A FACE IN THE CROWD (1957)

Elia Kazan honed his skills with the Group Theater, a politically motivated performance company that explored the acting techniques of Konstantin Stanislavsky. As a result, most of his films are both fiercely devoted to social issues and grounded in realistic, lived-in performances. In A FACE IN THE CROWD, the focus was the media and political demagoguery. With his singing and down-home banter, “Lonesome” Rhodes (Andy Griffith, in his film debut) catches the attention of a journalist played by Patricia Neal. Before long, she helped him become a television star with tremendous political influence.  The power soon goes to his head as he betrays those around him. Budd Schulberg’s trenchant script was one of the first to deal with the powerful influence of television, and Kazan’s direction got seething performances out of Griffith, Neal, Walter Matthau and, in another film debut, Lee Remick.

d. Elia Kazan, 126m, DCP

Restoration by Warner Bros. Discovery.