Favorite Supporting Actor Performances

This has been the most difficult list for me to make, up to this point. I started the process with nearly thirty names and then spent quite a bit of time narrowing it down to these final ten. If you ask me on a different day, about half of these choices could be swapped out and the ordering could be completely different.

Don't forget to check out Kyle's blog for his list, too!

1. John Goodman in The Big Lebowski

John Goodman has long since been one of my favorite character actors. I first saw him in the television series Roseanne and his Dan Connor is still one of the best sitcom characters of all time. Since then, I've seen him in countless films and shows, but his very best work is in one of my favorite films, The Big Lebowski, the comedy masterpiece from Joel and Ethan Coen. Goodman plays Walter Sobchak, a Jewish Vietnam vet with anger problems and an affinity for bowling. Walter is an outrageous character - he's opinionated, violent, verbose, and aggressive, but also very loyal. Goodman absolutely nails every moment, every line of dialogue, and every bit of physical comedy. One of my favorite Walter moments (and there are a bunch!) is when he interrogates a high school kid ("Is this your homework, Larry?") and then proceeds to smash the hell out of a car parked on the street. Goodman can swing from calm and collected to out of control with the best of actors and in The Big Lebowski, he gets to show it. 

2. George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove

Another list, another Dr. Strangelove appearance. Can you tell I love this film? This time it's to single out the magnificent performance of George C. Scott as General Buck Turgidson. His performance is dynamic and hilariously over the top. It's been rumored that Kubrick tricked Scott into giving this performance, reportedly telling the serious actor that he wouldn't use these comical takes. If that's the case, it only further cements Kubrick's genius in my mind. He got the exact performance he wanted and it turned out to be one of the best I've ever seen. Scott's facial expressions are a highlight of the performance as he sells the character perfectly - he's on edge and just a bit out of his mind. Scott was a remarkable actor - I also loved him in Anatomy of a Murder, The Hustler, and 12 Angry Men (1997) - but I'll always remember him for General Turgidson. 

3. R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket

R. Lee Ermey gives the single greatest performance by an amateur actor that I've ever seen in Full Metal Jacket. Ermey, a retired Marine drill instructor, was hired by Stanley Kubrick to be a technical adviser on the film, but quickly worked his way into the cast and stole the entire first half away from all the more experienced and trained actors. His Gunnery Sgt. Hartman is such a great character because of Ermey's influence. He came up with most of his own dialogue and informed Kubrick how a man in his position would carry himself. Hartman is a hard, rough man who only cares about one thing: producing the best Marines possible. He uses his intense attitude and loud, booming voice to make his points and keep his men in line and his tactics work beautifully... up to the point until they don't. Ermey made the most of his opportunity in Full Metal Jacket - he's had a long and prosperous acting career since - and I'm grateful for that. He's just a great performer.

4. Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting

Most people love Robin Williams for his comedic roles, but when I think of him, my mind always comes back to his finest piece of acting as Dr. Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. That's not to say Williams isn't funny in the role - at times it's a laugh out loud type performance - but his best moments are the quiet, more subdued ones. Sean is a listener and Williams always had a knack for listening and reacting to his fellow cast mates. Sometimes people seem like they're only waiting for their turn to talk and aren't really listening, but Williams was never like that. Something about his face and eyes showed you he was completely locked into whatever was happening. There are some very intense moments in Good Will Hunting and Williams performs wonderfully. His monologue on the park bench is a particularly good representation of what Williams was capable of. Sean is a complex character and Williams really sunk his teeth into the role, winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Acting that year. 

5. Brad Dourif in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was Brad Dourif's first credited role. What a way to start a career! He's gone on to some great projects (HBO's Deadwood is his finest work since Cuckoo's Nest) and a lot of dreck, but even if he'd only made this one film, he'd be remembered today. That's how good his work as Billy Bibbit was. Billy is a mental patient admitted to Nurse Ratched's ward to overcome his nervousness, social anxiety, and stuttering, but when he finally does start to overcome some of these things, Ratched breaks him back down again. Dourif performs with the stutter amazingly well - it seems natural and not forced in the least - and imbues Billy with a hopelessness and naivety that really help sell the character. While watching the film, it always seems like Billy could be one of the many actual mental patients that the film used as extras, that's how believable Dourif's performance was.

6. Jason Robards in Magnolia 

Jason Robards probably has the slightest role of the ten men on my list. Slight in screen time and physicality, but definitely not slight in emotional charge. Robards plays Earl Partridge, a man dying of cancer who doesn't leave his bed at any time during the film. Robards performance is the most realistic depiction of someone who is near death that I've seen. Earl reminded me a lot of my own father when he was dying - the same slack jaw, with his mouth hanging open. The same wheezing and coughing. The same far away look in his eyes, which are sunken and dark. It's a chilling sight to behold, that level humanism in a film. Robards has one scene in particular that illustrates how immensely talented he was: a nearly nine minute monologue where Earl tells about his mistakes in life and how much he regrets abandoning his sick wife and only son. When he gets excited and angry, he gets short of breath and has to pause to recover. It's these types of little moments that elevate a performance from "good" to "all-time great" and Robards has many of them.

7. John Cazale in Dog Day Afternoon

John Cazale appeared in only five films before his untimely death, but all five of those are considered classics to this day. The best of them, and the only one I truly love, is Dog Day Afternoon and a big part of this film's appeal is Cazale's performance as Sal, a bank robber who gets trapped inside a New York City bank on a very hot summer day. Cazale and Al Pacino - who plays Sonny, his partner in crime - are magnificent together. It's two great actors at the top of their game. Sal is a very memorable character because he's a fully developed and nuanced person. He's dumb, nervous, emotional, and constantly on the edge of a breakdown and Cazale conveys all of these emotions (and more), sometimes with just a look or how he hangs his head.

8. Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator 

Gladiator is in my Top 5 favorite films for a multitude of reasons, but one of the major ones is Joaquin Phoenix's wonderful performance as Commodus, the petty and insecure emperor of Rome. Commodus is a sniveling, conniving, murderous little weasel of a man and Phoenix makes him into one of the best film villains of all-time. The true genius of his performance, though, is that he also has the ability to actually make you feel sorry for Commodus, especially in the scenes towards the beginning when you see his own father pass him by in favor of Russell Crowe's Maximus. This role gives Phoenix the chance to do a little bit of everything, from physical action to slight comedy to deeply emotional scenes. It's a very showy role, but Phoenix never goes too far and keeps Commodus from becoming just another villain. Phoenix has since matured into, quite possibly, the best actor of his generation, but I think he delivered one of his best performances in Gladiator.

9. Billy Bob Thornton in A Simple Plan

Billy Bob Thornton is one of the best and most interesting actors of the last twenty years. He's able to play a wide range of diverse characters and often times disappears into the role. His best work is probably Sling Blade (a lead role in a film he wrote and directed), but I think his performance in A Simple Plan is nearly as good. Jacob is a slow, well meaning guy who has never caught a break in his whole life, so when he and his brother, Hank, find a bag filled with cash, he doesn't know what to do. They get drawn into an escalating conflict and Thornton shines throughout. There's a scene where Jacob tells Hank how he's never had a real girlfriend or even ever kissed a girl and it's simply heartbreaking. Thornton doesn't oversell it, he just lets everything flow naturally. His restraint is what makes the role really work. The novel by Scott Smith, on which this film is based, is one of my favorites and Thornton doesn't physically resemble the Jacob described there at all, but he makes the character his own.

10. Nick Nolte in Warrior

The character of Paddy Conlon in Warrior would have been a great role for any actor in his 60's or 70's - it's just so well written  - but Nick Nolte was the best choice possible, I think. His gruff exterior and sandpaper-like voice perfectly fit Paddy, a recovering alcoholic looking for redemption with his family. Nolte looks like an ex-athlete because he is one. He can expertly pass as an addict because he was one. The role seems to have been written specifically for him and he doesn't disappoint. Warrior is an excellent film for several reasons, but I think Nolte's performance is the best part of the whole thing. It's intense, emotional, and physical yet also mostly quiet and reserved. The balance that Nolte strikes is very impressive. One of my favorite moments of the film is when Paddy goes to his son's house to talk, hoping to join him and his family. Because of his past mistakes, Paddy has been cut off and doesn't even know his grandchildren. The desperation and sadness on his face and in his eyes is profound.




Well, there's my list. What are some of your favorites? Do you love any of mine? Or absolutely hate any of them? Thanks for reading and I look forward to any and all comments!

Next week's list: Part 8 of my Favorite Films.

My Favorite Films (Part 7)

Please refer to http://goo.gl/Oe7tO5, which explains the criteria for this series and don't forget to check out Kyle's blog for his lists, too!

31. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 

Year: 1975
Director: Milos Foreman

Besides Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher's Oscar winning performances, which I already discussed in my Favorite Lead Actor Performances and Favorite Lead Actress Performances lists, there are a multitude of reasons to love One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The rest of the cast - including Danny DeVito, William Redfield, Christopher Llyod, Sydney Lassick, Scatman Crothers, Will Sampson, and especially Brad Dourif - is excellent and all create memorable characters that wonderfully support Nicholson and Fletcher. Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman deservedly won the Best Screenplay Oscar and, in my opinion, greatly improved upon the source material. Every single technical aspect, from the direction and editing to the cinematography and production design, is sublime. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is simply perfect and is, quite possibly, my favorite film from the 1970's.

32. The Pledge

Year: 2001
Director: Sean Penn

Another masterful Jack Nicholson performance, this time a quarter century after his work in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, highlights this small, intimate suspense drama from director Sean Penn. The Pledge has a somewhat cliche plot - a police detective vows to find a killer and then proceeds to devote his whole life to that pursuit - but that doesn't tell the whole story. The Pledge is a subtle and nuanced film and explores the depths of obsession, paranoia, and fear as well as any film I've seen. For anyone who thinks that Nicholson always plays himself (a complaint I've never understood), I dare them to watch this film and keep that opinion. Besides Nicholson, the cast boasts some excellent actors - Aaron Eckhart, Patricia Clarkson, Benicio Del Toro, Harry Dean Stanton, Robin Wright, Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren, and Sam Sheppard all greatly add to the appeal of the film. It's Mickey Rourke, though, who shines the brightest among the supporting cast despite having only one scene. Penn has proven himself very talented behind the camera, capturing some great scenes and shots, and created one of the most haunting, sad, and memorable film endings in recent memory.

33. The Prestige 

Year: 2006
Director: Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is discussed far too often on the internet already, so I kind of hate to contribute anything more, but I feel that his best work, The Prestige, isn't talked about enough. The Prestige is a wonderful film in nearly every regard. The writing, performances, set and costume designs, direction, editing, cinematography, and soundtrack are all excellent and add up to one of the best films of this millennium. The story, concerning two magicians in nineteenth century London who become enemies and constantly push each other to greater lengths, is interesting and suspenseful and features a fabulous 'twist' at the end. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, two actors who don't normally impress me, are perfectly suited to their roles and Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson round out the main cast nicely. The recently deceased David Bowie has a great role as the famous inventor Nikola Tesla and is one of the first things I think about when discussing The Prestige. I've seen The Prestige three or four times and with each viewing, I like it a little bit more.

34. Pulp Fiction 

Year: 1994
Director: Quentin Tarantino

Pulp Fiction is a very unique film. Part neo noir, part dark comedy with a retro vibe and some of the most memorable characters assembled in a non-linear story frame with moments of intense and graphic violence. It can shock you into laughter, but also put you on the edge of your seat. Quentin Tarantino (one of my Favorite Directors) crafted a superb film, surpassing his wonderful debut, Reservoir Dogs, with ease. It's hard to pick a favorite moment, character, or line of dialogue, as the whole film is filled with such unbelievably great ones. I will say that Christopher Walken and Harvey Keitel are involved with some of my favorite moments and Bruce Willis gives on of the best performances of his career. With a film as famous and loved as Pulp Fiction, there's not a lot more to say. If you haven't seen it yet, get to it! If you've seen it, but only once a long time ago, see it again! If you've seen it multiple times and just recently, watch it again soon! It's a film that never gets old, no matter how many times I sit down to watch it.

35. Quills 

Year: 2000
Director: Philip Kaufman

Quills is easily one of the least talked about films on my list, but I think if more people had seen it, it would be among many people's favorites. The two most important aspects of a film, for me, are the writing (characters, dialogue, and plot) and performances (both main and supporting) and Quills features some of the best of both of those aspects. Doug Wright (what a name for a writer) adapted his own stage play for the screen and brought the legendary Marquis de Sade to life. As the Marquis, Geoffrey Rush gives the best performance of his career - which is saying quite a lot, given what he's done - and embodies the character with passion, lust, and a hilariously dark sense of humor as he's confined to an insane asylum in 18th century France for publishing his sexually explicit books. Kate Winslet, as the asylum's laundress who gets sucked into assisting the Marquis, is her usual, fantastic self. Michael Caine and Joaquin Phoenix play doctors with very different ideas on how to treat their imprisoned patients. Quills is a beautifully shot, sexy, and darkly funny film and I encourage anyone who hasn't seen it to make watching it a priority.

Well, there's part seven of this ten part series. I hope to have inspired at least one person to check out a film or two and I hope to read some comments down below. Do you like any of these films? Hate any of them? Let me know, please!

Coming up next Friday: My Favorite Supporting Actor Performances. 

 

John Carpenter's The Thing

The Thing

Directed by John Carpenter

When I compiled my Favorite Horror Films list back in October, a lot of readers were surprised that John Carpenter's The Thing wasn't listed. There was a perfectly acceptable reason for that - I simply hadn't seen the film yet. Now I have.

The Thing tells the story of a team of United States scientists and crew members who are stationed in Antarctica in the winter of 1982. One day, a dog is chased into their camp by a man shooting at it from a circling Norwegian helicopter. The dog survives, but the two men aboard the helicopter do not. After a short time, it's learned that a Norwegian expedition based nearby had discovered an alien ship frozen in the ice and had unwittingly let loose a dangerous creature capable of assimilating other life forms. This alien, the titular thing, begins to wreak havoc on the US base and its inhabitants.

Frequent Carpenter collaborator Kurt Russell plays the lead role, a gruff and macho helicopter pilot named R.J. MacReady. Russell almost always delivers a solid performance and is no different here. MacReady is a cool guy (despite wearing possibly the stupidest looking hat in movie history) who is quick with a witty retort and likes his whiskey straight, often straight from the bottle. Russell seems to have been born to play these types of characters and performs quite well, but doesn't do much of anything unexpected or overly impressive.

The rest of the cast consists of lesser actors playing less interesting characters. There's the guy in charge (Donald Moffat, with a face begging to be punched), the doctor (Richard Dysart), the loose cannon (Keith David), the dog lover (Richard Masur), the coward (Thomas Waites), the cook (T.K. Carter) and various, and mostly nondescript, scientists played by David Clennon, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, and Joel Polis.

The only standout in the cast, besides Russell, is Wilfred Brimley as Doctor Blair. Blair is the smartest man in camp and discovers what the alien is capable of, but also suffers a mental breakdown because of it. Brimley is an actor mostly known now for playing crotchety, old characters and Blair is more of the same. It's a testament to his charisma that Brimley is able to transcend his type-casting and deliver an interesting and layered performance.

The Thing handles a lot of aspects very well, despite letting me down on the acting side of things. One high point is the score, from cinema icon Ennio Morricone. It's a perfect combination of notes for a horror film and greatly adds to the overall tension and suspense, but does so without being heavy handed or overpowering.

The special effects and makeup effects might be the most famous part of The Thing and while they don't appear as realistic as similar effects would today, they still hold up nicely. There's no shortage of body transformations or gore and all of these moments are quite effective. One of my favorite examples of the great effects work is when one character is being examined after seemingly suffering a heart attack. As CPR is being performed on the unresponsive body, the man's chest burst opens and chomps off the doctor's arms at the elbows. It was a truly shocking moment and it jolted me upright. 

My main complaint with The Thing is the writing lets down an interesting concept. If the characters had been more fleshed out and diverse, they would have been memorable and it would have been easier to get engaged with them. As it is, I didn't really care too much about most of the characters, so I wasn't invested enough to care whether they lived or died. The script, written by Bill Lancaster - son of legendary actor Burt Lancaster - hovers at or slightly above the line of "average horror film" for the duration, with only a scene or two that worked really well, in my opinion.

One such scene is where MacReady is trying to determine which of the men has been assimilated by the alien life force. He comes up with an ingenious method: he draws blood from everyone and "tests" it by touching the pool of blood with a burning hot piece of metal. If the sample doesn't react to the heat, that donor is obviously not infected. The scene plays out methodically and really ratchets up the tension. As the viewer, you just know that someone is going to be infected, but the suspense is palpable as you wait to discover who it is.

Despite having lackluster characters and dialogue, The Thing is able to create quite a bit of tension and suspense. I think this owes more to Carpenter's direction and Todd Ramsay's editing (and the aforementioned score) than Lancaster's writing, though. The camera placement, shot length, and music combine well and the tension from the character's paranoia is evident throughout the film.

Another complaint of mine is the dark cinematography during the scenes set at night inside the camp buildings. It's one thing to create a dark atmosphere, which can help improve the mood of a film like this, but it's another matter altogether to have scene after scene of nearly indistinguishable characters and surroundings. If everything had been a shade or two lighter, the dark atmosphere could have been retained and the clarity of the film would have been much greater.

As much as I disliked the cinematography when the action was taking place inside, I equally loved the beautiful shots captured of northern British Columbia, which stood in for Antartica. I'm a sucker for snowy, desolate landscapes and The Thing doesn't disappoint. The sense of isolation and despair is evident when you see the relatively tiny camp surrounded on all sides by vast stretches of snow and mountains.

I went into my viewing of The Thing with moderate hopes. I had attempted to watch the film once before (about a year ago) and didn't make it far before shutting it off. After all those comments in regards to it being one of the best horror films of all-time, I decided to give it second chance. I'm glad I did. It's a fine film, but not one that I would consider a classic and it certainly isn't going to dethrone any of my favorite horror films.

My Favorite Films (Part 6)

Please refer to http://goo.gl/Oe7tO5, which explains the criteria for this series, and don't forget to check out Kyle's blog for his lists, too!

26. Magnolia 

Year: 1999

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of my Favorite Directors and Magnolia is my favorite film of his. It starts out with a truly wonderful scene that ranks among my Favorite Opening Scenes and doesn't loose much steam from there out, despite it's three hour running time. Magnolia is comprised of several different, and at times overlapping, stories taking place in Los Angeles over the course of one 24 hour period. The themes of these stories are similar - chance, causality, and "the sins of the father" - and help to tie everything together in a marvelous way. All of Anderson's films have great casts and Magnolia is no different. No one is really the star, but almost everyone shines brightly. Tom Cruise (in one of his best roles), Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Melora Walters, Philip Baker Hall, and young Jeremy Blackman are all very impressive, but I think Jason Robards gives the best performance of the group as an old man, filled with regrets, on his deathbed. The only weak link in the whole ensemble is the usually excellent Julianne Moore, who goes too far over the top too often for my liking. Everything else about the film is fantastic, especially the cinematography and soundtrack. The ending, which I won't spoil for anyone, is somewhat controversial, but I thought it was a perfectly surreal and fitting ending to this wonderful film. I know Magnolia is a film that is very decisive - it seems like a real "love it or hate it" type of film. I definitely fall into the "love it" camp.

27. Maverick 

Year: 1994

Director: Richard Donner

There are very few films that are simply as fun and entertaining as Maverick, the western comedy starring Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, and James Garner. I first saw it on VHS shortly after its release, so I would have been about 12 or 13, and I've loved it ever since. Not only is Maverick funny, but it's thrilling and has a nice amount of suspense, too. The main cast is great together, working perfectly with one another to create such a fantastic atmosphere. Gibson is handsome, charming, and funny. Garner matches him beat for beat, in spite of being nearly thirty years his senior. Foster plays opposite them both with grace, intelligence, and an unusual attractiveness. The supporting cast - including Graham Greene, James Coburn, and Alfred Molina - is nearly as good. The screenplay, from the legendary William Goldman, is packed with great moments and quotable dialogue. All these years later, I still think of (and try to incorporate) Coburn's line "I've got two small pair, 8's and 8's" every time I play poker. For a comedy, there are some solid twists and turns in the story, and I'm never bored, whether I'm watching it from start to finish or if I just catch a segment while it's on TV. I think that's a great indicator of a favorite film. 

 

28. Million Dollar Baby

Year: 2004

Director: Clint Eastwood

Million Dollar Baby is one of the best acted and most emotional films I have had the pleasure of seeing. At different points, it's funny, heartwarming, suspenseful, empowering, inspirational, and downright depressing. Any film that can accomplish all that in a little over two hours is something special, in my book. Clint Eastwood pulls quadruple duty as director, star, producer, and music composer and succeeds at all the jobs. I really think he should have won the Best Actor Oscar for Million Dollar Baby - he lost to Jamie Foxx for Ray, but did win Best Director - as I absolutely love his portrayal of Frankie Dunn, a hardened boxing trainer with a tough as nails exterior. Frankie is a complex character and Eastwood hits all the right notes, from gruff and sour to tender and caring. Hilary Swank did win the Best Actress Oscar, and rightfully so, and her Maggie Fitzgerald is an equally interesting character. She's dirt poor and from an insensitive hillbilly family, but has a great attitude about life and doesn't let anything hold her back from pursuing her dreams of becoming a professional boxer. When the final act rolls around and the movie takes a drastic and unexpected turn, the payoff is so great because you've learned to love these two characters. It seems unfair to go on for this long without mentioning Morgan Freeman (another Oscar winner - the film also won Best Picture) and his wonderful contribution. His character is somewhere in between both Frankie and Maggie, when it comes to personality traits, and Freeman is perfect in the role. The supporting cast, especially Margo Martindale as Maggie's mother, is very good, too, as is the music and dark cinematography. I know some people who have no interest in seeing Million Dollar Baby because they're not into "boxing" films, but this is so much more. The sport of boxing is only the frame work for a much more in depth film about loss, regrets, passion, and relationships.   

29. Notes on a Scandal 

Year: 2006

Director: Richard Eyre

Notes on a Scandal is a marvelously executed drama, with an underlying current of suspense. It works for many reasons, but the main draws, for me, are the wonderful performances and writing. Judi Dench has given some truly great performances in the last decade, but her work in Notes on a Scandal is the highlight of this late career revival. She is simply phenomenal and earned the #2 spot on my Favorite Lead Actress Performances list. Cate Blanchett may be the best actress of her generation and nearly matches Dench's performance as Sheba Hart, a new teacher who Barbara takes a liking to. She's young and somewhat naive and makes more bad decisions than you'd think possible, but Blanchett is so good and so effortless that you can't help but like Sheba, despite her faults. To have two performances of this caliber in a single film is a rare treat. Bill Nighy turns in a powerful supporting performance as Sheba's husband, a man who goes from happy and carefree to shattered and broken. Much like The Insider, where Michael Mann took a seemingly ordinary story and crafted something akin to a thriller out of it, Notes on a Scandal is superbly executed, elevating the plot with beautiful camera work, an interesting score, and smooth editing.

30. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Year: 2000

Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen

I've talked about O Brother, Where Art Thou? several times now on this blog, including during my pieces on my Favorite Lead Actor Performances, my Favorite Directors, and just last week during my Favorite Comedy Films. Because of this, I won't add anything further, besides urging anyone who hasn't seen it to check it out soon!

Well, there's part six of this ten part series. I hope to have inspired at least one person to check out a film or two and I hope to read some comments down below. Do you like any of these films? Hate any of them? Let me know, please!

Coming up next Friday: My Favorite Documentary Films. 

A Face in the Crowd

A Face in the Crowd

Directed by Elia Kazan

Back in 1957, when A Face in the Crowd was released, television was still in its infancy, but director Elia Kazan and screenwriter Budd Shulberg seemingly looked into the future and saw what kind of influence the new media device would become. 

A Face in the Crowd tells the story of a drifter named Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, who gets plucked out of a small town jail to be part of a human interest radio program. From there, his infectious attitude and charm propels him to his own show on the station, where he develops a loyal listening audience. It's not long before he's summoned to the "big leagues" - first Nashville, Tennessee and his own television program and then New York City and a national audience.

Rhodes is an interesting character. He's immediately likable, but with a devious and manipulative side which doesn't take long to take over. As played by Andy Griffith, Rhodes has a laid back southern drawl and a wide, easy grin. As anyone who grew up with repeats of The Andy Griffith show constantly airing, I had a hard time disassociating Griffith, the actor, from his character Andy Taylor, the lovable and supremely trustworthy sheriff of Mayberry. After seeing his turn as "Lonesome" Rhodes, I won't have that problem anymore. 

Griffith does a decent job as Rhodes, but I just don't think he had the acting chops to quite pull off such a substantial role. There are a handful of scenes where his performance shines, but more often than not, he's just okay or worse. He goes over the top a little too often for my liking and I think it would have benefited the film greatly if Kazan had reined him in on those occasions. I understand that Rhodes is an over the top character, but the performance just didn't sit well with me.

Patricia Neal has the largest supporting role as Marcia Jeffries, the radio announcer and producer who discovers Rhodes and then travels with him, swinging between the dual roles of business associate and lover. Neal is quite good at times and Marcia is another complicated character. She's proud of her work and wants her share of the revenue coming in, but also can't stand who Rhodes turns into. This is the first film I've seen Neal in, but she left an immediate impression on me. She was beautiful, strong, and confident in A Face in the Crowd and I'd like to see more of her work. Her Oscar winning role in Hud has been on my watchlist for ages and I think other films from her resume will be added shortly. 

Walter Matthau, a man who appears to have always looked old, also has a sizable role as Mel Miller, a television screenwriter who immediately sees through Rhodes' shtick and tries to keep Marcia safe. He doesn't have a flamboyant personality like Rhodes, but Miller was still an interesting role and Matthau performed very well with his limited amount of screen time, thanks to his dry wit and barely hidden contempt of Rhodes and everything he stands for. 

Lee Remick and Anthony Franciosa round out the main cast as a young woman who catches Rhodes' eye and his slimy agent, respectively. Both actors play the roles just fine, but I can't imagine either of the performances are going to stick with me for long. They simply don't have a whole lot to do.

The main selling point of the film, for me at least, is the premise. It really is eerie how much Rhodes resembles some of the "stars" of today like Donald Trump, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, or - to a much lesser extent - Chris Matthews or Keith Olbermann. Rhodes uses the radio and television in a way to grow his brand and capitalize on his fans' ("followers" might describe them better) adoration of him. They will do pretty much whatever Rhodes tells them to do, from buying certain products to endorsing a particular nominee for President and everything in between. That level of devotion to a person you don't really know anything about is scary. People who appear on television aren't telling you the whole truth about themselves. You don't know the motivations for their actions or opinions. You might as well take life advice from a character in a sitcom or film as these guys - especially people like Trump, Limbaugh, or Beck - are just as scripted as any Hollywood fantasy.

The fact that Rhodes can rise to power so quickly is a bit absurd, but that's the satiric nature of the film. In real life, it generally takes years to build up a fan base so loyal that you can sway things in your favor. The old saying "absolute power corrupts absolutely" definitely applies to Rhodes. He's a product of his own megalomania and he doesn't care who or what gets in his way. 

I do think this story could have been told in a more effective manner if the film had been 20 minutes or so shorter. It started to drag in places and I was occasionally checking the time, wondering when it was going to end. If it had been a bit shorter, I don't think this would have been the case. 

The technical aspects of A Face in the Crowd are far less impressive than the premise and characters. Nothing about Kazan's direction or the cinematography (by Gayne Rescher and Harry Stradling) really stood out as positives. In fact, I think Kazan opted for far too many fade outs, which became distracting and repetitive after a while. The editing by Gene Milford and musical score by Tom Glazer were both fine, but nothing more. 

A Face in the Crowd was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2008, for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". I can wholeheartedly agree with it meeting those first two standards, but not the third. Not all "classics" are created equally, of course, and I think this one is of a lesser quality - good, but not great.

Still, A Face in the Crowd was an interesting film and I'm happy to have seen it once. I can't imagine returning to it again anytime soon, though it would make an intriguing double feature with Sidney Lumet's Network, which covers some similar themes. I think I'd probably just watch the far superior Network on its own though and save myself two hours for something else.