A theoretical analysis is presented for the absorption of a gas accompanied by instantaneous chemical reaction with a dissolved reagent in a falling liquid film of liquid. The reaction occurs on a moving front inside the liquid film separating the zones containing either of the reactants. The governing equations are solved by using a coordinate transformation to immobilize the reaction front. The effects of the different system parameters on the reaction front profile, absorption rate and enhancement factor are presented for both cocurrent and countercurrent flow of the gas. In the former case the reaction front profile shows a maximum, but in the later case it is monotonic in the axial distance along the film. The enhancement factor plots exhibit maxima in both the cases. © 1990, Gordon and Breach Science Publishers S.A.