In 1994 Film making was approaching one of it's highest if not it's highest peak. At the box office and with Critics and audiences alike. Most famously 1994 is known for two films FORREST GUMP and PULP FICTION and a movie that later would become known as an all time classic but at the time was fairy panned by movie goers and critics. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. Throw in a slew of huge blockbusters family, action and otherwise. THE LION KING, TRUE LIES, SPEED, THE MASK. CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. LEGENDS OF THE FALL. And smaller critcially raved films THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE. NOBODY'S FOOL. ED WOOD. BULLETS OVER BROADWAY. I.Q. TOM & VIV. FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL. THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS. THE PROFESSIONAL. THE ROAD TO WELLVILLE. NATURAL BORN KILLERS.
I liked alot of films from that year. Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction Shawshank i'm happy to count as some of my favorite films and experiences going to the movies. Maybe I think of that time as Hollywood's heydey and maybe it was but it was without question mine. almost every single day I could be found at the theater taking in whatever film I could. I saw Gump, Pulp, four or five times each, i saw Shawshank three times. I saw almost every movie that year good or bad. but To me possibly the most impressive film of that year and the one i paid to see the most was The Robert Redford directed QUIZ SHOW. No less than eight times did I buy a ticket to see it. In October through november when it was first released and in January when it came back to theaters after the oscar nominations re release. the period in between was almost hell.
why? what the hell was it about this movie that I just could not get enough of? revolving around the Quiz Show scandal in the 1950's. Contestants on the popular national televised quiz show twenty-one were both coached and given the answers in advance. Thats it? there's nothing in it. not a single action sequence. a rare curse word, no sex, no violence, no drugs. No run forrest run, nobody brings out a gimp, no prison escapes. It's essentially a movie with white well- to- do men in suits sitting around talking and it is absolutely riveting from start to finish.they don't make movies like this anymore. Adult contemporary drama's. I remember first seeing the poster for the movie it was a shot of Ralp Fiennes who play Charles Van Doren the most popular contestant in the history of game shows in his booth on the set of the show with his head phones on and in front of him is the audience watching his every breath. the tag line under it reads
"Millions of people watched, but no one saw a thing." That poster was so brilliant to me I couldn't wait to see the movie, i was dying to be an adult. I was seventeen and I wanted to grow up.Van Doren is not a villian he is a nice guy who the audience loves. yet their relationship is based in betrayl.
What makes the Van Doren Speech beautifully acted by Fiennes at the end of the film so powerful is that it does seem so heartfelt and genuine. Even if as one of the congressmen says Van Doren should have told the truth all along that doesn't make the speech or Van Doren's sincerity any less truthful. The man has been shot down from the highest peak. Van Doren could have made it very easy on himself by simply signing the statement that was prepared for him by NBC. Denied all allegations and gone back to winning money and being the biggest start on television. Only because of Van Doren's statement do the domino's fall. Otherwise everything would of continued the way it had.
All the weight lands squarely on the shoulders of two men Charles Van Doren and Producer Dan Enright
The difference is Van Doren tells the truth and Enright lies. He takes all the heat denying any knowledge by NBC or Geritol and takes the blame right on the chin. He was banned from television for a few years came back and hit bit again with another game show The Joker's Wild. and what happens to Van Doren. The man who gained the most but also lost the most in the end. He couldn't simply come back to television, he couldn't really come back anywhere, except to the family home in Cornwall to live a most isolated life. Fired from columbia the day he made the speech Van Doren was an outcast. The Van Doren name once so amazingly ???????? was now dragged through the mud mentioned with almost the same disdain as ted bundy and charles manson. all the family and the friends and all the wispy charmed life must of felt like it was sucked out of a vacuum.
Most of the hatrid was directed toward and still seems to be directed toward Charles Van Doren
I always wanted to ask Van Doren that if he had it to do over again would he do anything differently. It's a stupid question but I still would love to know the answer. Why didn't he just lie like everyone else. Ironically in the end the one man who lied to the most people ended up being the only one who told the full truth.
Dick Gooodwyn the man investigating the scandals for the oversight committee seems like an oversight that tax payers money go to such a committee in the first place. Is hell bent on exposing....something.. he doesn't know what exactly. until he finally realizes he wants to get "televsion" Not taking into consideration what in fact he actually may uncover. He's left with not much at the end. Enright stonewalls him in a previous scene he thinks he has Enright "Cold" he's got him and that means he's got everyone. But Enright pulls the rug out and takes the barrell of concreete square on the chin. Goodwyn only gets Enright, for a couple years anyway, but then what? enright gets the last laugh. interestingly in quiz show there really is no villain
none of these men are hardened criminals
I still don't know if i can put my finger on what made this film so special to me. I don't have all the answers.
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