Quiz Show (1994)

“If you look around the table and you can’t tell who the sucker is, it’s you.” – Mark Van Doren

Number of Times Seen – at least 3 times  (Theater, 18 Jun 1999, 5 Jun 2013)

Brief Synopsis – A Washington lawyer investigates allegations of fraud on TV game shows in the 1950’s (Based on a true story)

My Take on it – Here is another example of a movie that I have enjoyed more now than in my past viewings.

The story is actually quite captivating and the fact that it is based on true events, makes it even better.

There has always been greed in the world and this is a prime example of how it worked, how a TV network and it’s corporate sponsor garnered millions of dollars on a lie.

What makes this story stand out in my eyes is that it brings to the forefront the dilemma of money and fame vs. integrity. It’s easy for us to sit on the sidelines and say we value integrity over money and fame, but if someone offers you a guaranteed $25,000, how many of us would say no and then things could just snowball from there.

Robert Redford did a great job as director and brought a great cast to this film; Ralph Fiennes (who wasn’t really known then), John Turturro, Rob Morrow, Hank Azaria, Mira Sorvino, David Paymer and Paul Scofield {who ironically won an Oscar in 1966 for playing a man who’s integrity has no limits in A Man for All Seasons (1966)}

This movie was nominated for 4 Oscars, but had no chance of winning any of them in 1994. It lost Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay to Forrest Gump (1994) and Scofield lost Best Supporting Actor to Martin Landau for Ed Wood (1994).  It was a tough category anyway since Samuel L. Jackson {Pulp Fiction (1994)} and Gary Sinise {Forrest Gump (1994)} were also nominated.

As good as a movie as this was, it was nominated for Best Picture in one of the strongest years for Best Picture {Forrest Gump (1994), Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Pulp Fiction (1994), and The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and didn’t have much of a chance.

Bottom Line – Great movie, Highly recommended!!

Rating –Oscar Worthy