A Face in the Crowd

A Face in the Crowd. 1957 Warner Bros. Pictures/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa, Walter Matthau, Lee Remick
Director: Elia Kazan
Available at Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Controversal Classics box set.

Based on a short story called "Your Arkansas Traveler" by Budd Schulberg, the movie centers on an loud and abrasive rural comedian and musician named Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes (Griffith). The character of Rhodes is discovered in a county jail in a small town in Arkansas by a radio personality named Marcia Jeffries (Neal) during the late '50s, when television was replacing radio as the most popular entertainment medium. Rhodes is loosely modeled on Tennessee Ernie Ford, as well as CBS radio and TV personality Arthur Godfrey.

After Ms. Jeffries helps secure Rhodes a spot on a radio show, he is also invited to appear on television in Memphis by a talent scout, where he meets Mel Miller (Matthau), his future scriptwriter. During his time in Memphis, Rhodes gains attention by frequently insulting his sponsor, to the delight of his audience. The sponsor, a mattress company, is obviously unhappy, but are relenting in pulling sponsorship when they find out that Rhodes is actually helping increase sales. Oh, and the wife of the owner is also a Lonesome Rhodes fan.

Eventually, with the help of an office boy named Joey DePalma (Franciosa), Rhodes goes to New York City, becoming the spokesman for a dietary supplement called Vitajex, and we see a montage of commercials for the product. His rising fame and influence goes to his head, and Lonesome Rhodes is ultimately undone after Marcia, unhappy at his penchant for privately insulting his fans, exposes him on national television. As Rhodes puts on a happy facade, he calls his viewers idiots, morons, and guinea pigs, and those comments go over the air after Jeffries pushes slide switches, turning his microphones back on.

While Lonesome Rhodes would most likely be able to resume his broadcasting career, it would never reach the heights he did before Marcia exposed him.

Highly recommended film. Andy Griffith's performace was fantastic, and the movie in general is a stark portrayal of television's influence on the general public.