charles mcarthur and ben hecht meet when both be reporter in chicago during the 1920s . they create two of the funny farce in american drama and twentieth century ( about theater people ) and the front page . the latter be base on their experience a news reporter in those crazy day in chicago and where the newspaper concentrate on sensationalism and the politics be thoroughly corrupt . the resulting play be hysterically funny and yet remain timely . for all the exaggeration of how walter burn and hildy johnson manipulate police and politician and reporter and and civilian to get their scoop and the story remain relevant for several reason . the political balance in a big mayoralty election be precarious due to the earl williams case . williams have shoot a policeman who be african american and a big local voting block and and they want him punish . the corrupt mayor and his idiot jail warden be willing to execute him for the vote need to stay in office and but the governor ( who be from the rival party ) believe the killer be insane ( or at least mentally deficient ) . so already ( a you see ) race and politics and and the validity of the death penalty get pull in . soon we also see example of nepotism and corruption in the police and and city hall and cynical politics base on a man life and and question about privacy and a free press . for a play from 1931 this one still have relevance . there have be an early version of the play in the 1930s call the front page and star adolphe menjou a the conniving and devious walter burn and and pat obrien a ace reporter hildy johnson . it be a good version and and both star do well with their part ( and both have the verbal speed necessary for the dialog to flow over the ear of the audience ) . but when the film be remake in 1940 and howard hawk decide to redraw hildy johnson into a female reporter ( and previous wife ) of burn . his casting of cary grant be radically different too . burn be a nasty and connive s. o. b. who would kill for a good story . menjou be somewhat dapper ( he be usually dapper ) in the role and but the hardness under the presentable shell be there . and by change hildy from a guy to a gal and and walter former wife and you have to make walter look more interesting . so walter be turn into cary grant . there be a search for hildy and involve jean arthur and irene dunne a possibility . neither end up play him . instead it go to rosalind russell . it have to be admit russell have the vocal ability to push the dialog at the proper clip . possibly jean arthur could have do that just as well and but arthur do not have the apparent physical strength behind the stylishness that russell show . she really do balance well ( in this film ) with grant and give their character . motivation change a little . this walter burn still want to get his scoop and but there be moment of fragility when he realize he may forever lose hildy to her fiancé bruce ( the ever helpless ralph bellamy ) . and they oddly work ( hawks manages to keep them under control ) . also and a the story be now twelve year old than the original play and certain change occur in walter political view . he do dislike the gang ( lead by clarence kolb and gene lockhart ) run the city and and point out to hildy that they have a chance to help give the city the sort of government new york city have under la guardia . this do not end his joy at scoop the opposition and but it do suggest that burn have more depth . it be now generally believe that this be the best of the film version of the front page and and one of the funny film ever make . the entire cast shine ( look at the scene where helen mack confront the reporter who have make her look like a tramp and and have tell lie about john qualen ( williams ) she be in a state when russell take her out of the press room and and the reporter be thoroughly ashamed of herself and russell come back look at regis toomey and porter hall and and the others and and say gentleman of the press . with heavy cynical irony ) . and also note billy gilbert immortal joe pettibone and the most hopeless monument of total befuddlement in movie . it be one of the few film comedy of that period that retain it laugh one viewing follow another .