Quiz Show (1994)

Dick Goodwin discovers game shows are fixed: Charles Van Doren is fed answers so he beats Herbie Stempel.

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers:

Paul Attanasio (screenplay), Richard N. Goodwin (book)

Stars:

John Turturro, Rob Morrow, Ralph Fiennes

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Turturro	...	Herbie Stempel
Rob Morrow	...	Dick Goodwin
Ralph Fiennes	...	Charles Van Doren
Paul Scofield	...	Mark Van Doren
David Paymer	...	Dan Enright
Hank Azaria	...	Albert Freedman
Christopher McDonald	...	Jack Barry
Johann Carlo	...	Toby Stempel
Elizabeth Wilson	...	Dorothy Van Doren
Allan Rich	...	Robert Kintner
Mira Sorvino	...	Sandra Goodwin
George Martin	...	Chairman
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Lishman
Griffin Dunne	...	Account Guy
Michael Mantell	...	Pennebaker

Storyline

An idealistic young lawyer working for a Congressional subcommittee in the late 1950s discovers that TV quiz shows are being fixed. His investigation focuses on two contestants on the show "Twenty-One": Herbert Stempel, a brash working-class Jew from Queens, and Charles Van Doren, the patrician scion of one of America's leading literary families. Based on a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

television | columbia university | 1950s | fraud | investigation | 

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Taglines:

Fifty million people watched, but no one saw a thing.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some strong language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kviz

Filming Locations:

Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$24,822,619 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Baltimore Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Wildwood Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When he first talks to James Snodgrass, Richard Goodwin mentions that he was on "Twenty-One," on January 13 (presumably 1958), before Van Doren. Van Doren was on the show from November 28, 1956-March 11, 1957; Snodgrass's games against Hank Bloomgarden came after that because the first known date for which Snodgrass wrote down everything he was supposed to do was for the May 20, 1957 broadcast.

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Goofs

The address written on Goodwin's legal pad does not match the street address when they visit.

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Quotes

Announcer: Geritol. America's #1 tonic. Geritol, the fast-acting, high-potentcy tonic, that helps you feel... stronger... fast... presents the exciting quiz program..."Twenty-One." Brought to you by NBC, The National Broadcasting Company, broadcasting nationally coast to coast, from New York to Los Angeles, from Seattle to St. Petersburg... via a vast network of affiliates crisscrossing the country. Coming up next, "Twenty-One," starring master of ceremonies Jack Barry!
[music cues build dramatically]
Announcer: Two ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

NBC and Geritol were never implicated in the quiz show scandals.

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Connections

Referenced in NewsRadio: The Song Remains the Same (1996)

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Soundtracks

"MACK THE KNIFE"
Written by Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht and Marc Blitzstein
Performed by Bobby Darin
Courtesy of Atco Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Quiz Show a remarkable film!

I felt like it was very well done, great camera angles, some fairly creative shots that spoke for the characters when they themselves were silent...just a well done, quality film, that never drys out or leaves you in a lurch. John Turturro is outstanding as a neurotic, slightly obsessed and racially-sensitive Stempel, Rob Morrow carries the role of Goodwin as if he were the man himself, and Ralph Fiennes as Charles Van Doren was a better choice than anyone else I could imagine, also as if the role fit his personality so closely as to blur the line between actor and role. Hank Azaria had a relatively small part, but is always a good fit regardless of the subject matter, a phenomenal character actor who has finally made quite a name for himself; quite overdue, I feel. Paul Scofield handles his role as Charles' father without so much as the slightest effort, it comes so easily. David Paymer is a man who seems to receive so few accolades one might hardly notice him, but he also is tremendously talented (see Mr. Saturday Night for a strong example of Paymer's abilities as supporting actor opposite Billy Crystal and Julie Warner).

All in all, a wonderful film on a subject in which one might not normally find interest, but very well done and an outstanding yet understated collection of actors and actresses make this one:

4 out of 5 stars

Well worth seeing! I would highly recommend it!