Synopsis

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau again team with Wilder in the third film version of the Hecht-MacArthur classic comedy. The familiar story finds hard-nosed editor Walter Burns (Matthau) trying every trick in the book to keep his ace reporter Hildy Johnson from leaving the newspaper business to get married. When Earl Williams (Austin Pendleton) an anarchist facing execution, breaks out of prison, Walter has found the perfect hook to keep Johnson in Chicago for a little longer. The escaped convict suddenly pops up in the press room and Hildy hides him in a rolltop desk until he's able to get a location for an exclusive interview. Despite the pleas of Molly Malloy (Carol Burnett), a prostitute in love with Williams, the newsmen refuse to let him go. As Hildy begins looking into the activities of the Sheriff (Vince Gardenia) and the Mayor (Harold Gould), it seems like they've decided to execute the wrong man. Matthau, Lemmon and Martin Gabel as a lunatic psychiatrist give wonderful performances.