REVIEW: A FACE IN THE CROWD

When you say "Elia Kazan" to most people they think "On The Waterfront" or "A Streetcar Named Desire".  Well, unless you're a tuxedo magician and you say it like this - "ELIAKAZANNNNN!!!" and then produce flowers from your elbow.  But that would be stupid.

Kazan was a theatre director who made the leap to films in the 50's.  He was a proponent of 'method' acting.  I'm not always a fan of this, especially in 50's films when I think some actors got it into their heads that 'method' meant the same as 'incoherent'.  Here I am thinking primarily of Montgomery Clift who, in my opinion, was a spectacularly bad actor whose every performance looks like he really really really needed a wee.  But that's the downside.  Some 50's method actors were really good.  Which brings me to "A Face in the Crowd".

It's a lesser-known Kazan movie that tells of Larry 'Lonesome' Rhodes (Andy Griffith).  Rhodes is a drifter who is discovered by a small radio station where his folksy storytelling style makes him an immediate star in Memphis.  Despite his misgivings he's soon on national tv where stories about his momma, his grandpappy and a multitude of uncles turn him into the new media sensation.

But there's something disturbing about Lonesome.  He's a womaniser and a drinker.  While he gains popularity poking fun at city folk and running charity drives, his motives hint at something bitter, angry and dark.  He uses his credibility to sell 'Vitagex' - a vitamin supplement with no positive effects whatsoever.  And as his influence over his viewers increases, his contempt for that audience manifests itself in wilful manipulation and a ruthless desire for power.  Then he launches his own debate show ("Lonesome Rhodes' Cracker Barrel") in order to sell politicians the same way he does vitamins ("I'm a influencer!  A shaper of opinion!  A force!")

Produced in 1957, "A Face in the Crowd" mixes the satirical bite of "Network" with quite uncanny prophecy.  Rhodes' "aw shucks" manner is straight out of the George W Bush playbook.  It's got a witty script ("Well, he's certainly got the courage of his own ignorance") and some terrific performances from Walter Matthau and Lee Remick.  As for Andy Griffith, he's amazing as Rhodes - the irony being that he went on to become a huge tv star in the US playing exactly the sort of country boy character he satirises here.

I'm surprised this film isn't better known - I'd say it's better than either Waterfront or Streetcar.

RHODES: (To his audience)  If this lady's tragic story don't touch your pickled ole city hearts, then I'll just up and pack mah one shirt and the Bible mah daddy gave me and leave town.
MARCIA: It's true about the one shirt.  But I've yet to see the Bible.