I never saw it, so could not have forgotten about it. Ironically, it was on TCM the other week, but I did not watch much of it ~ I scroll back during ads on whatever else I was watching at the time. I guess what happened was color films, TV increased channels, blockbuster films, Internet?
The movie had a simple message: DON'T BE LIKE LONESOME RHODES. And yet we see so many people who are just like him - charming, yet abusive and manipulative. My favorite part of the movie was when the public turned on him in droves after his on-air blunder. Good review:)
I really enjoyed this. I have always been an Andy Griffith fan and he was great in this movie. I saw "A Face in the Crowd" and I also read Schulberg's short story, "The Arkansas Traveller" from which the movie was adapted. One minor niggle . . . Joe McCarthy was a senator and HUAC was a committee in the US House Of Representatives. Anyhoo , , , nice work and good luck with the channel. Regards.
A couple of aspects of this movie that I think the presenter overlooked are the fact that "Vitajex" was based upon a REAL patent medicine product and "Lonesome Roads" was based upon a REAL television personality. The name of the real product was "Geritol" and the real television personality was Arthur Godfrey, who hawked Geritol ("America's Favorite Tonic") on his program. Budd Schulberg was a Hollywood insider and knew all about what went on behind the scenes among show business people.
It's an overlooked gem. I gained a new respect for Andy Griffith as an actor the first time I saw it. Walter Matthau and Patricia Neal gave great performances, as well. Elia Kazan was always ahead of his time.
"The patent medicine pill "Vitajex" and its maker, "General Hainesworth," draw a close parallel to the patent medicine tonic Hadacol (which was similarly promoted as shown in the film) and its own maker, Louisiana State Sen. Dudley J. LeBlanc. The film was released in 1957, and the Hadacol enterprise collapsed in a financial scandal in 1951". - Wikipedia
I have always been fascinated by this movie. I don't understand how it could have been so forgotten.
I agree! It blows my mind that it’s not talked about more
I never saw it, so could not have forgotten about it. Ironically, it was on TCM the other week, but I did not watch much of it ~ I scroll back during ads on whatever else I was watching at the time.
I guess what happened was color films, TV increased channels, blockbuster films, Internet?
Elia Kazan proves again that he was no slouch . . . and it is great to listen to a professionally written review on the internet for a change.
Love your channel, so glad I stumbled upon it!
The movie had a simple message: DON'T BE LIKE LONESOME RHODES. And yet we see so many people who are just like him - charming, yet abusive and manipulative. My favorite part of the movie was when the public turned on him in droves after his on-air blunder. Good review:)
This is an amazing movie!!! A classic film about power corrupting people. I could watch a double feature with All The Kings Men.
I really enjoyed this. I have always been an Andy Griffith fan and he was great in this movie. I saw "A Face in the Crowd" and I also read Schulberg's short story, "The Arkansas Traveller" from which the movie was adapted. One minor niggle . . . Joe McCarthy was a senator and HUAC was a committee in the US House Of Representatives. Anyhoo , , , nice work and good luck with the channel. Regards.
A couple of aspects of this movie that I think the presenter overlooked are the fact that "Vitajex" was based upon a REAL patent medicine product and "Lonesome Roads" was based upon a REAL television personality. The name of the real product was "Geritol" and the real television personality was Arthur Godfrey, who hawked Geritol ("America's Favorite Tonic") on his program. Budd Schulberg was a Hollywood insider and knew all about what went on behind the scenes among show business people.
It's an overlooked gem. I gained a new respect for Andy Griffith as an actor the first time I saw it.
Walter Matthau and Patricia Neal gave great performances, as well.
Elia Kazan was always ahead of his time.
Dude. Great movie
very good analysis. Discovered this film from the book "Cult Movies" by Danny Peary
I wish all the Donald Trump supporters would watch this and realize they're living this out in real life
"The patent medicine pill "Vitajex" and its maker, "General Hainesworth," draw a close parallel to the patent medicine tonic Hadacol (which was similarly promoted as shown in the film) and its own maker, Louisiana State Sen. Dudley J. LeBlanc. The film was released in 1957, and the Hadacol enterprise collapsed in a financial scandal in 1951". - Wikipedia
This was NOT Andy Griffith's film debut. Try "No Time For Sergeants."
No Time for Sergeants was released a year after A Face in the Crowd