The Front Page | Essays and Criticism

  • The Role of Women

    In this essay, Petrusso examines the role of women in The Front Page.

  • Headline Hunting

    Brustein reviews a 1987 revival of Hecht and MacArthur’s play at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre in New York. Finding that the play’s potent message has endured, the critic offers a favorable review of The Front Page.

  • Low Life in Chicago

    While finding some fault in the casting of the lead roles, this critic still contends that The Front Page has endured as a powerful dramatic work, one that is borne out in this 1986 revival.

  • His Girl Friday in the Cell: A Case Study of Theatre-to-Film Adaptation

    In the following essay, Smith probes the transformation of lead character Hildy Johnson from a male role to a female role by film director Howard Hawks.

  • Gentlemen of the Press

    Brown reviews a 1946 production of The Front Page, appraising the play as a ‘‘lusty’’ piece of writing that accurately captures the era it seeks to portray.