As I reviewed a few of the comments, I realized that no one has noted that both roles are a great testament to Andy's great talent as an actor. Please keep in mind that none of these roles reflect his personal ideas, thoughts, or feelings. He acted out what was written in a script. I think his performance in the film gives evidence that he was an underrated actor. The film itself has a timeless quality and since TV was a relatively new medium in 1957, we needed 60 years as an audience to appreciate its message. Another movie that will eventually fall into this category is "The Net" with Sandra Bullock.
First of all I am a huge Andy Griffith fan. And A Face in A Crowd was a remarkable film and definitely showed a different type of character then sheriff Andy Taylor. He also made a television movie made in the 70"s where they were racing dirt bikes in the desert and he played a sleazy role and in one scene raped this mexican girl on the beach with her boyfriend. I remember he rode his bike of a cliff and died in a scene. It was pretty shocking for back then.
You may not know it but John Wayne had wanted Griffith to portray Davy Crockett in Wayne's produced and directed movie THE ALAMO but the studio demanded Wayne take the part to increase the box office draw. Wayne had only considered playing the cameo role of Sam Houston which went to his good friend Richard Boone. After seeing A FACE IN THE CROWD I could well imagine Griffith in the Crockett role. His portrayal would have been as ironic as Billy Bob Thornton's in the 2004 version.
I met Andy Griffith back in the 1970s. I had seen Face in the Crowd and told him what s magnificent actor he really was. He was really very humble about it, and a little surprised I was talking about he film as opposed to his TV show.
@richgs76 , Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Nadler, Steny Hoyer, Maxine Waters, Eric Swalwell, said, in the last week of January and first week of February 2020, that the Dems had to remove Trump ASAP, that they couldn't trust the judgement, wisdom of the U.S. voters to do the right thing in the Nov 2020 POTUS election. They had to do the thinking for them. AOC, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar said that Illegal Aliens were better quality then U.S. citizens, and that Illegal Aliens are harder working, pay more taxes, and are more law abiding than U.S. citizens.
That's basically what an MSNBC host said on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' comment on President Trump's efforts to "undermine the media." Co-host Mika Brzezinski commented Wednesday morning that she is upset to see President Trump has moved in on the media's turf when it comes to the area of mind control. "He is trying to undermine the media and trying to make up his own facts," she said about Trump. "And it could be that while unemployment and the economy worsens, he could have undermined the messaging so much that he can actually control exactly what people think." "And that, that is our job," she noted, referring to the media. >mic drop< LOL
I really like the way that you engage the audience, both in this and the Perplex City video. It's something I think we're losing more and more of. Very nice vid, friend.
Andy did, in fact, have a "dark side." That was characterized by his relationship with Mount Airy, his home town. The town capitalized on being Griffith's birthplace, of course, but that might be expected. Griffith made a point of saying that the fictional Mayberry was, in fact, not related to his Mount Airy home. The point was driven home when the town opened an Andy Griffith museum, which was dedicated on one of the September "Mayberry Days" celebrations held there annually. Griffith was, naturally, invited to attend, but refused to do so unless he was paid many thousands of dollars (the specific amount is known only to the town representatives who, naturally, were embarrassed by the situation, and didn't want to further advertise the fact). The town refused to pay the money (they didn't have it), and good old Andy was a no show. Conversely, Betty Lynn, who played Barney Fife's gal pal, Thelma Lou, on the Andy Griffith Show, now makes Mount Airy her home. Andy is fondly remembered for putting Mount Airy on the map, not so much, though, by natives who regarded the above episode as an insult.
I am possibly inclined to think that Andy demanded an excessive amount to appear as a veiled way of saying that he didn’t appreciate or approve of their attempts to cash in on the Mayberry mystique.
@@captainmanic1959 How is that wrong of them? A small town making the most of its best known former citizens is hardly beyond the pale or wrong in any sense on their part. I don’t particularly care for my hometown either, and if in another universe I were to become as famous as Andy griffith, I can understand the sentiment to not want to help the folks that didn’t have time for me before I got famous. But I would be upfront about my intentions and why I’m doing them, not this charade about it actually being about “selling out”. That’s baloney.
I'd like to play Devil's Advocate for a moment, and as I do, I admit I don't know him, or anyone who knew him, and I don't know anyone from Mount Airy. And I really don't know any details about what happened. ("Ahem...ahem!") First, its very possible that he had other contractual obligations that he had to fulfill. And if you have ever had such an obligation, getting out of it without meeting the standards in an escape clause, is an expensive process. It could be that, though it is a lot of money for the time, such an amount might have been compensation. This is especially true if lawyers were to get involved. Second, he has no obligation to honor his hometown. If you come from a small town, and were loved or at least tolerated as a child there, sure, you have all kinds of love and warm feelings. But if your experience was not great, if you were judged or mistreated, then you become famous and your hometown suddenly loves you, well, no. You don't feel the need to play along. Third, I have lived all over the U.S. I have lived in places where I fit right in, and I have lived in places where, because of my family, I have a reputation I don't deserve. If you were to judge my charactor soley on my experience with one place, good or bad, its going to be wrong. In closing, we all have a dark side. Lets not act like he was less of a flawed human being than the rest of us.
I love it when actors can play both good guys and bad guys effortlessly. Andy Griffith did The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock but also did Face in the Crowd and Murder in Coweta County. he truly was great.
It's called acting and s good actor should be versatile. It's the public that pigeonhole actors according to the image they want the actor to have. Don't forget, Fred MacMurray had that My Three Son's/Disney image but played bastards in films like Double Indemnity and The Apartment.
MacMurray was a real bastard in his role in The Caine Mutiny. MacMurray got his takedown from actor Jose Ferrer in a powerful scene at the end of the film.
Zantanimus I totally agree! For some reason in the last couple months a dozen or two really quality video essay producers just came out of the woodwork. It's a sight to see.
Super Bunnyhop, Nerdwriter, Elder Geek, Joseph Anderson, austinmcconnell, Mark Brown, Ahoy, Furst (from Arcadea), Noah Caldwell-Gervais, CPG Grey, kaptainkristian. To name a few.
My sister who works still today in Dare County N.C. as a home health care R.N., was assigned to and took care of Andy during his last days. She was to start working at the griffith home full time in 2 weeks. The Friday before the Monday she was to put in her 2 week notice to leave her job with Sentra, Andy died. His timing prevented her from losing her current job. True Story! She had nothing but good things to say about him. He liked her so much he offered her a full time job at the Griffith home. Andy was also an animal lover and owned 5 Golden Retrievers.
Austin, I'm 68 years old, and I had never seen the movie "A Face In The Crowd." Of course, I watched The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. all the time. So, thank you for posting this fascinating way of seeing Andy Griffith in a much different light. It shows just how talented he was.
I heard that Griffith was a real SOB in real life; and that he was just playing himself in the AFITC. On the set of TAGS, he was screwing around w/ Helen Crump.
IMO, Face in the Crowd is one of the best films of the 20th Century...and Griffith's performance may be one of the five best film performance of that century.
Andy played a really evil character in the movie, A Murder in Coweta County. It was based on a true story about a crime boss somewhere in the South . Johnny Cash played the sheriff. It's a very good movie if you ever get the chance to see it.
Hey, is there any chance you could help people understand how revolutionary and groundbreaking _Night of the Hunter_ was? It's my favourite film of all time, yet when I convince people to watch it I'm told that it's derivative and cliche by people who aren't aware that it was _Night of the Hunter_ which _invented_ the tropes used by so many other directors. In many ways it can be said to have invented modern cinema; at the time, critics and audiences had no idea what to make of it, while modern audiences watching it don't realize just how impressive it is because the stylizations have been normalized for them through everything which came after.
Thats my favorite movie too. But I gave up trying to convince other people to watch it years ago. Sometimes my movie buff friends will ask to borrow it when they find out its my favorite but they always give it back like "well ok thats a movie that exists and I've now seen". Its frustrating.
My grandfather watched Andy Griffith Show faithfully. Reruns or new episodes, he was a huge fan. My mom grew up watching him, I grew up watching him. I’m 35 & I prefer to watch him over today’s shows. He always has a laugh, but always a lesson, too.
Because mean people do not know how to deal with their incompetence and therefore they let everyone know how miserable they are by making others feel crappier than they do..
Yes! The "meanies" try to disguise themselves, but their off-hand remarks give them away for what they truly are. How sad for them, as well as their targets.
That was a classic scene. I also loved the scene where they took him out drinking and they put lighter fluid in his booze, and when he drank it he said with a big grin on his face, "Tastes familiar."
Geez.. for all you that got butt hurt.. the title is not click bait. The poster obviously used the term "dark side" to indicate the spectrum of Andy's acting.. from the human warmth and genuine kindness of "Sheriff Andy Taylor" of Mayberry, N.C. , to the darker Larry Rhodes character he played in "A face in the Crowd".
Really?! I’m a supporter of Trump and I thought it was an interesting look at someone else’s comparison. I saw it go to Trump and I was think, “great, here we go”, but it was great. Anyone complaining about that has some issues.
The Jrr People disagreeing with your political alignments is not justification for mislabeling them as retarded. Trump is an asshole who got rich because his dad was rich and stayed rich because he fucked over a bunch of small businesses. He's literally THE swamp that he claimed he would drain. However, there are some reasonable justifications for supporting him to an extent. I mean, Sanders was my choice for sure, but barring him, I almost would rather have Trump than Hillary. At least Trump, like Sanders, is a disruption to the norm.
Yeah, no. Supporting Trump is supporting fascism, there is no fucking moderate reason. You're either too apathetic to notice or stand to gain from it. You don't have to like Hillary, but Trump is a man who supports white nationalism and calls Nazis "very fine people" and I don't get how that's not a deal-breaker for everyone.
austinmcconnell- Still, a more appropriate title would have been: "Andy Griffith's Darkest Role." Now you should do a part two video covering his performance in "Pray For The Wildcats," supposedly one of Griffith's personal favorites!
The thing to keep in mind is Griffith was originally a popular comedian, and comedians make for some of the best bad-guys. When you watch any of his stuff keep that in mind--that's how his generation was seeing his work.
When I first saw this movie, I was really impressed with his acting. I had known him first as Sheriff Andy Taylor. This portrayal of a characters dark side (which some say he had) is the polar opposite of the Sheriff. Except for the musical connection (Sheriff Taylor played the guitar and sang) Andy Griffith was not only a fine actor, but a good musician and singer who earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of North Carolina.
I find the movie “The Founder” to be extremely overlooked. I think it’ll find a larger audience in the future and people will praise Michael Keaton’s performance
I completely agree. The ending of that film gives me chills. You can really see the regret in Crocks face when he falsely labes his restaurant "McDonalds #1". Its like him saying that really set in the reality of what how hard he fucked the McDonald brothers.
Watched this film last night. 20 minutes in and I forgot I was watching Andy Griffith act. He became the character. Like a North Carolinian Gary Oldman
I was lucky enough to see this movie without ever having watched an episode of Mayberry. I knew _of_ Sherriff Andy, but it was just sort of an awareness that the character existed. So watching A Face In The Crowd, I was paying attention to the writing and performance. And sweet Jesus it's good. His change is so slow, he becomes irredeemable before you know it, with no clear point when it happened. A genuine tragedy.
I was a part of the original audience of this movie; The Face In The Crowd. As a much younger person then, as well as now I knew from the beginning to watching the very end, this was a special movie with a special story. How many of today'swould be super-stars get an opportunity by merely being a face in the crowd? More importantly how many kill their ownchances and careers by inflated egos and overblown personalities trying to dominate those around them, while disrespectingthe audience that has certainly put them over the top? Watched only once I remember most every scene. There is a moral here that will withstand time. As far as Mr. Andy Griffith goes, he is an actor. Both characters are only fictional and both prove the man certainly had huge talent. He also played guitar and he had recognition there with a title; "Mama Guitar". Andy also had an album of comedy monologues where he says has some pretty funny lines. He does a take on "Romeo & Juliet"; a ballad song; "Silhouettes" and another titled: "Make Yourself Comfortable". All from the point-of-view of a farm boywho has most likely never been too far from home. On the same album he tells the story of a farm boy at his first football game, explaining to the boy:; "What It Was, Was Football"; another in the same album was the brief story of a Mule. The farmer talking to his mule, describes to the mule, working for the farmer, who had the best of the land they plowed. An extremely versatile person this Mr. Andy Griffith, who knows, who the real man was inside?I'd like to think it was the easy going smiling face of the Sheriff of Mayberry. Andy Griffith a smart and overly talented manin his own right deserves timeless recognition for all his work. The character he portrayed in The Face In The Crown, may just give him that extra touch of glory.
I read an interview with Andy Griffith years ago where he said that " Andy Taylor was a much better man than I was ". It was all a role, all acting for fame and fortune. The article also mentioned the time a member of the production staff walked in on Griffith with Aneta Corsaut ( Helen Crump ) in bed in a "compromising position " when Griffith was married to someone else. I don't want to piss on someone's grave but let's get real here people.
I saw parts of this movie a while back. I stopped watching it, because I just couldn't stand seeing Andy Griffith play such a horrible character, but it is true. People put far too much stock into celebrities' opinions and think too easily that, simply because celebrities are famous, they must know everything. I get very tired of celebrities thinking that they should speak up in politics. I really don't even think that celebrities should go into the political field after they've already become famous, because then, people too often support them simply because they like the characters they play, instead of what they really stand for.
I watched the movie. My take on it is the rise and fall due to fame and fortune. Andy Griffith played a murderer in the 1983 film "Murder in Coweta County". Not to knock your interpretation and beliefs, BUT not all celebrities let the notoriety go to their head. I'm sure you're referring to Arnold Schwarzenegger and in levels Trump, but maybe that's a misinterpretation. In any event, I can name 3 politicians/celebrities that acted in the best interest of the people.
When an actor plays the wholesome loveable character like Griffith did Andy Taylor for so long we get used to that character then see him play a bad guy role it's hard to phathom that he's not Andy Taylor,that's all it's a tribute to his acting ability and talent.
I know Matlock has a certain reputation these days as the boring show old people watch. But if you ever actually give that show a chance, its fantastic. Yes, it can be corny, but Andy Griffith in a court room is awesome. He's so good!
Another contrast is Fred MacMurray: He played a "sleezebag" administrator/upper manager in "The Apartment" (Jack Lemon stared ) the character was the exact opposite of the man he played in "My Three Sons"
Dang good analysis. Thanks! I've thought for years that AG approached his character in Face with a romantic flavor. It was almost a fear he had that he might become that man who felt inadequate as a man where he might swallow the mass approval from others as his fame grows that would ultimately destroy him. And AG seemed to be cognizant of that role he played for the rest of his life.
Andy was a fantastic actor! That's why he was able to go from A Face In A Croud to The Andy Griffith Show. This title was misleading, making it to sound the the man's character itself was in question! Shame on you!
I've never forgiven the academy of motion pictures for not including Andy Griffith in the "Saying Goodbye" moment during the 2013 Oscars. They really dropped the ball on that one. R.I.P. Andy. 😔
I used to go down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where Griffith had retired to in a town named Manteo. I never asked about him but locals would sometimes talk about him. Surprisingly, everyone who had something to say about him said that he was the polar opposite of his TV character on The Andy Griffith Show. First and foremost they said he never left tips (or if he did, meaningless tiny ones) at restaurants and just was not a friendly person. And it wasn't out of just wanting his privacy. Mind you, this is just hear say, but from an awful lot of year-round residents.
He was really talented and good looking too, so underrated. Maybe I'm the only one, but I watched "a face in the crowd" and "the andy griffith show" for the first time in 2020. Boy, if only I was born before...
Have we all forgotten, Andy Griffith is an actor, interpreting the ideas imagined by a writer. Of course he has a range, that's the sign of a talented actor. Too many people believe the character on screen is who the actor really is. Maybe I'm bursting too many people's bubbles.
I remember Robin Williams talking about his role in the "Bird cage". If an actor plays a mass murderer, he has "range". If an actor plays a Homosexual, he's gay.
Seen this film a couple of times and always assumed it was closer to the "real" Andy Griffith. As for it's place in history; Will Rogers, Tennessee Ernie Ford and to some extent, Mark Twain all represent the persistence of "popularism" (if at various places on the political spectrum). This film represented the dark side of "the Everyman"; films like MEET JOHN DOE depicts the outside manipulation of the same; and several others depict the positive side (mostly westerns). Everything, including the mythic "Everyman" can be either good or bad. The way that society perceives it says more about the zeitgeist than the story itself. In 1957, America was in full "red scare" mode and so the populism of Communism was seen as a real potential evil. The film NETWORK predicted the corruption of the News media into a circus of clowns. Today we see that reality being played out. And again, media is neither intrinsically good or bad, but potentially both.
"A Face In The Crowd" knocked me out when I first saw it. An incendiary performance by Griffith...should have be nominated for and Oscar. The movie is also incredibly prophetic in its portrayal of media and corporate influence in politics and American life.
I've seen some writing about AFITC that claims the story is based on the radio/TV career of Arthur Godfrey. He used a folksy down-home "everyman" delivery to become extremely popular and powerful in the post-WW2 industry. His public persona is alleged to have really hidden a hard-drinking, controlling, power hungry ego based on his contemporaries later statements. Godfrey, like Lonesome Rhodes, also fell victim to his narcissism. In its own way AFITC is the "Citizen Kane" of radio/TV.
Andy Griffith is a great actor. when I was younger me and my mother used to watch Matlock. it's one of the few shows I remember watch with her. I'll cherish those memories forever
I'm surprised by some of these comments, he was meaning the Dark Side of Andy Griffiths acting abilities but this title frame is more appealing than that yes? I realized what he meant quite quickly and I'm surprised to see so many people butt hurt over it. Great video!
I can understand though. If you're not familiar with Austin's videos, based on the title, you would expect something entirely different. Those expectations are not met when you click the link. For someone unfamiliar with Austin's style, the title feels like clickbait. In this case, I don't mind, since I wasn't expecting that sort of video. But it's a mistake many TH-camrs make, assuming that people understand that you mean B when your title spells A, even if it's the first time they got one of your videos in their recommended feed.
I am gonna give one quibble, though-- before Griffith ever went near a movie camera, he had crafted a stand- up persona as Deacon Andy Griffith, and much of Amdy Taylor- especially in the first season- is based on the Deacon. So, one could argue that Andy Taylor preexisted Rhodes.
I must say, I never had seen A Face in the Crowd until your video. So, my only view of Andy Griffith is his own show and Matlock. However, his performance is so good in A Face in the Crowd, in the scenes you showed, I believe it. Great insights you have on this.
I watched this movie again last night. I haven't seen it in many years, & it is still as relevant as ever. It is an outstanding film that should be seen more.
austinmcconnell * your video analysis is a great one... have seen face in the crowd many years ago. in my opinion, one of today's movies that depicts life most accurately would be " Sicario " giving Focus to the corruption of politics on an international scale. with the harsh choices that have to be made in order to live or die when stepping in to the world game of money and power. that gets filtered through the news media and dumped on your living room floor from the television set, often misleading if not just false or fabricated. leaving many questions unanswered. that politicians will often follow up with the answer of " I can neither confirm nor deny, will get back with you when we have any information..." this is what is happening in today's modern world. and it will escalate.... to what point? I don't know. the only thing that I can hope for is that the bad guy loses and the good guy wins.... so that 60 years from now people look back on these days at the story and see it did have a happy ending. ^
Awesome film, a must see. That films proves that Andy Griffith can act, people see him as the bumpin sheriff but A Face In The Crowd shows him in a new light. You literally fear for his sanity after the first hour. A piece of trivia: The Martin acoustic that Andy Griffith plays on his show is the same guitar that Griffith's "Lonesome Rhodes" character plays in the film. Warner Brothers bought a actual Martin D-28 to use as a prop, at the end of the filming, they were ready to destroy it. Griffin rescued the instrument, took it to John D'Angelico's shop to have the LR embellishments removed along with a full refinish. Martin actually issued a Andy Griffith model, a pickguard less D-28 which he plays on his show which is also known as the "Lonesome Rhodes" guitar.
rickenbacker12- Interesting trivia. But I don't agree at all with your assessment of his role as Sheriff Andy Taylor. The sheriff on the long running show was NOT a bumpkin. Not by any stretch of the imagination!
I’d love to see A Face In The Crowd remade as a play (or maybe TV movie if done right) not only would the parallels resonate today with an audience unaware of the original, but if there’s an actor with Griffith’s level of versatility and personal likability they could bring that same shock value fans of Andy have watching the original.
At the time Andy Griffith filmed "A Face in The Crowd" he had already established himself on television & Broadway in "No Time For Sergeants" and as a comedian as "Deacon Andy Griffith" with his stand-up routines like "Romeo & Juliet " and "What it Was Was Football" (released on comedy records--you can find them here on YT) . So audiences of the time that were aware of him were probably taken aback by this dramatic performance--it was in stark contrast to what he'd been known for up to that point.
Nadya Rossi I think you mean murder in Coweta County based on a true story starring Johnny Cash and Andy Griffin were Griffin is electrocuted for murder
"Alcoholic drifter"? ....Not too much of a stretch. It was no secret that Andy liked his drink, but I got to see this up close - really up close! My encounter with Opie Taylor's dad was far less glamorous than most! I can tell you that Andy surely loved getting his "drink on"! How do I know? Well, because he hit my car and then came staggering out of his cussing and yelling at me! Turns out that good ol' "Andy Taylor" liked his drink just a little bit more than Otis did! By the way, I was parked waiting to leave the parking lot of a restaurant in Studio City that we were both in, so, the accident was no fault of mine! As I sat in my car waiting to get out of the lot, I saw "The Sheriff Who never carries a gun" come out and give the valet guy a ticket for his car... I remember thinking, "man, this is not going to end well"...little did I know how much I'd be involved! I was surprised that valet even let him have the car because it was clear that he should not be driving...you know, because he fell (TWICE)! Look, I don't want to judge the man, but any man who gets behind the wheel of a car, knowing full-well that he's loaded, well, it's simply hard not to judge that behavior! Anyway, not only did this "Hollywood icon" not wait his turn to exit, he hit reverse, gunned it, and hit the front of my Honda without braking! As he exited his car, cussing and yelling, ironically enough, all I could see, was Sheriff Taylor, and all I could hear was the whistling theme of the Andy Griffith Show in my head! Imagine being a 25-year old struggling actor in LA and getting the front of your car hit by an intoxicated childhood idol! I grew up on the Andy Griffith, the sheriff who never carried a gun, so yeah, this event was a bubble-popper! His manager ran up and gave me $300 bucks and begged me not to call the police! Thankfully, the damage was very little and $300 bucks was more than enough to cover the repair work I never had done! Still, I didn't want to be the guy who threw ol' Sheriff Taylor into the drunk tank next to Otis, so I let Andy slide on the condition that his manager drive him home. So, valet re-parked his car and his manager drove him home....But not before Andy called me an "asshole" one last time! Again, just to be clear, I did nothing wrong here! The only thing I remember saying to him was "Hey man, you F'n hit me" that's it!! So yes, one of my MANY claims to fame is that Sheriff Andy Taylor, called me an asshole! As a former actor in LA in the early '80s and '90s, I saw a lot of things that I wish I never had... Still, this has to be pretty high on that list! And by the way, this is a list that includes me peeing uncomfortably in the stall directly next to Prince at Carlos & Charlie's, Don Johnson giving me the finger, Arnold Schwarzenegger blowing cigar smoke in my face (what an asshole), doing cocaine with Gabe Kaplan (Mr. Kotter) and Denny (Dance Fever) Terrio to watching, in horror, I might add, Jon Lovitz actually curse out an old man - yes, those things actually happened! They say never meet your idols... So yeah, don't ever do that.
Loved Andy Griffith many years through his career... One negative thing about Griffith and Ron Howard... I very much disliked Howard Dragging Andy Griffith out in his later years to do a campaign video for President Obama... This is my reason: Andy Taylor's Mayberry was a place in my mind where you could go, every week, that had no Politics, No wars, and no problems that would divide us ... Howard's Campaign Video, simply ruined that vision for me.... It was in very bad taste, in my opinion....... This is not meant to be a political statement... Please don't take sides with me....
hey, i am british, so, andy griffiths was not known to me at all, but, because of your video, i have discovered him, and, what an actor - he blew my mind - great look, charisma and voice..i will research him, and, perhaps become his greatest fan lol...thankyou for this....btw, your vocal delivery was vibrant and very amusing - i liked you a lot too, bud :)
Amazing performance. Mr. Griffiths’ Lonesome Rhodes’ persona was so different from his Sheriff Taylor role that it is hard to credit that both came from the same actor. I wish I had viewed A Face in the Crowd before watching the Mayberry sitcom; for years I assumed Griffiths’ was little more than a cornball B actor. Similar situation: Fred McMurray turned in a stellar performance in the film noir Double Indemnity, but he is probably most remembered as the middle-aged father figure in My Three Sons.
As they say in this neck of the woods....."You ain't from around here, are ya?".....lol Andy Griffith Show. Started 1961 and went for 9 seasons. Back before Ron Howard was barely able to say "director", he played Opie, the son of the widowed sheriff Andy Taylor, in the small North Carolina town of "Mayberry", which is actually Mount Airy NC. Back when TV shows had a MORAL story line, for FAMILIES to watch and enjoy. (back then we also waited all week long to see the NEXT episode) Those were hard times.....lol
Griffith's work in AFitC is magnificent, incredible. As is Patricia Neal's. And the script by Budd Schulberg, direction by Elia Kazan.. and the cinematography!
I teach high school English, and one of my standard lessons is on the context of literary works, and how no text exists in a vacuum. This video is such a wonderful example of that idea! Definitely adding it to my lesson on context.
Everyone has a dark side, Andy lived on the outer banks of north Carolina and I heard good things and bad about him. He's gone now and I hope he got right with his maker, God bless you Andy... Update…June 2021…nothing has changed he’s still dead ☠️…
A Face In The Crowd was a testament to Andy Griffith's great talent. You can't watch it and not think he was truly an amazing overall performer. There was a reason Griffith became one of our great TV icons.
Just saw this movie the other night for the first time and was completely blown away by it. Andy Griffith and Patricia Neal were terrific, and I may be one of the few who see this movie with no history of Andy Griffith and his TV shows. I obvisouly know they exist and what they're about but i've never watched a single episode. This is really the first time I've ever seen him on screen if you could believe it or not. With that his performance is truly incredible and a shame it wasn't at least nominated for some awards that year. And it's really a shame he never did any other performance similar to this. Being on TV will make your career and also kill it.
He was a model father figure and police officer as an actor, and a decent and kind man as a private citizen. This sensational title is nothing more than cheap click bait, and an insult to a fine man.
Emph Squee Now we have North Carolina and the ridiculous bathroom laws. We used to have NASCAR, Billy Graham and small town Mayberry. See how effective and corrupting propaganda can be?
Finally! Somebody who loves A Face in the Crowd as much as I do! But it's not just Andy Griffith's performance that makes it great. Patricia Neal is a tour de force, and Walter Matthau's subdued supporting role gives the film another layer. This movie deserves to be in the Pantheon of the world's very best films.
Your title is misleading! Commonly known as clickbait. Nowhere in your video did you present any "dark side" of Andy Griffith. You simply pointed out different charactors that he portrayed. He isn't Rhodes, Sheriff Taylor, or Matlock, he is Andy Samuel Griffith, actor. Your title would lead the reader to believe Mr. Griffith has some shady dark side which is totally false. Instead of trying to defame this amazing actor, why didn't you title your video "The multiple roles of Andy Griffith". But of course, that wouldn't get as many hits as the title you used. Shame on you for this.
Andy Griffith doesn't get the credit he deserves. The man is an icon on the scale of anyone from that time period. His show is timeless and will be for at least 50 more years.
Thank you for this wonderful video, Austin McConnell! Certainly, Griffith was underrated as an actor. I absolutely love that he could play the full spectrum and play it all so well. Here's a tense scene of his in Pray for the Wildcats (1974) th-cam.com/video/n53pzCKNP8s/w-d-xo.htmlm36s. (I realize that “A Face in the Crowd” was before “The Andy Griffith Show.”) Many actors get typecast after a great success in any sort of role - especially on TV. I wonder whether Griffith ever commented as to having had any feelings like that. Actors cannot help but bring a measure of their real selves to a given role, thereby making the work their own. A role at the opposite end of the usual spectrum must seem a fresh challenge to any actor. And yet, how might such affect the public opinion of said actor? There are some fans out there who cannot (or choose not to) tell the difference between an actor and a role. (For example, soap opera actors greeted by fans on the streets with an outcry of, "How COULD you?!") I don't think 60 years was needed make us realize how one power-drunk person could manipulate the masses. There are many examples of master manipulators in history. "If we don't know our history, we are doomed to repeat it." And yet there is the "drunk" factor in "power-drunk." I do think that "A Face in the Crowd" does an excellent job of bringing this theme to light. From Wikipedia: Upon its original release, A Face in the Crowd earned somewhat mixed reviews, one of them from Bosley Crowther of The New York Times. Though he applauded Griffith's performance ("Mr. Griffith plays him with thunderous vigor ..."[11]), at the same time, he felt that the character overpowered the rest of the cast and the story. "As a consequence, the dominance of the hero and his monstrous momentum ... eventually become a bit monotonous when they are not truly opposed."[11] Crowther found Rhodes "highly entertaining and well worth pondering when he is on the rise", but considered the ending "inane.” I think that Crowther missed the entire point even as he wrote it out so well! Yes, a monster was made. And YES, the monster dominated a society ad nauseum. However, the monster WAS opposed in the end. Of course, the character would crumple in his fall back into obscurity while the insulted society would dust itself off to recover its dignity. Austin, you also asked "What stories are we telling today that you think will hold greater meaning 60 years from now?” My answer to this one is “There’s nothing new under the sun.” However, it is always the perception of the audience/group/ generation in its own time that tacks greater meaning onto any work of art. To your question, “What modern performances will seem greater in retrospect?” I think this will always be those which offer or lead us to introspection. Thanks again, Austin, for such a wonderful video essay. I didn’t mean to write a book here. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed spending this time with a cup of coffee, revisiting a favorite movie and performance.
I was talked into watching "Murder in Coweta County". It was quite shocking to see Andy Griffith, his head shaved, sitting in the electric chair. He also played a racist character in the "Roots" mini-series. A versatile actor.
As I reviewed a few of the comments, I realized that no one has noted that both roles are a great testament to Andy's great talent as an actor. Please keep in mind that none of these roles reflect his personal ideas, thoughts, or feelings. He acted out what was written in a script. I think his performance in the film gives evidence that he was an underrated actor. The film itself has a timeless quality and since TV was a relatively new medium in 1957, we needed 60 years as an audience to appreciate its message. Another movie that will eventually fall into this category is "The Net" with Sandra Bullock.
Shhh. You're gonna make folks mad with that critical thinking of yours!
First of all I am a huge Andy Griffith fan. And A Face in A Crowd was a remarkable film and definitely showed a different type of character then sheriff Andy Taylor. He also made a television movie made in the 70"s where they were racing dirt bikes in the desert and he played a sleazy role and in one scene raped this mexican girl on the beach with her boyfriend. I remember he rode his bike of a cliff and died in a scene. It was pretty shocking for back then.
You may not know it but John Wayne had wanted Griffith to portray Davy Crockett in Wayne's produced and directed movie THE ALAMO but the studio demanded Wayne take the part to increase the box office draw. Wayne had only considered playing the cameo role of Sam Houston which went to his good friend Richard Boone.
After seeing A FACE IN THE CROWD I could well imagine Griffith in the Crockett role. His portrayal would have been as ironic as Billy Bob Thornton's in the 2004 version.
That Television Movie where Andy Griffith played a rather unsavory character was called "Pray For The Wildcats'.
and he did a good movie cant remember the name but played opposite of Johnny Cash. good. stuff
I met Andy Griffith back in the 1970s. I had seen Face in the Crowd and told him what s magnificent actor he really was. He was really very humble about it, and a little surprised I was talking about he film as opposed to his TV show.
very interesting. you'll pleased to know that at least 186 accounts have seen based that i'm the 187th like and one of them could be you
What was he like? Was he nice?
@@GhostTweeHubBub No he beat his wifr and was a Demacrat.
@@dont4143 I wasn’t asking you.
@@dont4143 better than a fascist inbred..
" I'm not that nice guy you see on TV .. I'm an actor .. a performer " - Andy
melostmo ...very true. Go to NC and speak with his neighbors and others that live in the area.
I lived in mount airy trust me I know
@@cholodesanfe87 hate to hear that.
Was he racist??
@@christinamcduffie8614 everyone is. Except liberals. They're not.
I still watch Andy every day on WME Tampa.(i'm 75)
this movie is so good!
Good show. I have all the seasons. Wholesome tv
"They're even more stupid than I am, so I gotta think for 'em..." Frightening!
David Cattin "we have them so stupified i'll become their "stable genius".
I heard Bernie Sanders say the same thing - he must've seen the Face in the Crowd.
@richgs76 , Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Nadler, Steny Hoyer, Maxine Waters, Eric Swalwell, said, in the last week of January and first week of February 2020, that the Dems had to remove Trump ASAP, that they couldn't trust the judgement, wisdom of the U.S. voters to do the right thing in the Nov 2020 POTUS election. They had to do the thinking for them. AOC, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar said that Illegal Aliens were better quality then U.S. citizens, and that Illegal Aliens are harder working, pay more taxes, and are more law abiding than U.S. citizens.
That's basically what an MSNBC host said on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' comment on President Trump's efforts to "undermine the media."
Co-host Mika Brzezinski commented Wednesday morning that she is upset to see President Trump has moved in on the media's turf when it comes to the area of mind control.
"He is trying to undermine the media and trying to make up his own facts," she said about Trump. "And it could be that while unemployment and the economy worsens, he could have undermined the messaging so much that he can actually control exactly what people think."
"And that, that is our job," she noted, referring to the media. >mic drop< LOL
@richgs76 - It appears your head is too far up QAnus.
I was expecting some dirt on Andy Griffith.
Me too. It would have shattered my world.
Christopher Dieudonne well he was a libtard and home wrecker
FIREBIRD... Him being a Liberal person makes me so happy . And where is the proof that he was a "Home wrecker". WHO'S Opinion is that?
He had a penchant for young Mexican girls, very young...
Other than that he became a bit of a grumpy old man - there is no dirt on Andy.
I really like the way that you engage the audience, both in this and the Perplex City video. It's something I think we're losing more and more of. Very nice vid, friend.
Andy did, in fact, have a "dark side." That was characterized by his relationship with Mount Airy, his home town. The town capitalized on being Griffith's birthplace, of course, but that might be expected. Griffith made a point of saying that the fictional Mayberry was, in fact, not related to his Mount Airy home. The point was driven home when the town opened an Andy Griffith museum, which was dedicated on one of the September "Mayberry Days" celebrations held there annually. Griffith was, naturally, invited to attend, but refused to do so unless he was paid many thousands of dollars (the specific amount is known only to the town representatives who, naturally, were embarrassed by the situation, and didn't want to further advertise the fact). The town refused to pay the money (they didn't have it), and good old Andy was a no show. Conversely, Betty Lynn, who played Barney Fife's gal pal, Thelma Lou, on the Andy Griffith Show, now makes Mount Airy her home. Andy is fondly remembered for putting Mount Airy on the map, not so much, though, by natives who regarded the above episode as an insult.
I am possibly inclined to think that Andy demanded an excessive amount to appear as a veiled way of saying that he didn’t appreciate or approve of their attempts to cash in on the Mayberry mystique.
@@captainmanic1959 How is that wrong of them? A small town making the most of its best known former citizens is hardly beyond the pale or wrong in any sense on their part.
I don’t particularly care for my hometown either, and if in another universe I were to become as famous as Andy griffith, I can understand the sentiment to not want to help the folks that didn’t have time for me before I got famous. But I would be upfront about my intentions and why I’m doing them, not this charade about it actually being about “selling out”. That’s baloney.
I'd like to play Devil's Advocate for a moment, and as I do, I admit I don't know him, or anyone who knew him, and I don't know anyone from Mount Airy. And I really don't know any details about what happened.
("Ahem...ahem!")
First, its very possible that he had other contractual obligations that he had to fulfill. And if you have ever had such an obligation, getting out of it without meeting the standards in an escape clause, is an expensive process. It could be that, though it is a lot of money for the time, such an amount might have been compensation. This is especially true if lawyers were to get involved.
Second, he has no obligation to honor his hometown. If you come from a small town, and were loved or at least tolerated as a child there, sure, you have all kinds of love and warm feelings. But if your experience was not great, if you were judged or mistreated, then you become famous and your hometown suddenly loves you, well, no. You don't feel the need to play along.
Third, I have lived all over the U.S. I have lived in places where I fit right in, and I have lived in places where, because of my family, I have a reputation I don't deserve. If you were to judge my charactor soley on my experience with one place, good or bad, its going to be wrong.
In closing, we all have a dark side. Lets not act like he was less of a flawed human being than the rest of us.
He felt overshadowed by Knotts as he was overlooked for Emmys
@@DW-nb2zcHe owned TAGS n decided not to allow DK to partake financially in the show, so seems fair exchange
I love it when actors can play both good guys and bad guys effortlessly. Andy Griffith did The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock but also did Face in the Crowd and Murder in Coweta County. he truly was great.
It's called acting and s good actor should be versatile. It's the public that pigeonhole actors according to the image they want the actor to have. Don't forget, Fred MacMurray had that My Three Son's/Disney image but played bastards in films like Double Indemnity and The Apartment.
SJ Cohen Uh,,,not to those of us who saw the movies first.
One time he rubbed one out on Aunt Bea's dress while she was in the bathroom working out a massive deuce.
MacMurray was a real bastard in his role in The Caine Mutiny. MacMurray got his takedown from actor Jose Ferrer in a powerful scene at the end of the film.
He is horribly fantastic. Griffiths acting chilled me to the bone. He was versatile actor. RIP Andy
melissa beljeter I remember seeing him in a made for TV movie where he also played a drunk. It was in the 80s and he was haunting in that, too.
@@monilaninetynine3811 it was called A Face In The Crowd
He was so type-cast as Andy Griffith in Mayberry he had a very hard time breaking out of it and being taken seriously as an actor.
The golden age of video essay content is among us.
Zantanimus I totally agree! For some reason in the last couple months a dozen or two really quality video essay producers just came out of the woodwork. It's a sight to see.
Who are you thinking of?
Super Bunnyhop, Nerdwriter, Elder Geek, Joseph Anderson, austinmcconnell, Mark Brown, Ahoy, Furst (from Arcadea), Noah Caldwell-Gervais, CPG Grey, kaptainkristian. To name a few.
Absolutely. Thus the "golden age" so to speak.
Do any of these people post as Digging Deeper? "Digging Deeper" does exactly that.. thoughtful analysis.
My sister who works still today in Dare County N.C. as a home health care R.N., was assigned to and took care of Andy during his last days. She was to start working at the griffith home full time in 2 weeks. The Friday before the Monday she was to put in her 2 week notice to leave her job with Sentra, Andy died. His timing prevented her from losing her current job. True Story! She had nothing but good things to say about him. He liked her so much he offered her a full time job at the Griffith home. Andy was also an animal lover and owned 5 Golden Retrievers.
I'll watch "A Face In The Crowd" EVERY single time it's on TCM. What a gritty, talented portayal of an egomaniac!
What modern movie will have greater significance in 60 years than it does now? "Sharknado"
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Taylor Gibson lynda lynda
Carter
YES THIS! REEEEEEEEEEE!
Pirahna 3DD
Jurassic shark
Austin, I'm 68 years old, and I had never seen the movie "A Face In The Crowd." Of course, I watched The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. all the time. So, thank you for posting this fascinating way of seeing Andy Griffith in a much different light. It shows just how talented he was.
I heard that Griffith was a real SOB in real life; and that he was just playing himself in the AFITC. On the set of TAGS, he was screwing around w/ Helen Crump.
Oh, this was just EXCEPTIONAL! You did a wonderful job of presenting a dichotomy of characters, both past and present. Good going!! And thanks.
IMO, Face in the Crowd is one of the best films of the 20th Century...and Griffith's performance may be one of the five best film performance of that century.
I'll have to watch it. I always though Christian Bale's performance in Empire Of The Sun was one of the best in 20th century film.
That film shows what a great actor he was. Superb! He should have done a lot more films.
"A Face in the Crowd" is one of my all time favorites. Great acting all the way around...
Andy played a really evil character in the movie, A Murder in Coweta County. It was based on a true story about a crime boss somewhere in the South . Johnny Cash played the sheriff. It's a very good movie if you ever get the chance to see it.
smhmay1973 you're right. Saw it as a kid...great movie
there's more to Andy Griffith or Andy Taylor than meets the eye
there's more to Andy Griffith or Andy Taylor than meets the eye .
youtube red
The man killed was my uncle. He was burned and his body thrown down a well. I never saw the movie.
Hey, is there any chance you could help people understand how revolutionary and groundbreaking _Night of the Hunter_ was? It's my favourite film of all time, yet when I convince people to watch it I'm told that it's derivative and cliche by people who aren't aware that it was _Night of the Hunter_ which _invented_ the tropes used by so many other directors. In many ways it can be said to have invented modern cinema; at the time, critics and audiences had no idea what to make of it, while modern audiences watching it don't realize just how impressive it is because the stylizations have been normalized for them through everything which came after.
I'll look into it.
Excellent, I look forward to it. You clearly have an admirable grasp of cinema.
NoJusticeNoPeace z
Thats my favorite movie too.
But I gave up trying to convince other people to watch it years ago. Sometimes my movie buff friends will ask to borrow it when they find out its my favorite but they always give it back like "well ok thats a movie that exists and I've now seen". Its frustrating.
I love the period I love Bob Mitchum I can't believe I haven't seen it. Very good catch.
One of the most underrated actors of all time
My grandfather watched Andy Griffith Show faithfully. Reruns or new episodes, he was a huge fan. My mom grew up watching him, I grew up watching him. I’m 35 & I prefer to watch him over today’s shows. He always has a laugh, but always a lesson, too.
Excellent video. I don't understand the hate you're receiving...Your analysis is spot-on and fair. Keep up the good work.
Because mean people do not know how to deal with their incompetence and therefore they let everyone know how miserable they are by making others feel crappier than they do..
Thugdog Nasty d
Thugdog Nasty s
right wingers aren't good at handling when they feel criticized
Yes! The "meanies" try to disguise themselves, but their off-hand remarks give them away for what they truly are. How sad for them, as well as their targets.
another great movie with Andy is " No Time for Sargeants " an excellent comedy.
dennis duran-When he made those toilet lids salute I almost fell out of the chair laughing...
dennis duran yeah it's a big difference from this one, good actor and guitar player.
That was a classic scene. I also loved the scene where they took him out drinking and they put lighter fluid in his booze, and when he drank it he said with a big grin on his face, "Tastes familiar."
Permanent Latrine Orderly.
...and then the salute
(hats off to E.Duane Mitchell above)
What modern movie will have greater significance in 60 years than it does now?
'The Room'
@Sub:Zero You courageous soul. I knew someone else had vision.
I'm from his home town and I didn't know about this performance, so thank you
A buddy of mine actually knew Andy Griffith and said he really was a great guy and it was a pleasure having known such a great person.
Geez.. for all you that got butt hurt.. the title is not click bait. The poster obviously used the term "dark side" to indicate the spectrum of Andy's acting.. from the human warmth and genuine kindness of "Sheriff Andy Taylor" of Mayberry, N.C. , to the darker Larry Rhodes character he played in "A face in the Crowd".
Writing headlines for social media posts is a talent in its own right.
"Was a good video until it devolved into Trump Bashing." *spends literally less then 15 seconds on the politics*
Music Video Ear Rape Yeah and that wasn't even bashing.
Really?! I’m a supporter of Trump and I thought it was an interesting look at someone else’s comparison. I saw it go to Trump and I was think, “great, here we go”, but it was great. Anyone complaining about that has some issues.
The Jrr People disagreeing with your political alignments is not justification for mislabeling them as retarded. Trump is an asshole who got rich because his dad was rich and stayed rich because he fucked over a bunch of small businesses. He's literally THE swamp that he claimed he would drain. However, there are some reasonable justifications for supporting him to an extent. I mean, Sanders was my choice for sure, but barring him, I almost would rather have Trump than Hillary. At least Trump, like Sanders, is a disruption to the norm.
Yeah, no. Supporting Trump is supporting fascism, there is no fucking moderate reason. You're either too apathetic to notice or stand to gain from it. You don't have to like Hillary, but Trump is a man who supports white nationalism and calls Nazis "very fine people" and I don't get how that's not a deal-breaker for everyone.
If he supported white nationalism then why would he spend money trying to help black people?
I get so exited whenever I see your videos in my subscription box.
Hey, thanks!
austinmcconnell- Still, a more appropriate title would have been: "Andy Griffith's Darkest Role." Now you should do a part two video covering his performance in "Pray For The Wildcats," supposedly one of Griffith's personal favorites!
The thing to keep in mind is Griffith was originally a popular comedian, and comedians make for some of the best bad-guys. When you watch any of his stuff keep that in mind--that's how his generation was seeing his work.
Like Robin Willliams as the photo developer
If you haven't seen him in _Hearts of the West_ , take a look. You'll see an Andy Griffith sort of in-between Andy Taylor and Lonesome Rhodes.
When I first saw this movie, I was really impressed with his acting.
I had known him first as Sheriff Andy Taylor. This portrayal of a characters dark side (which some say he had) is the polar opposite of the Sheriff. Except for the musical connection (Sheriff Taylor played the guitar and sang)
Andy Griffith was not only a fine actor, but a good musician and singer who earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of North Carolina.
I find the movie “The Founder” to be extremely overlooked. I think it’ll find a larger audience in the future and people will praise Michael Keaton’s performance
I completely agree. The ending of that film gives me chills. You can really see the regret in Crocks face when he falsely labes his restaurant "McDonalds #1". Its like him saying that really set in the reality of what how hard he fucked the McDonald brothers.
I agree. Keaton was phenomenal in that.
I love "The Andy Griffith Show"
Watched this film last night. 20 minutes in and I forgot I was watching Andy Griffith act. He became the character. Like a North Carolinian Gary Oldman
I was lucky enough to see this movie without ever having watched an episode of Mayberry. I knew _of_ Sherriff Andy, but it was just sort of an awareness that the character existed. So watching A Face In The Crowd, I was paying attention to the writing and performance. And sweet Jesus it's good. His change is so slow, he becomes irredeemable before you know it, with no clear point when it happened. A genuine tragedy.
I was a part of the original audience of this movie; The Face In The Crowd. As a much younger person then, as well as now I knew from the beginning to watching the very end, this was a special movie with a special story. How many of today'swould be super-stars get an opportunity by merely being a face in the crowd? More importantly how many kill their ownchances and careers by inflated egos and overblown personalities trying to dominate those around them, while disrespectingthe audience that has certainly put them over the top? Watched only once I remember most every scene. There is a moral here that will withstand time. As far as Mr. Andy Griffith goes, he is an actor. Both characters are only fictional and both prove the man certainly had huge talent. He also played guitar and he had recognition there with a title; "Mama Guitar". Andy also had an album of comedy monologues where he says has some pretty funny lines. He does a take on "Romeo & Juliet"; a ballad song; "Silhouettes" and another titled: "Make Yourself Comfortable". All from the point-of-view of a farm boywho has most likely never been too far from home. On the same album he tells the story of a farm boy at his first football game, explaining to the boy:; "What It Was, Was Football"; another in the same album was the brief story of a Mule. The farmer talking to his mule, describes to the mule, working for the farmer, who had the best of the land they plowed. An extremely versatile person this Mr. Andy Griffith, who knows, who the real man was inside?I'd like to think it was the easy going smiling face of the Sheriff of Mayberry. Andy Griffith a smart and overly talented manin his own right deserves timeless recognition for all his work. The character he portrayed in The Face In The Crown, may just give him that extra touch of glory.
I read an interview with Andy Griffith years ago where he said that " Andy Taylor was a much better man than I was ". It was all a role, all acting for fame and fortune. The article also mentioned the time a member of the production staff walked in on Griffith with Aneta Corsaut ( Helen Crump ) in bed in a "compromising position " when Griffith was married to someone else. I don't want to piss on someone's grave but let's get real here people.
I saw parts of this movie a while back. I stopped watching it, because I just couldn't stand seeing Andy Griffith play such a horrible character, but it is true. People put far too much stock into celebrities' opinions and think too easily that, simply because celebrities are famous, they must know everything. I get very tired of celebrities thinking that they should speak up in politics. I really don't even think that celebrities should go into the political field after they've already become famous, because then, people too often support them simply because they like the characters they play, instead of what they really stand for.
I watched the movie. My take on it is the rise and fall due to fame and fortune. Andy Griffith played a murderer in the 1983 film "Murder in Coweta County". Not to knock your interpretation and beliefs, BUT not all celebrities let the notoriety go to their head. I'm sure you're referring to Arnold Schwarzenegger and in levels Trump, but maybe that's a misinterpretation. In any event, I can name 3 politicians/celebrities that acted in the best interest of the people.
When an actor plays the wholesome loveable character like Griffith did Andy Taylor for so long we get used to that character then see him play a bad guy role it's hard to phathom that he's not Andy Taylor,that's all it's a tribute to his acting ability and talent.
@@cedricpowell9047 I'm not completely sure but I think Arnold was a real estate magnate in Austria.
but didn't you find his role in A FACE IN THE CROWD an amazing acting job and such an interesting story?
A beautiful essay. As a guy working in story development, you brought a lot forward for me to think about.
Clayton Goodman a
I know Matlock has a certain reputation these days as the boring show old people watch. But if you ever actually give that show a chance, its fantastic. Yes, it can be corny, but Andy Griffith in a court room is awesome. He's so good!
Another contrast is Fred MacMurray: He played a "sleezebag" administrator/upper manager in "The Apartment" (Jack Lemon stared ) the character was the exact opposite of the man he played in "My Three Sons"
Dang good analysis. Thanks! I've thought for years that AG approached his character in Face with a romantic flavor. It was almost a fear he had that he might become that man who felt inadequate as a man where he might swallow the mass approval from others as his fame grows that would ultimately destroy him. And AG seemed to be cognizant of that role he played for the rest of his life.
Andy was a fantastic actor! That's why he was able to go from A Face In A Croud to The Andy Griffith Show. This title was misleading, making it to sound the the man's character itself was in question! Shame on you!
Shirley Schork my
whats left out is he was educated
I've never forgiven the academy of motion pictures for not including Andy Griffith in the "Saying Goodbye" moment during the 2013 Oscars. They really dropped the ball on that one. R.I.P. Andy. 😔
He and Val Kilmer are in good company
That's a GD tragedy
I used to go down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where Griffith had retired to in a town named Manteo. I never asked about him but locals would sometimes talk about him. Surprisingly, everyone who had something to say about him said that he was the polar opposite of his TV character on The Andy Griffith Show. First and foremost they said he never left tips (or if he did, meaningless tiny ones) at restaurants and just was not a friendly person. And it wasn't out of just wanting his privacy. Mind you, this is just hear say, but from an awful lot of year-round residents.
He was really talented and good looking too, so underrated. Maybe I'm the only one, but I watched "a face in the crowd" and "the andy griffith show" for the first time in 2020. Boy, if only I was born before...
Have we all forgotten, Andy Griffith is an actor, interpreting the ideas imagined by a writer. Of course he has a range, that's the sign of a talented actor. Too many people believe the character on screen is who the actor really is. Maybe I'm bursting too many people's bubbles.
If someone can't distinguish between the two, then they've got a problem.
Do your homework, he never had MPD
+Savage Buttsniffer. Barney clear his throat a lot too I noticed that also
I remember Robin Williams talking about his role in the "Bird cage". If an actor plays a mass murderer, he has "range". If an actor plays a Homosexual, he's gay.
Dor, we all know, YOU couldn't do what Andy Griffith did. Or you would be doing it. Dummy.
Seen this film a couple of times and always assumed it was closer to the "real" Andy Griffith. As for it's place in history; Will Rogers, Tennessee Ernie Ford and to some extent, Mark Twain all represent the persistence of "popularism" (if at various places on the political spectrum).
This film represented the dark side of "the Everyman"; films like MEET JOHN DOE depicts the outside manipulation of the same; and several others depict the positive side (mostly westerns).
Everything, including the mythic "Everyman" can be either good or bad. The way that society perceives it says more about the zeitgeist than the story itself. In 1957, America was in full "red scare" mode and so the populism of Communism was seen as a real potential evil.
The film NETWORK predicted the corruption of the News media into a circus of clowns. Today we see that reality being played out. And again, media is neither intrinsically good or bad, but potentially both.
He would have made an excellent “Oswald, Harvey Lee character…
"A Face In The Crowd" knocked me out when I first saw it. An incendiary performance by Griffith...should have be nominated for and Oscar. The movie is also incredibly prophetic in its portrayal of media and corporate influence in politics and American life.
I've seen some writing about AFITC that claims the story is based on the radio/TV career of Arthur Godfrey. He used a folksy down-home "everyman" delivery to become extremely popular and powerful in the post-WW2 industry. His public persona is alleged to have really hidden a hard-drinking, controlling, power hungry ego based on his contemporaries later statements. Godfrey, like Lonesome Rhodes, also fell victim to his narcissism. In its own way AFITC is the "Citizen Kane" of radio/TV.
Andy Griffith deserved an Oscar nomination for this.
Andy Griffith is a great actor. when I was younger me and my mother used to watch Matlock. it's one of the few shows I remember watch with her. I'll cherish those memories forever
I'm surprised by some of these comments, he was meaning the Dark Side of Andy Griffiths acting abilities but this title frame is more appealing than that yes?
I realized what he meant quite quickly and I'm surprised to see so many people butt hurt over it.
Great video!
I can understand though. If you're not familiar with Austin's videos, based on the title, you would expect something entirely different. Those expectations are not met when you click the link. For someone unfamiliar with Austin's style, the title feels like clickbait.
In this case, I don't mind, since I wasn't expecting that sort of video. But it's a mistake many TH-camrs make, assuming that people understand that you mean B when your title spells A, even if it's the first time they got one of your videos in their recommended feed.
Certainly makes me want to track down this movie.
And hey, it’s not a cakewalk to get into the National Registry.
I am gonna give one quibble, though-- before Griffith ever went near a movie camera, he had crafted a stand- up persona as Deacon Andy Griffith, and much of Amdy Taylor- especially in the first season- is based on the Deacon. So, one could argue that Andy Taylor preexisted Rhodes.
Clickbait title, plain and simple. And I fell for it. No one to blame but myself.
BIGTOAST75
Njj
I remember my parents taking me to see this film when I was 11. It's a masterpiece.
"Murder in Coweta County" was an eye opener for me. Andy Griffith played a bonafide SOB in that movie opposite Johnny Cash.
I must say, I never had seen A Face in the Crowd until your video. So, my only view of Andy Griffith is his own show and Matlock. However, his performance is so good in A Face in the Crowd, in the scenes you showed, I believe it. Great insights you have on this.
I watched this movie again last night. I haven't seen it in many years, & it is still as relevant as ever. It is an outstanding film that should be seen more.
I'm calling it right now, the emoji movies gonna be so important in 60 years
ya Boi COTD.
austinmcconnell
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your video analysis is a great one...
have seen face in the crowd many years ago.
in my opinion, one of today's movies that depicts life most accurately would be " Sicario "
giving Focus to the corruption of politics on an international scale. with the harsh choices that have to be made in order to live or die when stepping in to the world game of money and power.
that gets filtered through the news media and dumped on your living room floor from the television set, often misleading if not just false or fabricated. leaving many questions unanswered. that politicians will often follow up with the answer of " I can neither confirm nor deny, will get back with you when we have any information..."
this is what is happening in today's modern world.
and it will escalate....
to what point?
I don't know.
the only thing that I can hope for is that the bad guy loses and the good guy wins....
so that 60 years from now people look back on these days at the story and see it did have a happy ending.
^
I've already read one emoji Shakespeare retelling (A Midsummer Night #NoFilter) that was brilliant. Don't knock it.
Awesome film, a must see.
That films proves that Andy Griffith can act, people see him as the bumpin sheriff but A Face In The Crowd shows him in a new light. You literally fear for his sanity after the first hour.
A piece of trivia:
The Martin acoustic that Andy Griffith plays on his show is the same guitar that Griffith's "Lonesome Rhodes" character plays in the film. Warner Brothers bought a actual Martin D-28 to use as a prop, at the end of the filming, they were ready to destroy it. Griffin rescued the instrument, took it to John D'Angelico's shop to have the LR embellishments removed along with a full refinish. Martin actually issued a Andy Griffith model, a pickguard less D-28 which he plays on his show which is also known as the "Lonesome Rhodes" guitar.
rickenbacker12- Interesting trivia. But I don't agree at all with your assessment of his role as Sheriff Andy Taylor. The sheriff on the long running show was NOT a bumpkin. Not by any stretch of the imagination!
How do you explain who he picked for Deputy if he wasn't a bumpkin?
It's bumpkin as in country bumpkin, not bumpin
I’d love to see A Face In The Crowd remade as a play (or maybe TV movie if done right) not only would the parallels resonate today with an audience unaware of the original, but if there’s an actor with Griffith’s level of versatility and personal likability they could bring that same shock value fans of Andy have watching the original.
At the time Andy Griffith filmed "A Face in The Crowd" he had already established himself on television & Broadway in "No Time For Sergeants" and as a comedian as "Deacon Andy Griffith" with his stand-up routines like "Romeo & Juliet " and "What it Was Was Football" (released on comedy records--you can find them here on YT) . So audiences of the time that were aware of him were probably taken aback by this dramatic performance--it was in stark contrast to what he'd been known for up to that point.
His acting in A Face In The Crowd was amazing, but my favorite Griffith role is Murder In Texas. Totally underrated actor. TAGS will live forever.
Nadya Rossi I think you mean murder in Coweta County based on a true story starring Johnny Cash and Andy Griffin were Griffin is electrocuted for murder
He was even more sinister in Pray For The Wildcats.
Love Andy Griffith. Saw Pray for the Wildcats today and will definitely look into this Murder in Coweta County movie.👍
I did not know about that movie i will look it up thanks
I love this movie and I love that Andy is playing against the typecast in which we all know him.
"Alcoholic drifter"? ....Not too much of a stretch. It was no secret that Andy liked his drink, but I got to see this up close - really up close!
My encounter with Opie Taylor's dad was far less glamorous than most! I can tell you that Andy surely loved getting his "drink on"! How do I know? Well, because he hit my car and then came staggering out of his cussing and yelling at me! Turns out that good ol' "Andy Taylor" liked his drink just a little bit more than Otis did! By the way, I was parked waiting to leave the parking lot of a restaurant in Studio City that we were both in, so, the accident was no fault of mine!
As I sat in my car waiting to get out of the lot, I saw "The Sheriff Who never carries a gun" come out and give the valet guy a ticket for his car... I remember thinking, "man, this is not going to end well"...little did I know how much I'd be involved! I was surprised that valet even let him have the car because it was clear that he should not be driving...you know, because he fell (TWICE)!
Look, I don't want to judge the man, but any man who gets behind the wheel of a car, knowing full-well that he's loaded, well, it's simply hard not to judge that behavior! Anyway, not only did this "Hollywood icon" not wait his turn to exit, he hit reverse, gunned it, and hit the front of my Honda without braking! As he exited his car, cussing and yelling, ironically enough, all I could see, was Sheriff Taylor, and all I could hear was the whistling theme of the Andy Griffith Show in my head!
Imagine being a 25-year old struggling actor in LA and getting the front of your car hit by an intoxicated childhood idol! I grew up on the Andy Griffith, the sheriff who never carried a gun, so yeah, this event was a bubble-popper! His manager ran up and gave me $300 bucks and begged me not to call the police! Thankfully, the damage was very little and $300 bucks was more than enough to cover the repair work I never had done!
Still, I didn't want to be the guy who threw ol' Sheriff Taylor into the drunk tank next to Otis, so I let Andy slide on the condition that his manager drive him home. So, valet re-parked his car and his manager drove him home....But not before Andy called me an "asshole" one last time! Again, just to be clear, I did nothing wrong here! The only thing I remember saying to him was "Hey man, you F'n hit me" that's it!! So yes, one of my MANY claims to fame is that Sheriff Andy Taylor, called me an asshole!
As a former actor in LA in the early '80s and '90s, I saw a lot of things that I wish I never had... Still, this has to be pretty high on that list! And by the way, this is a list that includes me peeing uncomfortably in the stall directly next to Prince at Carlos & Charlie's, Don Johnson giving me the finger, Arnold Schwarzenegger blowing cigar smoke in my face (what an asshole), doing cocaine with Gabe Kaplan (Mr. Kotter) and Denny (Dance Fever) Terrio to watching, in horror, I might add, Jon Lovitz actually curse out an old man - yes, those things actually happened!
They say never meet your idols... So yeah, don't ever do that.
This is a truly enlightening video! Thank you. Thank you very much for posting it!
Loved Andy Griffith many years through his career... One negative thing about Griffith and Ron Howard... I very much disliked Howard Dragging Andy Griffith out in his later years to do a campaign video for President Obama... This is my reason:
Andy Taylor's Mayberry was a place in my mind where you could go, every week, that had no Politics, No wars, and no problems that would divide us ... Howard's Campaign Video, simply ruined that vision for me.... It was in very bad taste, in my opinion....... This is not meant to be a political statement... Please don't take sides with me....
What happened to Ernest T Bass!? " It's me ,it's me, it's Ernest T."
Lol I loved that character!! Surprise surprise, I can see it in your eyes!!
He plays a bad dude in a 1970's made for tv movie called Pray For The Wildcats. He really does a great job in that movie playing a villian!
E B. Great tv movie 👍
Gary Diggins Hey no prob 👌
hey, i am british, so, andy griffiths was not known to me at all, but, because of your video, i have discovered him, and, what an actor - he blew my mind - great look, charisma and voice..i will research him, and, perhaps become his greatest fan lol...thankyou for this....btw, your vocal delivery was vibrant and very amusing - i liked you a lot too, bud :)
Amazing performance. Mr. Griffiths’ Lonesome Rhodes’ persona was so different from his Sheriff Taylor role that it is hard to credit that both came from the same actor. I wish I had viewed A Face in the Crowd before watching the Mayberry sitcom; for years I assumed Griffiths’ was little more than a cornball B actor.
Similar situation: Fred McMurray turned in a stellar performance in the film noir Double Indemnity, but he is probably most remembered as the middle-aged father figure in My Three Sons.
I LOVE his comic thing, "What it was is Football." hilarious
Oh I forgot about that, lol
The Emoji Movie will hold greater meaning in the future.
I have no fucking clue who Andy Griffith is, but i love your videos so much i enjoyed it anyways.
Gabrielle Vachon You have a lot of catching up to do.
+Rumpa Stiltskin Just a little bit, I'd say.
As they say in this neck of the woods....."You ain't from around here, are ya?".....lol
Andy Griffith Show. Started 1961 and went for 9 seasons. Back before Ron Howard was barely able to say "director", he played Opie, the son of the widowed sheriff Andy Taylor, in the small North Carolina town of "Mayberry", which is actually Mount Airy NC. Back when TV shows had a MORAL story line, for FAMILIES to watch and enjoy. (back then we also waited all week long to see the NEXT episode) Those were hard times.....lol
Whiskeybuisness i'm not from around here no, sounds like a good show tho!
your on ytube look it up and watch it!!!
Griffith's work in AFitC is magnificent, incredible. As is Patricia Neal's. And the script by Budd Schulberg, direction by Elia Kazan.. and the cinematography!
I teach high school English, and one of my standard lessons is on the context of literary works, and how no text exists in a vacuum. This video is such a wonderful example of that idea! Definitely adding it to my lesson on context.
Everyone has a dark side, Andy lived on the outer banks of north Carolina and I heard good things and bad about him. He's gone now and I hope he got right with his maker, God bless you Andy...
Update…June 2021…nothing has changed he’s still dead ☠️…
"I heard..."
A Face In The Crowd was a testament to Andy Griffith's great talent. You can't watch it and not think he was truly an amazing overall performer. There was a reason Griffith became one of our great TV icons.
fuck yes, new video
Griffith was brilliant in "A Face In The Crowd". If you haven't seen it, you owe it to yourself to watch it. Very relevant today.
Just saw this movie the other night for the first time and was completely blown away by it. Andy Griffith and Patricia Neal were terrific, and I may be one of the few who see this movie with no history of Andy Griffith and his TV shows. I obvisouly know they exist and what they're about but i've never watched a single episode. This is really the first time I've ever seen him on screen if you could believe it or not. With that his performance is truly incredible and a shame it wasn't at least nominated for some awards that year. And it's really a shame he never did any other performance similar to this. Being on TV will make your career and also kill it.
How can anyone give a thumbs down to this?
(RIP)✌💙 Andy Griffith
Didn't know it existed. Thanks
"The Dark Side of Andy Griffith" What a joke; let's see he often forgot to put the seat down after using the toilet.
He was a model father figure and police officer as an actor, and a decent and kind man as a private citizen. This sensational title is nothing more than cheap click bait, and an insult to a fine man.
Emph Squee Now we have North Carolina and the ridiculous bathroom laws. We used to have NASCAR, Billy Graham and small town Mayberry. See how effective and corrupting propaganda can be?
Read the book...you'll be surprised.
Finally! Somebody who loves A Face in the Crowd as much as I do! But it's not just Andy Griffith's performance that makes it great. Patricia Neal is a tour de force, and Walter Matthau's subdued supporting role gives the film another layer. This movie deserves to be in the Pantheon of the world's very best films.
6:15 honestly Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runner are seeming more and more relevant year by year, so i'd pick those stories.
Love me some Andy Griffith 💕
Your title is misleading! Commonly known as clickbait. Nowhere in your video did you present any "dark side" of Andy Griffith. You simply pointed out different charactors that he portrayed. He isn't Rhodes, Sheriff Taylor, or Matlock, he is Andy Samuel Griffith, actor. Your title would lead the reader to believe Mr. Griffith has some shady dark side which is totally false. Instead of trying to defame this amazing actor, why didn't you title your video "The multiple roles of Andy Griffith". But of course, that wouldn't get as many hits as the title you used. Shame on you for this.
Oh shut the fuck up, you tool.
Project 👅
I remember when he played a cruel judge .
I don't care what people think about Andy, I watched him since I was kid and I love him, still today I'm watching Andy Griffith show, it's joyful
Andy Griffith doesn't get the credit he deserves. The man is an icon on the scale of anyone from that time period. His show is timeless and will be for at least 50 more years.
Thank you for this wonderful video, Austin McConnell! Certainly, Griffith was underrated as an actor. I absolutely love that he could play the full spectrum and play it all so well. Here's a tense scene of his in Pray for the Wildcats (1974) th-cam.com/video/n53pzCKNP8s/w-d-xo.htmlm36s.
(I realize that “A Face in the Crowd” was before “The Andy Griffith Show.”) Many actors get typecast after a great success in any sort of role - especially on TV. I wonder whether Griffith ever commented as to having had any feelings like that. Actors cannot help but bring a measure of their real selves to a given role, thereby making the work their own. A role at the opposite end of the usual spectrum must seem a fresh challenge to any actor. And yet, how might such affect the public opinion of said actor? There are some fans out there who cannot (or choose not to) tell the difference between an actor and a role. (For example, soap opera actors greeted by fans on the streets with an outcry of, "How COULD you?!")
I don't think 60 years was needed make us realize how one power-drunk person could manipulate the masses. There are many examples of master manipulators in history. "If we don't know our history, we are doomed to repeat it." And yet there is the "drunk" factor in "power-drunk." I do think that "A Face in the Crowd" does an excellent job of bringing this theme to light.
From Wikipedia: Upon its original release, A Face in the Crowd earned somewhat mixed reviews, one of them from Bosley Crowther of The New York Times. Though he applauded Griffith's performance ("Mr. Griffith plays him with thunderous vigor ..."[11]), at the same time, he felt that the character overpowered the rest of the cast and the story. "As a consequence, the dominance of the hero and his monstrous momentum ... eventually become a bit monotonous when they are not truly opposed."[11] Crowther found Rhodes "highly entertaining and well worth pondering when he is on the rise", but considered the ending "inane.”
I think that Crowther missed the entire point even as he wrote it out so well! Yes, a monster was made. And YES, the monster dominated a society ad nauseum. However, the monster WAS opposed in the end. Of course, the character would crumple in his fall back into obscurity while the insulted society would dust itself off to recover its dignity.
Austin, you also asked "What stories are we telling today that you think will hold greater meaning 60 years from now?” My answer to this one is “There’s nothing new under the sun.” However, it is always the perception of the audience/group/ generation in its own time that tacks greater meaning onto any work of art.
To your question, “What modern performances will seem greater in retrospect?” I think this will always be those which offer or lead us to introspection.
Thanks again, Austin, for such a wonderful video essay. I didn’t mean to write a book here. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed spending this time with a cup of coffee, revisiting a favorite movie and performance.
When I saw the title, I thought you meant the author Andy Griffiths.
Masterpiece. Just got the Criterion, it is so perfect. Watch this movie.
I was talked into watching "Murder in Coweta County". It was quite shocking to see Andy Griffith, his head shaved, sitting in the electric chair. He also played a racist character in the "Roots" mini-series. A versatile actor.
THIS CHANNEL IS SO GOD DAMN GOOD.