Manipulation, exploitation, misinformation, and ratings are all in a day's work for a major television network. While today's tailspin of media madness may seem unique to our times, the media's tendency to twist reality towards better ratings was scathingly brought to the screen over sixty years ago in 1957's A Face in the Crowd. The film follows a charismatic con-man who, with the help of a radio talent scout, becomes an unlikely overnight radio and later television sensation and eventual political phenomenon. The film's portrayal of the off-screen machinations behind the on-screen image has never lost its relevance, and in today's media melee is nothing short of news-worthy.
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| A star is born |
The film begins with radio journalist Marcia Jeffries (Patricia Neal) traveling to an Arkansas jail for a segment on her show 'A Face in the Crowd'. While recording the session she asks one of the prisoners, alcoholic drifter Larry Rhodes (Andy Griffith), to perform a song for her audience. Rhodes' combination of musical talent, folksy humor, and charisma immediately earn her attention and she quickly sets to work making him her station's latest star. Rechristened 'Lonesome Rhodes', volatile Rhodes becomes a radio sensation and soon finds himself catapulted onto the small screen and even tempted with an offer to enter the political arena. As his professional star rises so too does his ambition, leaving Marcia to wonder if the small screen hero she created might have become a real life monster.
Upon its initial release the film received mixed reviews. In the decades since, however, the film's predictions regarding the pervasive influence of modern media have proved to be uncannily prescient. At one point in the film Rhodes says "I'm not just an entertainer. I'm an influencer, a wielder of opinion, a force", a statement that bears eerie relevance during an era in which public opinion is molded by social media 'influencers'. Over the course of the film both Rhodes and the media machine surrounding him launch more than just an entertainment phenomenon as they utilize his image to create a social and political movement. In this way the film mirrors the ways in which both traditional and social media have either created or furthered many of today's social and political movements. Rhodes' inevitable corruption similarly reflects the ways in which countless media figures have abused their influence to create false and even harmful public narratives. The film's unforgettable finale in which he inadvertently reveals his disdain for his fan base whom who dismisses as "sheep" and "trained seals" scathingly portrays the contempt that all too many media figures have shown for the very public whom they claim to serve. Few films capture the corruption and manipulation of modern media as aptly or entertainingly as A Face in the Crowd.
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| We're a long way from Mayberry |
The film's biting tale of fame, fortune, and their inevitable fallout is brilliantly realized by its cast. In her film debut Lee Remick turns on the charm in her sultry turn as Rhodes' teenage bride. Walter Matthau aptly personifies the film's conscience as the cynical writer who sees through Rhodes' folksy persona. Patricia Neal turns in one of her best performances as she alternates between Marcia's professional confidence and personal vulnerability. Andy Griffith is nothing short of a force of nature in his big-screen debut and strikes all the right notes as flamboyant, explosive, and magnetic Rhodes.
At once apt social commentary upon its own era and an eerie warning for the future A Face in the Crowd is easily one of the most damning depictions of the media ever put to celluloid. While it may not have received recognition upon its release its relevance has grown more pertinent with each passing decade. Through its razor sharp writing and dynamic performances the film turns a glaring spotlight on mass media and highlights the potential dangers of popular culture's influence upon public perception. Join Lonesome Rhodes for a look at the ugly workings behind the pretty faces on our screens in A Face in the Crowd.
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| Very fake news... |
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