Before there was an Andy Griffith Show, there was A Face In The Crowd. The film was an interesting examination of the sudden rise to fame of a country drunk. It showed an entirely different side of Andy Griffith that was fun to experience. While this film is long in the tooth, it wasn’t constrained by its age. More than half a century has passed since this gem was created and it is still worth watching. The film was one of many directed by Elia Kazan during that era.
Larry Rhodes (Andy Griffith) is a drifter who spends most of his time in the drunk tank at whatever county jail he happens to be passing through. He has an insufferable personality and a penetrating laugh that has an eerie charm. Larry begins a steady rise to fame when he is “discovered” in the local jail during a broadcast of a local radio show called A Face In The Crowd. Under normal circumstances, Rhodes would be cantankerous at being disturbed from his hangover. However, when he sets eyes on the beautiful reporter, Marcia Jeffries (Patricia Neal), his disposition softens. Marcia nicknames the drifter “Lonesome Rhodes” and instantly recognizes his audience appeal.
Marcia convinces her uncle to bring Rhodes on the local radio station, where he woos the local women with his wit and hayseed charm. He is a snake oil salesman, like his father (who left when he was a lad). Only Rhodes peddles something different. He uses his understanding of people to create a market for his combination of story-telling, music and country adages. Rhodes is quickly picked up by a Memphis radio station, where he meets Mel Miller (Walter Mattahau) who he not so affectionately nicknames “Vanderbilt 44.” His stay in Memphis is short-lived as opportunist Joey Depalma (Anthony Franciosa) recognizes Rhodes' marketability and quickly arranges for his New York debut.
Lonesome Rhodes skyrockets to national fame, where his television program enjoys a 53 percent market share. He sells everything from energy pills to politicians as his fame begins to swell his head. Marcia remains loyal to Rhodes, who recognizes her as an inspiration and someone who will always level with him. But Rhodes seems incapable of attending to his feelings for Marcia, suppressing them in favor of a fast life. As Rhodes begins to set his sights even higher, he is brought back down to earth by the source of his prosperity. The woman who discovered him and loved him must comes to terms with her feelings as the story comes full circle.
A Face in the Crowd was written by Budd Schulberg. The story might be considered derivative, if it weren’t so old. It may have been the inspiration for later films, but derivative is not a word I would use. It is the story of human nature. While I had issues with the speed of Rhodes rise, I thought the story itself was engaging. It was not a neatly tied happy-ending fairy tale, like many Hollywood films strive for. Instead, human nature is exposed for the ugly thing it often becomes. It is an interesting examination of fame, fortune and ego. It is an anecdote for the adage “pride goes before fall.” With a delightful cast of characters, the story is woven in a manner that maintains the interest of the audience. A well written story with characters that matter.
It was nice to see a cast of characters I recognized in such an old film. With Patricia Neal, Andy Griffith and Walter Matthau, I felt at home with the cast. They are all stellar actors. It was enjoyable to see them early in their careers. Evidence of their future success is apparent in their performances. I though Neal was awesome opposite the gregarious Griffith. His performance was unexpected. I am used to The Sheriff, so seeing Griffith in a role where his character is detestable was fun. The fact that his character still mattered in spite of his flaws is a testament to Griffith’s performance. Matthau had a Arthur Miller vibe in this film. I enjoyed his performance as well. With a solid cast, this interesting story was destined to be good.
If you enjoy older movies, A Face in the Crowd (1957) may be one to add to your streaming queue. It was a fun movie performed by a cast that older viewers will recognize and younger viewers can appreciate for their talents. It was directed by an icon of that era. The story is as old as the human race, with morals that date back to biblical passages regarding pride. The film also felt prophetic in its recognition of the power of persuasion held by television. An excellent story, awesome performances and timeless, too. 8/10.
