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The Front

The Front

America's most unlikely hero.

197695 minPGMidcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Director
Martin Ritt
Starring
Woody Allen, Zero Mostel, Herschel Bernardi, Michael Murphy

A cashier poses as a writer for blacklisted talents to submit their work through, but the injustice around him pushes him to take a stand.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Front?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Front to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Front?

The Front earns 3 badges, led by Top 10% in Drama and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Front worth watching?

The Front's Midcredits score is the 88th percentile of all films, from 18K ratings across 4 sources. 79% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

88th percentile

Better received than 88% of films

90th percentile among Drama88th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)84th
Approval (how many liked it)89th

72 /100

84th percentile of all films

87th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

79% liked it

89th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Drama91st percentile among 1970s
79% rated it 7–1021% rated it 1–6

Critics 67% · Audience 74%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 5 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture - Female

Reach

How many have seen it

83rd percentile

18K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Drama88th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a sincere, if sometimes uneven, account of the Hollywood blacklist era, with a standout performance by Zero Mostel.

Fans praised

  • Zero Mostel's heartbreaking performance as blacklisted comic
  • authentic depiction of blacklist by those who lived it
  • Woody Allen's effective dramatic turn

Detractors panned

  • heavy-handed one-sided portrayal of victims
  • tone uneven between comedy and drama
  • romantic subplot feels forced and implausible

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

Mostel's tragic turn praised as career-best; Allen's dramatic departure noted

Emotional impactDivisive80

Mostel's tragedy and final testimony powerfully moving

CharactersDivisive65

Prince's everyman arc compelling but supporting roles seen as one-dimensional

Plot and storyDivisive60

Raises historical awareness but lacks narrative depth

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Front like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something serious and affecting.

It has a few laughs and leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseAbsurdMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats the blacklist with gravity while allowing Woody Allen's character wry humour, but never mocks the victims.
The rideThe mood balances tension over the blacklist threat with absurdist comedy, becoming more melancholic as consequences unfold.
StructureConventional linear narrative following Howard's gradual involvement with the blacklist.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you outraged at the blacklist's injustice but inspired by Howard's defiant stand, prompting reflection on complicity and courage.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeHoward Prince, an apolitical cashier, becomes a front for blacklisted writers and gradually awakens to the injustice, ultimately taking a moral stand against the oppressive blacklist system.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of filmsSurvival
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines the injustice of the Hollywood blacklist and the moral compromises people make to survive or resist it.
StanceThe film satirizes the absurdity and injustice of the blacklist while taking the harm it caused seriously.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Dave Grusin
SettingHollywood blacklist era in New York television
MusicGrusin's score blends period-appropriate orchestral cues with subtle jazz inflections.

Content guide

Is The Front okay for kids?

PG

The Front is rated PG. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (8/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at moderate (56/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (22/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • AustraliaM
  • Ireland12
  • JapanG
  • Hungary18
  • SpainTP
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (17 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Front have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Front?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Woody Allen
as Howard Prince
Zero Mostel
as Hecky Brown
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Herschel Bernardi
as Phil Sussman
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Michael Murphy
as Alfred Miller
Andrea Marcovicci
as Florence Barrett
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Remak Ramsay
as Francis Hennessey
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Marvin Lichterman
as Myer Prince
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Lloyd Gough
as Herbert Delaney
David Margulies
as William Phelps
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Joshua Shelley
as Sam
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Front?

Movies like The Front include Stan & Ollie (2018), Trumbo (2015) and Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005). Of the 10 closest matches, several are stories about writers, and several are redemption stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Front?

1.7K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: partners in crime. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.