I love Robert Redford for his apparent hatred of American mainstream society. I have no evidence to support that he harbors such feelings, and yet, after watching “Quiz Show” I have a sense that he must feel that way. In the film he states clearly and succinctly what it is about Americans that keep them tuning in to the empty, mindless shows on television, that being that they are inherently greedy and have short attention spans. This makes them prone to watching shows in which likeable, relatable people win lots of money. The film explores how networks exploit this to appeal to the masses and in the process end up corrupting themselves and lying to the public. It’s so great because it’s a message the public needs to hear, yet it’s wrapped up in a film they will never watch because it doesn’t appeal to those very weaknesses it addresses. Also, you get to see Martin Scorsese act a little, so it’s a shame that most people are missing out on that.
“Quiz Show” is a specific reference to the popular game show of the fifties, “Twenty One” which came under fire for being rigged when several contestants came forward, testifying that they had been given the answers and coached on how to act on air. The scandal focused particularly on Herbert Stempel, who admitted to being fed answers and told to take a dive after many weeks of being a returning champion, to make room for a more likeable contestant, Charles Van Doren.
In the movie, Herb Stempel is played John Turturro in a brilliantly uncharismatic, borderline crazy manner that comes together to make him an all together likeable guy. His main opponent is Charles Van Doren, played by Ralph Fiennes in a similarly uncharismatic fashion, yet one that seems to draw people to him. Fiennes’ role in particular drew my attention because of how conflicted the character is. On one hand, he willingly accepts the answers to the quiz show before the fact, all the while taking in thousands of undeserved dollars despite his guilt eating away at him because he is sworn to secrecy, and when he does finally come clean and testify, he is publically shunned and ruined, fired from both the job he was offered at NBC and the professor position he had at Columbia University. Ultimately the lesson we can get from watching his character is crime doesn’t pay, except when it does a whole lot but then leaves you as a traitor to the public’s trust and without a job.
David Paymer, who wasn’t so much born as he was cast from a Greedy, Corrupt Jew MoldTM played Dan Enright, the man who eventually took the fall for the game show fixing seeing as he was the producer, although it’s implied the scandal went even higher, reaching the President of NBC and the owner of the main sponsor, Geritol (played extra weasel-y by Martin Scorsese, a welcome addition to the already outstanding cast).
Rob Morrow plays Dick Goodwin, the Congressional lawyer hired to investigate the possible corruption of “Twenty One.” In his quest to uncover the truth, Goodwin aims too high, hoping to bring down the television network itself and realizing too late that that would never happen, with the above mentioned Enright taking the bullet to protect NBC. Morrow’s performance of an ambitious young lawyer is captivating, and there is a huge emotional payoff at the end when we see the disappointment and shame he feels at inadvertently destroying the life of Van Doren and realizing his dreams of unmasking the corruption of television would never come true. Also, he sounds exactly like a sad Adam Sandler the whole movie through (you know that voice Sandler does when he’s not being silly or pissed off? I promise you it’s exactly like that).
I think the most moving parts of this film, though, come from the scenes between Charles Van Doren and his father, Mark. Mark Van Doren is played perfectly by Paul Scofield as a loving, proud father who is dealing with his son’s newfound fame. He is a man who is astounded at the prospect that his son can achieve so much wealth and fame from so little effort. Uneasy about it at first, he soon comes to terms with it, and supports Charles as only a devoted father can. It’s so heartbreaking then, to see Charles fight and struggle to tell his dad that he’s been cheating. And when it finally happens it’s a sad but loving moment that continues as they attend the hearing together. The real heartbreaker comes after the testimony, when the press reveals to both father and son that the University they teach at together is going to ask for Charles’ resignation. They are both crushed and as a viewer I was too. Paul Scofield puts on the best face of hurt feelings and crushed spirit, you just feel all hope wither with him as he stumbles out of the court in disappointment.
“Quiz Show” is a powerful testament to the power of television and the effect it holds on the public. My case in point, how many of you had ever heard of this huge scandal before? As the movie itself proves, the public forgets so easily. The film itself was one half interesting, arbitrary facts presented in and about the quiz show its contestants, the scandal, and the other half is big business vs. legislative politics. Even reading that last sentence, I realize how boring that will sound to the majority of the movie watching public. And yet I also know now from personally watching the film how powerfully and effectively it presents its case that so many people need desperately to hear.
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