A Critical Analysis on the Front Page

A Critical Analysis on The Front Page

by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur

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The theatrical production The Front Page, written in 1927 by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, is a melodrama that depicts the constant tensions between the newspapers and city officials in Chicago during the 1920’s. This rendition of The Front Page was performed at the Paul Green Theatre on October 18, 2005. The play is designed to reflect on the authors’ experiences as reporters in the city of Chicago. During the 1920’s, this city had over a dozen newspaper publications which discussed the widespread crime and violence that was generally traced back to Prohibition. It is believed that the actions of Prohibition actually encouraged crime and corruption in the United States. Many important city officials, such as policeman and judges, were often paid to ignore violations regarding this law. The authors of The Front Page use the characters and the setting to address prominent circumstances throughout this famous time period in American history.

The Front Page explores the trials and tribulations of news reporters during the 1920’s in Chicago. It details the events of several news reporters and their ambitions to be the first reporter to have the front page story concerning the hanging of a suspect, Earl Williams. All of the elements of the production relate back to the historic relevance in this time period.

The Front Page only includes one scene and it takes place in the Press Room of the Criminal Courts Building in Chicago, 1927. The director of the play, Gene Saks, is successful in combining the setting and the scenery to portray the intentions of the authors’. The Press Room is furnished with antique-looking brown wooden furniture. The actors sit around a rectangular wooden table with six chairs. The director also makes use of old-age telephones that require the use of the mouthpiece for speaking and listening and also the use of the operator in order to connect. There is a desk in the corner, which also maintains an antique appearance. Another item that suggests the time period is a banjo, which is played by news reporters throughout the scene, often providing comic relief. The director also maintains the historic time period throughout his careful usage of the costumes worn by the actors. The news reporters dress in tan suits and wear top hats. The women in the scene wear old-fashioned dresses that are highly covering of their bodies, as well as traditional hats. The directors’ careful uses of scenery and costume apparel accurately depict the setting of a Chicago Press Room in the 1920’s.

Throughout the characters, all of the actions in the Press Room reinforce the authors’ aim in displaying the constant drama that made Chicago in the 1920’s a good place to be a news reporter. The director is careful in ensuring that he carries out the characters in such a way that their mannerisms, actions, and speech reflect the time period established by the authors. The main character of The Front Page, Hildy Johnson, is captivated by the audience whenever in the set. Hildy is torn between the two loves of his life, his “girl” Peggy, as he refers to her, as well as his undying love for the newspaper. His energy and high spirits make him the center of attention and his indecisiveness keeps the audience guessing throughout the play, providing both humor and drama.

Hildy’s boss, and the editor of the newspaper, Walter Burns, supplies suspense to the melodrama through his manipulation of Hildy. Walter is involved in a secret fight with Peggy to win over Hildy in his internal tear between his girlfriend and the newspaper. Walter mirrors a greedy, money lover in the 1920’s. He is always willing to pay somebody for a good news story and his reason for living is to beat the other papers to the top story. For example, when Hildy captures the escaped inmate, Earl Williams, Walter demands Hildy to keep the inmate hidden until he gets to the Press Room so that they can claim the reward money together and write a front page story.

The sheriff and the mayor provide an interpretation of the political shenanigans prevalent in the 1920’s and also portray the balance between the press and the government