"FRIDAY MOVIE SUGGESTION NIGHT" PRESENTS: QUIZ SHOW!

Now comes a film from the gifted Actor and Director Robert Redford that is so timely it hurts. The subject involves the true life scandal of the late 1950's NBC Television game show, "Twenty One".

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In a fascinating adaptation of Congressional Investigator Dick Goodwin's book, Remembering America, this movie chronicles the corruption and the lengths to which public deception was employed involving the the game show "Twenty One". The reigning champion who answers all of the questions correctly--according to vitamin company sponsor Geritol--is otherwise dull and unexciting. In the film, Geritol pushes network president Bob Kintner (Allan Rich) to pressure producers Dan Enbright (David Paymer) and Albert Freedman (Hank Azaria) with an edict to get rid of Stempel, a Queens, New York resident and an ex-GI. The producers do so by luring Stempel into taking a fall to allow a new contestant, Columbia College Professor Charles Van Doren to replace him as a contestant. This was conveniently accomplished by paying off Stempel and promising him a panelist gig on a future television show that never materializes. Both Stempel and Van Doren have actually been "coached" by Twenty One's Producers. They similarly enlist Van Doren to become a liar by telling him that he would actually be advancing the cause of literacy in America by allowing them to supply him with answers to questions posed before millions of Americans watching by television, thereby providing an invaluable public a service. When Stempel's payoff money runs out and he realizes with utter humiliation that NBC has no intention of recruiting him for the phony new game show, he becomes a federal whistle blower and this action triggers Congressional investigator Richard Goodwin to look into the practices of the show, its producers and more. Mira Sorvino plays Goodwin's wife, Sandra. Watch for a brief appearance by Calista Flockhart!

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Redford deftly avoids preaching about the lack of morality while focusing more on the public deception and our unconditional acceptance that what we are being fed by the network was legitimate in all aspects. The film also closely chronicles the private anguish of the contestants and the price they pay for becoming patsies in a bid to increase ratings. In real life, game show host Jack Barry was nearly ruined by the sting. The nagging conscience of the participating contestants is palpable and the tension of the ensuing investigation results in a high impact drama.I'm still at a complete loss here to explain why audiences failed to show up at this movie? It was re-released, presumably on the assumption that it was considered "too deep" by the public, who in turn stayed away. While the jury is still out on that presumption, allow me to tell you a bit about this incredible film and cast.

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Goodwin's investigation leads him to assume that the scandal goes to the very top of NBC's executive offices. The over-reaching producers simply see themselves as "controlling the responses" to make the show more dramatic. However, one would be hard pressed to believe that this unethical act and the sheer amount of public deception never entered their minds! Yet the audience is left to assess the true nature and the ugliness of lying to the public. I must interject here that if there was one identifiable factor in every Redford movie either Acted or Directed (this one was Directed) it would be Intelligence in it's structure and Integrity at it's core. No matter what your convictions, I feel there is a consensus that we must revisit the role of Integrity in all of our actions before real and lasting change occurs in this country. We are left to reach out own conclusions. The entire nation was genuinely shocked and disappointed with tremendous misgivings about television as a new medium. It was one more coming to age example that swept our country like wild fire. Not to be missed: The scene where Stempel is told by a TV reporter that both The Today Show and NBC have fired him.

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Incidentally, QUIZ SHOW was NOMINATED at the 1995 Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Paul Scofield), Best Director, (Robert Redford), Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay by Paul Attanasio.

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The Cast is: Rob Morrow is Dick Goodwin; Barry Levinson is Dave Garroway; Hank Azaria as Albert Freeman; Johann Carlo as Toby Stempel; John Tuturro is Herb Stempel; Ralph Fiennes as Charles Van Doren; Christopher McDonald as Jack Barry; David Paymer as Dan Enright; Allan Rich as Robert Kintner; Paul Scofield as Mark Van Doren; Martin Scosese appears as Martin Rittenhome and Elizabeth Wilson is Dorothy Van Doren. Directed by Robert Redford; Written by: Richard N. Goodwin (book) and Paul Attanasio (Screenplay) .

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BEWARE! (AND ENJOY!)