Having read others' comments here and having just watched its new DVD, I'll add my two cents. This has been one of my faves since first seeing it (too) long ago. Well, it is more relevant than ever and should be seen be everyone (literally)!! I notice some (likely younger) folks mentioned comparisons to some contemporary politicians, but indeed Lonesome Rhodes was based on the phenomenally successful (and notoriously haughty) radio & early TV host Arthur Godfrey. Yes, Godfrey discovered Julius La Rosa, but La Rosa probably got fired for asking for a raise (after becoming very popular, both on the show and solo records). Apparently Arthur, like Lawrence Welk, was a cheap prick skinflint who only paid scale -- no matter what their tenure or how successful were his performers.
"A Face In the Crowd" was most definitely social commentary, NOT satire; although, as one from that era, I can understand why it seemed so to many at the time. And also why it inspired so many talents! That this film was not nominated on its own merits due to political differences/grudges is a GD crime! Can't say why Andy wasn't, but he sure deserved it... Awesome!! So awesome,it actually effected his personal life.
Anyway, re: politicians, "A face In the Crowd" was a prescient warning of the dangers of that new media, thus akin to those who subsequently capitalized on its propaganda value and the *science* of people's weakness of mistaking "image" for truth!
But Kazan was not simply a great director; he was perhaps the most socially conscious of all Hollywood directors!! And he was one of the great actors' directors; hence, why you never saw an Andy Griffith act like in this film again! (The DVD also has an excellent up-to-date documentary about the making of AFITC and its genesis, with many pertinent historical tidbits re: Kazan.)
In just 21 films, Kazan directed at least 10 GREAT films: "America, America" (1963), "Wild River" (1960), "Baby Doll" (1956), "East of Eden" (1955), "On the Waterfront" (1954), "Viva Zapata!" (1952), "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951), "Panic in the Streets" (1950), "Gentleman's Agreement" (1947), and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" (1945).
In his films, 21 different actors had Oscar-nominated performances: James Dunn, Celeste Holm, Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, Anne Revere, Jeanne Crain, Ethel Barrymore, Ethel Waters, Karl Malden, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, Marlon Brando, Anthony Quinn, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Jo Van Fleet, James Dean, Carroll Baker, Mildred Dunnock, and Natalie Wood -- of which Dunn, Holm, Malden, Leigh, Hunter, Quinn, Brando, Saint and Van Fleet ALL won Oscars for their performances in one of Kazan's movies.
Not too shabby, eh!?
"A Face In the Crowd" was most definitely social commentary, NOT satire; although, as one from that era, I can understand why it seemed so to many at the time. And also why it inspired so many talents! That this film was not nominated on its own merits due to political differences/grudges is a GD crime! Can't say why Andy wasn't, but he sure deserved it... Awesome!! So awesome,it actually effected his personal life.
Anyway, re: politicians, "A face In the Crowd" was a prescient warning of the dangers of that new media, thus akin to those who subsequently capitalized on its propaganda value and the *science* of people's weakness of mistaking "image" for truth!
But Kazan was not simply a great director; he was perhaps the most socially conscious of all Hollywood directors!! And he was one of the great actors' directors; hence, why you never saw an Andy Griffith act like in this film again! (The DVD also has an excellent up-to-date documentary about the making of AFITC and its genesis, with many pertinent historical tidbits re: Kazan.)
In just 21 films, Kazan directed at least 10 GREAT films: "America, America" (1963), "Wild River" (1960), "Baby Doll" (1956), "East of Eden" (1955), "On the Waterfront" (1954), "Viva Zapata!" (1952), "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951), "Panic in the Streets" (1950), "Gentleman's Agreement" (1947), and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" (1945).
In his films, 21 different actors had Oscar-nominated performances: James Dunn, Celeste Holm, Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, Anne Revere, Jeanne Crain, Ethel Barrymore, Ethel Waters, Karl Malden, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, Marlon Brando, Anthony Quinn, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Jo Van Fleet, James Dean, Carroll Baker, Mildred Dunnock, and Natalie Wood -- of which Dunn, Holm, Malden, Leigh, Hunter, Quinn, Brando, Saint and Van Fleet ALL won Oscars for their performances in one of Kazan's movies.
Not too shabby, eh!?