A Face in the Crowd: Reboot

Way back in 1957 there was a movie that drew attention to the difference between public celebrity and private reality, how the image on the screen was a fabrication, a fabrication designed to appeal to the public's desire to not only be entertained but more to be entertained by a celebrity that reminded them of themselves.

The character in A Face in the Crowd was portrayed by Andy Griffith who later went on to stardom in TV sitcoms and dramas such as ‘’Andy of Maybury’’ and ‘’Matlock’’. However, the character of ‘’Lonesome Rhodes’’ was a far different character than Griffith portrayed in his TV career in which he acted the part of a nice guy, a down to earth homespun kind of fellow. In this movie he portrayed a self serving scoundrel who found his way into the public eye by pretending to be that ‘’nice guy’’.

Lonesome Rhodes begins as a small time singing radio personality whose unique ability to appeal to ‘’down home folk’’ while deriding the practices of the radio program that is giving him the platform to reach his growing public fan base which propels him farther into the public eye as producers and commercial interests take notice of his ‘’on air’’ facade.

As his career explodes he demonstrates how to take mundane products and turn them into best sellers simply though the use of enthusiastic sales promotion. As his career moves beyond the simple audio programming of radio into the visual of television he expands his popularity using several manipulative devises such as his invention of the ‘’canned laughter’’ tracks, per-recorded snippets of laughter and sighs to be included at opportune moments of his productions.

As the ‘’Lonesome Rhodes’’ brand develops into ‘’superstardom’’ crowds of people flock to see him in person. His shows sell out and young people turn up in masses just to watch him depart his airplane flights. His brand has become a populist brand gaining steam as does his presence on peoples screens across the nation.

Eventually his skills at mass manipulation reach the ears of the political world and a candidate for President approaches him for advice on how to run a campaign. His advice to the candidate is to become, in public’’ an entirely different person, to create an image of himself that is nothing like what is being sold to the American public.

There are differences between this character created as a piece of fiction by Bud Schuleberg almost 70 years ago and the current celebrity who has won enough hearts to become the next president of the United States. One of course is that the Rhodes character rose from poverty while the new celebrity was raised within the protective womb of great wealth.

But the other, and more important difference is that this fictional character never once allows his true nature as a self serving scoundrel to reach the public’s awareness unlike this new populist icon who has always allowed it to be known to the public.

In the end,while on the air, Lonesome Rhodes is unmasked by a ‘’hot mic’’ , the American public becomes abashed and turns on him like the rabid dog he really is.
And this is where we stand now. More than half the American public knows who this man is and rather than being appalled, cherishes it as he has exposed it to us through out his political career. Any future ‘’unmasking’’ will only further swell the hearts of his devotees.

Everybody knows stories are make believe, and your's is a good one! Are you going to stick with it?

a reply to: BingoMcGoof

Very Nice!

a reply to: nugget1

Yup, I'm stuck with it Nug. That movie had a profound effect on my young life and my ability to suspend belief that that could never happen.That character had begun to consider his own life in politics before the ''hot mic'' ended it for him. So yes, I"m sticking with it. Please do not expect me to change just because of what the majority thinks.

a reply to: JJproductions

Thank you JJ. I wish I could have written it better, that juxtaposition. That movie along with Network, the two most inspective movies ever in my opinion. Network focusing on the macro level and this one more on the individual or micro level, the scope of control exerted by media on the public.