1994 was a landmark year for American cinema, brimming with timeless animated gems like ‘The Lion King’ and blockbuster hits such as ‘Speed,’ ‘The Mask,’ and ‘True Lies.’ The Best Picture category at the Oscars was dominated by four of the most celebrated films of the decade: ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ ‘Pulp Fiction,’ ‘Forrest Gump,’ and ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral.’ While these three are widely considered among the greatest movies ever made, the fifth film in the category, ‘Quiz Show,’ often gets lost in the shadow of their legacy.
Directed by Robert Redford, ‘Quiz Show’ tells the captivating story of the ‘Twenty-One’ game show scandals of the 1950s. It’s a technically masterful film, rich in narrative and overflowing with layers of meaning beneath its seemingly straightforward premise. While it might not have the same level of notoriety as its contemporaries, ‘Quiz Show’ is a captivating and powerful indictment of the entertainment industry.
The film follows three men entangled in the web of deception surrounding ‘Twenty-One.’ We meet Herb Stempel (played by the brilliant John Turturro), a nervous and erratic man from Queens, who, as the show’s reigning champion, finds himself deemed unsuitable by the network and its sponsor, Geritol. Then there’s Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes), a Columbia University instructor and the son of a Nobel Prize-winning professor, who takes Stempel’s place on the show after Stempel is pressured to throw the game. Van Doren begins receiving questions in advance, leading him to an undefeated streak for an impressive 14 weeks. Enter Richard ‘Dick’ Goodwin (Rob Morrow), a congressional lawyer determined to uncover the truth behind the show’s practices.
What unfolds is a gripping drama where these three men collide and struggle to do the right thing. Stempel, having gambled away his winnings, becomes fixated on exposing the show’s corruption, developing a kind of envious obsession with the more successful and charming Van Doren. Goodwin, too, falls under Van Doren’s spell, even spending time with his family while trying to reconcile his desire to expose the truth with his newfound admiration for the charming instructor. And Van Doren grapples with his role in the show’s cheating methods, particularly considering his family’s prominent standing in the literary world.
The price of ambition and the blurred lines between fame and infamy become recurring themes in ‘Quiz Show.’ Stempel’s desperation grows as he watches helplessly as everyone falls under Van Doren’s spell. He desperately tries to tell his story, but his increasingly erratic behavior only works against him. Turturro’s portrayal of Stempel’s deteriorating mental state is a masterpiece of nuanced acting, capturing the character’s contradictory nature as both victim and perpetrator.
Fiennes is equally impressive as Van Doren, a man for whom success comes effortlessly. Like Turturro, Fiennes portrays Van Doren as a vulnerable antihero, someone ambitious enough to lie to the world but not ruthless enough to fully embrace his choices. The clash of these personalities and wills keeps ‘Quiz Show’ captivating, transforming a tale of morally corrupt individuals into a compelling dance of egos, desires, fears, and interests.
Redford’s masterful direction shines through his ability to find the humanity in every story. He transforms a scathing critique of the entertainment industry into a profoundly relatable reflection on the yearning for acceptance and the lengths to which we’d go to be seen. Stempel becomes a heartbreaking figure, insecure and desperate for attention, highlighting the all-too-familiar desire to be appreciated that can drive us to extreme lengths.
‘Quiz Show’ is more than just a forgotten Oscar nominee. It’s a powerful and insightful film that explores the depths of the human condition, questioning the desire for fame and the consequences of playing the game. It’s a film that lingers long after the credits roll, leaving viewers questioning their own ambitions and the lengths they’d go to achieve them.
If you haven’t seen ‘Quiz Show,’ I highly recommend giving it a watch. It’s a truly captivating and thought-provoking film that deserves to be rediscovered.
