sprockets: Ready When You Are... (1991)

Soundtracks
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
(1909) (uncredited)
Music by Gus Edwards
Played on banjo early in the film

User reviews53

Featured review

8/10

Great Acting, Noble Motives but Who's the Girl?

While the staging was limited, the acting was believable and the camera work was great for the technology available. After watching "Front Page" again after watching "Girl Friday", I was struck by the original's emphasis on the role of the newspaper in revealing political corruption. But, the question remains, who's the girl? Not the actress but the girl in the picture hanging on the wall in back of Adolph Menjou's head during the final scenes... Since the movie was released in 1931, it can't be Jane Russell. She's to busty to be Katherine Hepburn (Howard Hughes' friend). The only reason I noticed it was that she appears nude and Howard Hughes probably put it there to see if the 'censors' would notice.