QUIZ SHOW
US, 1994, 130 minutes, Colour.
John Turturro, Rob Morrow, Ralph Fiennes, Paul Scofield, David Paymer, Hank Azaria, Christopher Mac Donald, Elizabeth Wilson, Alan Rich, Mira Sorvino, Paul Guilfoyle, Griffin Dunne, Illeana Douglas, Calista Flockhart, Barry Levinson, Martin Scorsese.
Directed by Robert Redford.
Quiz Show is the re-creation of the late 1950s in New York City and Washington DC with the famous quiz show, 21. Highly popular in this decade of television, it was finally revealed by a senate inquiry that the show was rigged. John Turturro appears as Herb Stemple, a simple Jewish contestant from Brooklyn who ultimately reveals that the questions were fed to him. He is contrasted with Ralph Fiennes as Charles van Doran, the son of a socially prominent and intellectual family whose father was a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Paul Scofield is excellent as the genial patrician elder van Doran. Elizabeth Wilson is his wife.
The film also focuses on the company executives, the head of NBC (played by Alan Rich) and the head of Geritol, the product that sponsored 21. Martin Scorsese appears as the icy smiling head of Geritol. David Paymer and Hank Azaria are very good as the network officials who take the fall.
There is a strong humanity about the film, especially in showing three different families, the Stemples, the van Dorans and the family of Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow) on whose book and investigations the film is based.
1. The acclaim of the film? Its portrait of American culture, American media in the '50s? Critique?
2. The strength of the cast and their skills? Robert Redford's direction? Paul Atanasio's writing?
3. The settings of New York City and Connecticut, Brooklyn in contrast? Washington DC? The atmosphere, decor and costumes of the late '50s? The television studios, the shows and their style? The musical score? The contemporary songs in background?
4. The prologue and Dick Goodwin and his being tempted to buy a new car? The shiny car, power, money, winning, ambition? The screenplay based on his book and perspective?
5. The portrait of Dick: young, ambitious, relationship with his wife, at home, ordinary? His capacity for relating to people? His background, first in his class at Harvard, his work in the various investigations? The challenge of investigating and 'getting' TV? Interest in the quizzes, watching them, checking the information, the bosses, the newspaper items? His concern about the questions, his list for visiting contestants? The meeting with Charles van Doran, a sense of equality despite wealth and class and race, friendship? Eating with him, playing cards (and the use of lying instead of bluffing)? Going to his home and observing the birthday dinner, the gifts, the poetry? His visit with Herb Stemple, talking with him, going back to him, preparing him for giving evidence? The contestant who revealed that the questions were in the post? The various hearings, the visit to Charles and trying to persuade him to stay in the background, to tell the truth? The subpoena? His confronting Enright and their discussions, giving him the proof, controlling him, the NBC head and his iciness - and the remark about who was sweating? The head of Geritol and the surface smiling and the sparring about the issues? His watching the final episode for Charles van Doran and seeing him smile? Charles and his asking would he take the money, his refusal? His desperation at Herb's evidence and humiliating himself? The final hearings, Charles van Doran's confession? Watching him on the steps? The contrast of class, wealth, Jewish and non-Jewish Americans in the late '50s?
6. The staging of the quiz, the 21 points, the nature of the questions, the booths, microphones and headphones? Jack Barry and his vanity, in the mirror, his genial hosting, self-importance? The irony of his giving himself away on the filmed evidence when the question was answered correctly? Herb and his questions, answer - and his later explanation of all the techniques for mopping his brow, bursting out with enthusiasm - and illustrating how Charles van Doran did the same? The issues of money? Dan Enright and Al Freeman, the producers, their moral attitudes, unscrupulous about fixing the quiz? Dan and his shrewdness, Al and his vulgarity? The head of NBC and his ruthlessness? The head of Geritol and his watching the program, controlling, wanting Herb off? Issues of ratings, sponsorship and money? The audience and their 1950s dress, manners? The enthusiasm in the studio? The range of home audiences all turning on? The decisions about Herbie having to go?
7. Herb Stemple and his wife, the son, their simple home, Brooklyn? His intelligence, his becoming a TV celebrity, welcome and congratulated in the neighbourhood? His arguing with Enright, the issue of Marty and his having to make a decision about the fall? The scene of his decision and his getting the answer wrong? His reaction to van Doran, jealousy? His being hurt, the meal with Enright, pleading, wanting to be a TV personality, the deal? His being ousted, anger, revenge? Psychological treatment? His interviews with Dick, revealing the truth about the questions, the rehearsals? His dressing for the hearings, his relationship with his wife, her disappointment, feeling one of the public who was tricked, yet supporting him? His performance, his humiliating himself - and her feeling humiliated in the hearings? His return for van Doran's confession? The issue of Jewish and non-Jewish contestants? His being used?
8. The contrast with Charles van Doran, his wealth and position, his father and his reputation? The relationship between Charles and his father, his father's genial dominance, Charles wanting to prove himself? Watching TV, enthusiasm for the quizzes? At home, relationship with his family, class distinctions? Going to the audition, Dan picking him, Al supporting him, the rehearsal of the questions about the Civil War, explanations of the set-ups, asking him questions that he knew? Later posting them? Charles taking each step and going further in his fall? His beating Herb? The interview with Dave Garroway and his becoming a TV personality? The collage of his success, the accumulation of weeks and his winnings, the students coming to his classes, public adulation, his waiting and wanting to be seen later and not wanting to be seen? The question to continue or not? The meeting with Dick, his concealing the truth, yet finding a friendship with Dick? How much wanting to really confess? The dinner at his parents' home, the birthday, knowing King Baudouin, bandying quotes from Shakespeare with his father? The gift of the television? The poker playing with Dick, discussions about truth and lying? Bluffing? Wanting out, the reactions of Enright and the others? The sequence of eating the chocolate cake and discussing with his father and his inability to tell him? Wanting to go back to past innocence? His final mistake and smiling as he went out? Garroway and the dealings behind the scenes as the executives wanted him to stay, offering him the contract, the plausible argument about education in America? His denying the truth to Dick? The head of NBC coming to the studio to the make-up room and putting on the pressure? His telling the truth to his father? His parents coming to the hearing, his prepared speech, his sincerity, the Senate praise - yet the senator who said that he was merely telling the truth? The press conference, the end, going into the taxi, looking at Dick? His subsequent career?
9. Mark van Doran and his reputation, New York aristocracy, suave and genteel, his books, lectures, family discussions, his birthday party, his not being able to watch 21 because of the suspense, listening to Charles, supporting him in Washington? His mother, her style, reputation, literary ability? The family and the birthday party?
10. Dan Enright and Al Freeman: decisions, rigging the show, choosing the contestants, dealing with them? Answerable to the executives? The phone calls, watching the monitors? Handling Herb? The issue of not knowing Marty? The choice of van Doran, their talk, defying Dick Goodwin? The evidence of the questions in the post? Al going to Mexico? Their coming back to testify? Their being the fall guys? Truth, entertainment, show business? Subsequent careers?
11. The executives, their power, personalities? The head of Geritol and his smooth talk, grinning - yet sinister, lying? Their testimony at the hearings - and their friendship with those on the bench?
12. The TV world, Jack Barry and the film evidence, Dave Garroway and the interviews? Publicity, advertising?
13. The committee, the personnel, knowledge of those being interrogated, playing golf? The young men like Dick Goodwin coming up?
14. The collage at the end? Television winning? Issues of truth and lies, bluff, magic and sleight of hand, entertainment - and audiences not expecting the exact truth? Audiences and motives? Quizzes, competition, the money?
