Review of A Face in the Crowd (1957) by J D — 10 Dec 2007
If you only know Andy Griffith from "The Andy Griffith Show", you're in for a treat. Lonesome Rhodes is like Sheriff Andy's evil twin, still with that aw-shucks demeanor, only it's just a facade to hide a power-hungry madman.
This movie's eerily prescient of the public's embracing of celebrity over substance, the glorifying of demagogues like Oprah and O'Reilly, and the public meltdown when the facade slips and the real man slips out (a la Michael Richards and Trent Lott).
Lonesome Rhodes is a folksier, more sinister, more manipulative Howard Beale: recognizing the power he holds over his audience, but unlike Beale, not believing a word that comes out of his mouth. Andy Griffith gives an amazing performance, as does Patricia Neal and a young, surprisingly suave Walter Matthau.
A pretty scathing commentary on the public's obsession with "celebrities" with no discernible talents and the danger of mixing television with politics. Considering we're living in the age of Paris Hilton and the Swift Boat Veterans, this one could just as well have been made this year.
This review of A Face in the Crowd (1957) was written by J D on 10 Dec 2007.
A Face in the Crowd has generally received very positive reviews.
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