The Front (1976)

7.3PG95 minDirector: Martin Ritt

1976 American drama film by Martin Ritt

The Front is a 1976 American drama film set against the Hollywood blacklist in the 1950s, when artists, writers, directors, and others were rendered unemployable, having been accused of subversive political activities in support of Communism or of being Communists themselves. It was written by Walter Bernstein, directed by Martin Ritt, and stars Woody Allen, Zero Mostel and Michael Murphy.

Several people involved in the making of the film—including screenwriter Bernstein, director Ritt, and actors Mostel, Herschel Bernardi, and Lloyd Gough—had been blacklisted. The end credits list the year they were blacklisted alongside their respective credits. Bernstein was listed after being named in the Red Channels journal that identified alleged Communists and Communist sympathizers.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Front about?
The Front (1976) — In the early 1950s Howard Prince, who works in a restaurant, helps out a black-listed writer friend by selling a TV station a script under his own name. The money is useful in paying off gambling debts, so he takes on three more such clients. Howard is politically pretty innocent
Is The Front based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Front scary?
Content rating: PG. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.