A Face in the Crowd (1957)

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writers:

Budd Schulberg (story)
Budd Schulberg (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 October 1957 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An Arkansas hobo becomes an overnight media sensation. But as he becomes drunk with fame and power, will he ever be exposed as the fraud he has become?

Plot Keywords:

Crowd | Hobo | Arkansas | Chart | Jail

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Andy Griffith	...	Larry 'Lonesome' Rhodes
Patricia Neal	...	Marcia Jeffries
Anthony Franciosa	...	Joey DePalma
Walter Matthau	...	Mel Miller
Lee Remick	...	Betty Lou Fleckum
Percy Waram	...	Gen. Haynesworth
Paul McGrath	...	Macey
Rod Brasfield	...	Beanie
Marshall Neilan	...	Senator Worthington Fuller
Alexander Kirkland	...	Jim Collier
Charles Irving	...	Mr. Luffler
Howard Smith	...	J.B. Jeffries
Kay Medford	...	First Mrs. Rhodes
Big Jeff Bess	...	Sheriff Big Jeff Bess
Henry Sharp	...	Abe Steiner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
R.G. Armstrong	...	TV Prompter Operator (uncredited)
John Bliss	...	Barefoot Baritone (uncredited)
Walter Cartier	...	(uncredited)
Larry Casazza	...	Second Printer (uncredited)
Bennett Cerf	...	Himself (uncredited)
Lois Chandler	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Carolyn Craig	...	Redheaded filly (uncredited)
John Stuart Dudley	...	(uncredited)
Faye Emerson	...	Herself (uncredited)
Willie Feibel	...	First Printer (uncredited)
Nicholas Frangakis	...	Western Union Messenger (uncredited)
Betty Furness	...	Herself (uncredited)
Virginia Graham	...	Herself (uncredited)
Burl Ives	...	Himself (uncredited)
Harold Jinks	...	(uncredited)
Sam Levenson	...	Himself (uncredited)
Lou Marcelle	...	Trailer Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Brownie McGhee	...	Servant with limp (uncredited)
Lois Nettleton	...	Mr. Mason's Nurse (uncredited)
Logan Ramsey	...	TV Director (uncredited)
Charles Nelson Reilly	...	(uncredited)
Diana Sands	...	(uncredited)
Granny Sense	...	(uncredited)
P. Jay Sidney	...	Llewellyn (uncredited)
Fred Stewart	...	(uncredited)
John Cameron Swayze	...	Himself (uncredited)
Rip Torn	...	Barry Mills (uncredited)
Eva Vaughan	...	Mrs. Cooley (uncredited)
Mike Wallace	...	Himself (uncredited)
Vera Walton	...	(uncredited)
Earl Wilson	...	Himself (uncredited)
Walter Winchell	...	Himself (uncredited)
Sandra Wirth	...	A baton twirling champion (uncredited)
Sandy Wirth	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Elia Kazan

Writing credits
Budd Schulberg		(story)
Budd Schulberg		(screenplay)

Produced by
Elia Kazan	....	producer

Original Music by
Tom Glazer

Cinematography by
Gayne Rescher		(director of photography)
Harry Stradling Sr.		(as Harry Stradling)

Film Editing by
Gene Milford

Art Direction by
Paul Sylbert
Richard Sylbert

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone

Makeup Department
Willis Hanchett	....	hair stylist
Robert Jiras	....	makeup artist (as Robert E. Jiras)

Production Management
George Justin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles H. Maguire	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Don Olson	....	sound editor
Ernest Zatorsky	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
James Fitzsimons	....	assistant camera
Saul Midwall	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Flo Transfield	....	wardrobe (as Florence Transfield)

Music Department
Tom Glazer	....	composer: songs
Budd Schulberg	....	composer: songs

Other crew
Roberta Hodes	....	continuity
Roberta Hodes	....	script
Charles Irving	....	special assistant

Production Companies

• Newtown Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Budd Schulberg's A Face in the Crowd (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #18502) | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Biograph Studios, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Newtown Productions

Trivia:

The majority of the movie was filmed at Biograph Studios built in 1912 by American Mutoscope & Biograph [us] which is still in existence today. The studio was sold several times throughout the years until it burned down in 1980.

Goofs:

Continuity: The Variety cover announcing Lonesome Rhodes on-air meltdown not only mis-spells his last name as "Roads" but is also dated "November 21, 1956" which is well before the other dates in the movie, for example, earlier he was picking Miss Arkansas Twirler 1957.

Quotes:

Marcia Jeffries: Betty Lou is your public, all wrapped up with yellow ribbons into one cute little package. She's the logical culmination of the great 20th-centure love affair between Lonesome Rhodes and his mass audience.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Facing the Past (2005) (V)

Underrated Masterpiece!

If you think that the extend of Andy Griffith's acting ability is playing a good old boy sheriff or aging lawyer. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie. In it he shows the many shades of the character Lonesome Rhodes, pulling you in with his charm amd homespun philosophy until you realize that there is a snake hiding in that Downhome sheeps clothing.

I have watch this film many times and am always fascinated by the subtle hints early in the film to what he eventually reveals to the world.

a five star movie that was way ahead of it's time.