The Front Page (1974 Billy Wilder)

I don't know what Wilder (and Universal) were doing remaking the Hecht-MacArthur classic - which Hawks had perfected as His Girl Friday - especially in 1974... he thought people needed to see it again, forgetting it was 'no classic' to begin with, and emphatically swore off remakes thereafter. Starts lumpily, but after half an hour picks up momentum and becomes enjoyable, though neither Lemmon nor Matthau are on top form, somehow (maybe they realised it wasn't delivering).

The totally treasurable Austin Pendleton is the accused man, though Carol Burnett (the tart with the heart) is overwrought. With Charles Durning, Susan Sarandon, Vincent Gardenia, David Wayne, Herb Edelman, Cliff Osmond, Paul Benedict (the man with the reprieve, also the theatre director from The Goodbye Girl). Photographed by Jordan Cronenweth and edited by Ralph Winters.

Of course it's not without its great moments, such as some of the dialogue amongst the journalists:

"Sheriff's rifle squad stormed offices of Friends of American Liberty and fired off 800 rounds of ammunition. Casualties included a water cooler, two mimeograph machines and Rufus McBride, a deaf janitor."

"During the shoot-out, Mrs Phoebe DeWolf, aged 33, watching from a window across the street, gave premature birth to a five and a half pound baby boy. Sheriff's deputies immediately examined the boy to make sure it wasn't Earl Williams, who they knew was hiding somewhere."

"We need a photograph of you."
"Well, I don't have one on me."