"Face" value

Want to learn more about "A Face in the Crowd," our CineVerse spotlight film last evening? Read on for discussion talking points and other elements we explored.

WHAT CAUGHT YOU BY SURPRISE ABOUT THIS FILM? HOW WOULD IT HAVE BEEN EYE-OPENING FOR 1957?

• Andy Griffith’s range as an actor, beyond just a TV comedian
• In 1957, this would have been somewhat controversial for its criticism of the media, Hollywood, and the relatively new medium of television and how they fool the masses
• There are several long takes, purposely reminiscent of John Ford’s directorial style, as director Elia Kazan admired Ford
• Thematically, the film feels far ahead of its time and prescient, as if it predicted the phenomenon of the overnight sensation/instant celebrity and the power of the media over guillable audiences
• The film plays as a sort of political horror movie
• It can be argued that it’s a bit too long, especially for a 1950s movie

THEMES TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS PICTURE

• The dangers of the unchecked power of celebrity and the media
• Don’t be fooled by appearances; value substance and don’t be afraid to ask questions

LONESOME RHODES THE CHARACTER WAS DRAWN FROM MANY CELEBRITIES AND FAMOUS NAMES OF THE DAY. CAN YOU CITE ANY POSSIBLE INFLUENCES ON THIS CHARACTER?

• Arthur Godfrey, the radio/TV star and talent scout
• Will Rogers, with his charismatic, folksy charm on radio and in movies
• John Henry Faulk, a country comedian
• Ronald Reagan, whom the filmmakers said they were making a movie about
• Uncle Don Carney, a 1950s TV personality who hosted a popular kids show
• Billy Graham the preacher/televangelist
• Huey Long
• Elvis

CAN YOU SEE ANY LONESOME RHODES QUALITIES/COMPARISONS IN POLITICIANS AND TV PERSONALITIES OF THE LAST 20 YEARS?

• Bill Clinton and Hillary (Patricia Neal’s character)
• Lee Atwater
• Ross Perot
• Fred Thompson
• Mike Huckabee

WHAT OTHER FILMS OR WORKS OF LITERATURE REMIND YOU OF “A FACE IN THE CROWD”?

• Billy Wilder’s Ace in the Hole for its cynical view of America and the media
• The Sweet Smell of Success for its equally acidic take on media manipulation
• Frank Capra’s Meet John Doe, in which another character rises up out of nowhere to be manufactured as a media/political superstar
• Wild in the Streets, which is somewhat of a remake
• Nashville, which features similar characters and political situations
• Pygmalion in reverse, in that the woman shapes the man
• Frankenstein, in how a monster is created and unleashed and then must be destroyed

 OTHER FILMS BY ELIA KAZAN

• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
• Gentleman’s Agreement
• A Streetcar Named Desire
• Viva Zapata!
• On the Waterfront
• East of Eden
• Splendor in the Grass