RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / A Face in the Crowd
A Face in the Crowd

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

A Face in the Crowd (1957)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
90 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:21

Fresh:19

Rotten:2

Average Rating:7.8/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 6 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: A savagely funny look at the way sudden notoriety and power corrupt. A small-town windbag (Griffith in his film debut) becomes an overnight success when the TV show created for him by network and... A savagely funny look at the way sudden notoriety and power corrupt. A small-town windbag (Griffith in his film debut) becomes an overnight success when the TV show created for him by network and advertising execs hits the top of the ratings. But behind the scenes he turns out to be a vindictive monster, and the reporter who brought him out of the woods determines to expose him. Based on the short story "The Arkansas Traveler" by Schulburg, who also wrote the script. [More]

Starring: Andy Griffith, Lee Remick, Walter Matthau, Patricia Neal

Starring: Andy Griffith, Lee Remick, Walter Matthau, Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa, Percy Waram, Rod Brasfield, Paul McGrath, Kay Medford

Director: Elia Kazan

Director: Elia Kazan
Producer: Elia Kazan
Screenwriter: Budd Schulberg

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

May 10, 2005

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Discovered by Marcia Jeffries, Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes is a homespun hobo who's about to become famous. But, as usual, more fame leads to more power and more power leads to more corruption. The film also features many celebrities appearing as themselves (Burl Ives, Mike Wallace, Betty Furness, Bennett Cerf, Faye Emerson, Walter Winchell, and others).
  • Source: Warner Home Video
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for A Face in the Crowd

    • T-Meter Critics
    • Top Critics
    • RT Community
    • My Critics
    • My Friends
    • DVD
     
     
    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
    Text View | 1 2 >> >|
    Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
     
     
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    11/06/08
    Variety
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    A Face in the Crowd has never ceased to be relevant.

    Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
    02/27/08
    J. Hoberman
    J. Hoberman
    Village Voice
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    It's a biting 'rise and fall' satire, sending out a warning to watch out for legends created on the boob tube.

    Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
    11/29/07
    Dennis Schwartz
    Dennis Schwartz
    Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    A raw, penetrating, and terrifying portrait of humanity.

    Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
    11/01/07
    TV Guide's Movie Guide
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    12/12/06
    Cole Smithey
    Cole Smithey
    ColeSmithey.com

    What starts out as a seemingly liberal tract rapidly becomes a smug, cynical exercise in misanthropy.

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    01/26/06
    Geoff Andrew
    Geoff Andrew
    Time Out

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    06/29/05
    Emanuel Levy
    Emanuel Levy
    EmanuelLevy.Com

    ...an important cautionary tale for all of us not take everything we see and hear at face value.

    Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
    05/15/05
    John J. Puccio
    John J. Puccio
    DVDTown.com

    Next time you feel like you're getting fooled again by a demagogue, rent this movie and get centered

    Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
    05/13/05
    David Bezanson
    David Bezanson
    Filmcritic.com

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    04/28/05
    Thomas Delapa
    Thomas Delapa
    Boulder Weekly

    Didactic but highly effective little black comedy from the folks who gave you 'On the Waterfront.' Andy Griffith is downright scary.

    comment Comment
    12/31/04
    Dan Lybarger
    Dan Lybarger
    Nitrate Online

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    01/30/04
    Daniel M. Kimmel
    Daniel M. Kimmel
    Worcester Telegram & Gazette

    The remarkable thing about A Face in the Crowd is the way in which this 50-year-old film only seems to become only more relevant with the passing of time.

    Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
    11/20/03
    Ken Hanke
    Ken Hanke
    Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    10/31/03
    Carol Cling
    Carol Cling
    Las Vegas Review-Journal

    The first half of A Face in the Crowd is genuinely intriguing and competently handled by Kazan, but it quickly degenerates into moralizing diatribe.

    Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
    05/24/03
    Channel 4 Film
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    This sizzling and cynical exposure... also presents Andy Griffith as the key figure in his first screen role.

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    05/20/03
    Bosley Crowther
    Bosley Crowther
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    12/31/02
    Robert Roten
    Robert Roten
    Laramie Movie Scope

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    12/19/02
    Josh Gilchrist
    Josh Gilchrist
    Billings Outpost (Montana)

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    10/15/02
    Philip Martin
    Philip Martin
    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

    A little overdone, but Neal and Remick are brilliant.

    comment Comment
    08/01/02
    Nell Minow
    Nell Minow
    Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies
     
     
    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
    Text View | 1 2 >> >|
    See All

    More DVDs

    Close
    Top Rentals
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    15% 15% The Ugly Truth
    98% 98% Up
    36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
    52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
    45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

    More Rentals…

    New On DVD This Week
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    36% 36% Angels & Demons
    68% 68% Funny People
    25% 25% Four Christmases
    45% 45% Shorts

    More New Releases…

    See All

    RT On Current TV

    The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

    DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

    Learn how you can be part of the show

    More...

    What’s Hot On RT

    Avatar

    Avatar

    Watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video!

    Box Office

    Box Office

    New Moon #1, breaks TDK records

    RT's Gift Guide

    RT's Gift Guide

    Give the best movies, gear, and more!

    What to Watch?

    What to Watch?

    Read our Holiday Movie Preview!

    Other News

    Close
    • Top Stories
    • Popular
    • Interviews
     
     

    Comments

     
     
    Top Stories
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
    4
    • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
    1
    • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
    100
    • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
    112
    • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
    32
    • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
    63
    • Forbes Names Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actors Source: Forbes
    20
    • Chris Weitz Says He's (Almost) Done with Directing Source: Film School Rejects
    26
    • Spider-Man 4 Casting Rumors Multiply Like Rabbits Source: Deadline Hollywood Daily
    51
    • McTeigue Says Superman Is "In a Weird Place" Source: MTV
    204
    Popular
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
    129
    • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
    112
    • Tomatometer Watch: Will Twilight's New Moon Dazzle?
    96
    • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
    74
    • Five Favorite Films with Werner Herzog
    50
    • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
    50
    • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Star Trek, Bruno, and Cheaper Sopranos
    32
    • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
    31
    • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
    8
    • Ho, ho, ho! It's RT's Great Big Gift Guide!
    0
    Interviews
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
    8
    • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
    19
    • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
    6
    • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
    15
    • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
    16
    • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
    8
    • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
    28
    • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
    28
    • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
    14
    • Emma Stone talks Zombieland - RT Interview
    41
     
     

    Sponsored Links

    Around The Network

    • A Face in the Crowd at Rotten Tomatoes

    Fresh Links

    Featured
    Star Trek DVD Exclusive
    Star Trek DVD Exclusive External Link

    TECHLAND gives us a first look at the extras, including Leonard Nimoy's last day on set!

    The New Cult Canon
    The New Cult Canon External Link

    AV Club looks at a beloved cult classic, Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness.

    New Moon Portraits
    New Moon Portraits External Link

    TIME offers us a closer look at the characters from the latest Twilight film.

    Unsexiest Men Alive
    Unsexiest Men Alive External Link

    Moviefone lists their choices for the least attractive men in Hollywood.

    Promos
    Follow RT on Twitter
    Follow RT on Twitter External Link

    Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

     
     
    About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
    IGN Logo

    IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
    TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
    AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


    By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
    Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
    IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
    Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.