"THE FRONT" (1976) (Anti-McCarthyistic Video Risk) Sensitive insider look at the blacklist McCarthy era in which actors and writers were closely investigated by the government and others searching for their Communist ties. The film, while excellent, and expertly made, may present one side more strongly over the other and may be historically questionable. Zero Mostel, himself blacklisted in 1950, delivers a powerful performance as an actor unfairly caught in the paranoid Cold War web. Woody Allen is extremely watchable as an everyman thrust into the spotlight while doing a favor for a friend. Highly recommended for those who find Oliver Stone's approach to history fun, entertaining and possibly accurate.

THE STORY - Woody Allen plays Howard Prince, an average under-achieving everyman whose childhood friend Alfred Miller (played by Michael Murphy) has become a blacklisted television writer in the 1950s McCarthy era when Cold War hysteria focused heavily on Hollywood. Howard owes everybody money including a bookie played by a young but timeless Danny Aiello in a bit role. Alfred asks his good friend to front for him and pass scripts written by Alfred and other blacklisted writers on to a television network as though such scripts were written by Howard himself. Howard proves to be pretty likeable as the quickly popular and in-demand writer. In time, Howard comes into the cross-hairs of the McCarthy investigators threatening to expose his arrangement. Key to the film and the story is Zero Mostel as Hecky Brown, a victim of the McCarthy investigations.

THE REVIEW - It would be easy to brand this film a subtle masterpiece (which it may be), however, after surveying the small number of reviews on IMDB particularly one review that made me think about the depictions of the McCarthy investigators, it is fair to say the film falls short of a masterpiece. I'm reminded of the criticism of Mr. Oliver Stone's revisionist look at history, especially in "JFK," and "Nixon." Stone's work is criticized because some say he has a personal agenda and allows it to cloud some, and arguably all, of the film's content. The result is entertainment, and, I must admit, a guilty pleasure rivaling any "Mission: Impossible" sequel or, God forbid, a fourth "Die Hard."

So, with this in mind, I choose to focus less on the historical accuracy and politics of "The Front" and more on the performances and effectiveness of the material that is given the viewers.

First, there is a perfect performance. Man, I mean really dead-on perfect, a story in itself worthy of being explored more fully. It is a performance by an insider, the real-life blacklisted Zero Mostel. Mr. Mostel plays Hecky Brown, an aging television/comic superstar somewhere near the level of a Milton Berle. Much of the story and the camera focuses (in great reaction takes) on Hecky and his tragic persecution by those made paranoid by the perceived Cold War threat. Without Mostel's presence and sincerity, in a role he knows perhaps better than any actor, this film would be seriously lacking and even come off as just a somewhat dark comedy.

There were innocents victimized during the McCarthy era like Mostel's character Hecky Brown. Regardless of criticism, Mostel's performance is enough to recommend "The Front."

Second, Woody Allen is actually watchable and good for this movie. He is understated and funny. His wooing of Florence Barrett (played by Andrea Marcovicci) is sweet and believable. Woody is less neurotic and more human here giving us a likeable character.

Third, the ending is solid. Its simple, not talky, and seems to avoid Hollywood trappings. Although this has nothing to do with "The Front" and isn't even the same genre, the ending here amusingly reminded me of "Cop." Its ending may have been the only reason to rent "Cop," but in "The Front," the ending is a suitable bookend to Mostel's performance.

Risk a rent on "The Front," take your time, put aside politics, and overlook its one-sided views in favor its entertaining qualities.

Jonathan Hickman