Elia Kazan directed this prescient satire of television and politics that stars Andy Griffith(his film debut) as guitar playing hobo 'Lonesome' Rhodes, who is in and out of jail when he meets Marcia Jeffries(played by Patricia Neal) a network executive who is amused by his easy charm and extroverted nature, and puts him first on the radio, then television, where he becomes an overnight sensation, and uses his growing influence with the public to gather more power and riches, which alarms Marcia's colleague Mel Miller(played by Walter Matthau). Marcia has sadly fallen for Rhodes, who leaves her when he marries young admirer Betty Lou(played by Lee Remick). Marcia will eventually listen to Mel and make a fateful decision to expose Rhodes for the monster he truly is... Way ahead of its time in terms of how an entertainer(or politician!) can manipulate and fool a gullible public to do and believe what they want, though the more astute viewer will see right through Rhodes' obvious act and superficial charm, and Andy Griffith lays on the act a bit too much after awhile, to the picture's detriment. It is a shame that the general public still haven't wised up as much as they should, enabling and empowering the modern-day versions of Lonesome Rhodes currently among us...
Review of A Face in the Crowd
