A searing political satire from Elia Kazan, A Face in the Crowd follows the rise of Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes, a media sensation with a hunger for fame. However, after a devastating public gaffe, he is rebuked by the fans who once worshipped him. Released during McCarthy-era paranoia, the film offers an early warning about the seductive nature of celebrity demagoguery. Paul Reubens’ all-time favorite film poignantly ends with Rhodes’ writer Mel promising that he will work again in television, but never with the same level of popularity. “One day people will ask whatever happened to what’s-his-name, he was so famous, how can we forget a name like that?”
(1957) Directed by Elia Kazan. 2hr 5min. Not Rated.