Face in the Crowd (1958) - Kazan

Plot:  A Southern drifter (Griffith) is discovered by Neal and becomes an overnight media sensation. As he rises to the top, he becomes drunk with fame and power.
Stars: Walter Matthau, Patricia Neal and Andy Griffith

An interesting but flawed movie. Griffith is supposed to be charming yet he's usually so obnoxious and over-the-top its puzzling why Neal is attracted to him. The movie would have been better if Griffith had showed more low-key charm, been more likable off-stage and shown his change to power-mad demagogue in a more realistic, gradual fashion.

As for the other actors. Neal is great and Lee Remick is incredibly hot in a small role. However, Walter Matthau is barely adequate as the bespectacled liberal conscience. Finally, the movie's message is too predictable and obvious. Even in 1958, Lonesome Rhodes' heavy-handed and obvious manipulation had been abandoned by politicians, in favor of humor, subtext, omission of certain viewpoints, and associating the correct political beliefs with "coolness". Rating **1/2