The Front

In 1953 New York City, the anti-Communist climate of HUAC strikes at the heart of the TV industry and Alfred Miller is blacklisted, unable to find work. Desperate, he asks his friend Howard Prince to sign his name to Miller's scripts so Miller can still earn money. Howard agrees, accepting ten percent of the profits and a chance to stay in the business.

Howard, a restaurant cashier and part-time bookie, agrees to front for Miller by signing his name to the scripts. The arrangement keeps Miller working and opens up more opportunities for both of them. The first batch of scripts is sent to network producer Phil Sussman, who welcomes a writer who is not on the blacklist.

Howard's skill and speed quickly produce high-quality scripts, drawing attention beyond Miller. Miller's two fellow screenwriters hire him to front for them as well, expanding his reach and income. Florence Barrett, Sussman's idealistic script editor, mistakes his success for principled artistry.

Florence becomes intrigued by the apparent honesty in Howard's work and begins dating him, hoping to see the real writer behind the front. Howard deflects questions about his own authorship, keeping the truth hidden from her. The romance deepens while the ethical lines blur in her eyes.

As investigators close in on the blacklist, Hecky Brown is fired from the show after it is revealed he once marched in a May Day parade and subscribed to The Daily Worker. He insists his past was a personal, not political choice, but the producers sever his contract. The humiliation foreshadows the deeper consequences of the era.

To clear his name, Hecky orders Howard to reveal his political ties and invites him to the Catskills where Hecky is booked to perform. The Catskills setting becomes a crucible as the club owner short-changes Hecky on promised pay and then fires him after the confrontation. The personal toll of the blacklist grows more visible.

Humiliated and unable to provide for his wife and children, Hecky Brown kills himself by jumping from a hotel window. His death dramatizes the human cost of the investigations on those who crossed paths with the blacklist. The incident also intensifies the already mounting pressure on Howard.

Following Hecky's death and the ongoing scrutiny, Howard witnesses how the committee’s inquiries ripple through network programming and culture. He is eventually called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. The climate of fear tightens around him as he prepares to face questions.

Before the hearing, Howard privately confesses to Florence that he is not a real writer but a humble cashier behind the front. He reveals only what is necessary to survive, and Florence begins to see the personal costs of his deception. The relationship strains under the weight of his silence.

At the HUAC hearing, Howard answers questions evasively, refusing to admit or deny specifics about his writing activity. He stresses that he does not recognize the committee's authority to request such information. The tension in the room underscores the moral ambiguity of the blacklist era.

Howard makes a bold stand, telling the committee that he does not recognize their authority and, in a defiant moment, tells them to go fuck themselves before walking out. The act crystallizes his rejection of the blacklist's coercion. Florence watches with mixed pride and fear as protesters react.

After the confrontation, Howard is led away in handcuffs while Florence kisses him goodbye and supporters cheer him on. The film closes on a controversial note: personal courage against persecution, but at the cost of freedom. The ending highlights the era's brutal ethics and the human cost of standing up.