The Front
                  
Director: Martin Ritt
Year: 1976
Rating: 7.0
This seems an appropriate time to revisit this film. A reminder that we have been through this shit before. That civilized people in suits can be monsters. That many just go along. That many believe the lies and the hate speech. Yes, we are there again when the government is asking people to inform on others. When fanatics with an agenda run over people, destroy innocent lives. When people who know better, stay quiet. And I have no doubt that we will also look back on this period with shame. As we now do, the era of the Hollywood Blacklist. Fanatics, cowards and the gullible informally put a large number of Hollywood actors, directors, producers and writers on a list that made it impossible for them to get work. Whispered that they were Red or sympathetic to Communism. Destroyed them with a few words to the right people. In the 1930s, it had been almost fashionable to be on the Left when the country was in the middle of the Great Depression - capitalism was failing - and years later, a signed petition, a meeting attended could get you on the list. Unless you named names. Became an informer on your fellow actors and friends. Many did, many didn't.



This film approaches this subject initially in a mildly comedic manner but slowly pushes it towards tragedy and a political statement. It is directed by Martin Ritt and scripted by Walter Bernstein who were both blacklisted for years. Bernstein was able to continue writing scripts though by using other people - fronts - the subject of this film. Ritt taught at the Actors Studio for five years to support himself after being blacklisted. So, it is personal for these guys, but they stay far away from making it polemic. It is sweet, funny in moments and sad - and it stars Woody Allen in one of the few films in which he neither wrote nor directed. But he still plays the same sort of character he often did. Bernstein and Ritt clearly had Allen in mind for the character. A bit of a nobody - smart, fast of mouth but ignorant of everything around him but the horses that he bets on - and usually loses.



He plays Howard Prince, a cashier in a restaurant when his friend from elementary school, Alfred Miller (Michael Murphy) asks him for a favor. Miller is a successful TV writer but has found himself suddenly on the outs because of his progressive views.  He needs Prince to pretend to write scripts and be paid by the TV station for them. He will get 10%. It works like a gem - Prince is able to pass off the writings as his own - one of the producers (Andrea Marcovicci) falls for him and he adds two more writers (one who was blacklisted). He is suddenly a star, hailed for his writing and he likes it. The main producer is played by Herschel Bernardi - also blacklisted - and the star is played by the great Zero Mostel, also blacklisted. In the film he is blacklisted again. It is this that sucks the comedy out of the film and makes it serious. These were real people who were destroyed. Allen is surprisingly good as he evolves from schlep to a man of conscious. Something sadly lacking in our politics today.