"A Face in the Crowd" starring Andy Griffith.

[Eric J in MN]

In this 1957 movie, there is a rightwing Senator running for president who wants to end Social Security.

But the Senator isn't popular.

The Andy Griffith character boots his popularity by countrifying him (getting him to go duck hunting and talk about Daniel Boone) and wrapping him in religion (quoting the Senator saying, "The family which prays together stays together.")

[Syrinx]

1. that's a damn good movie

I haven't seen it in a long time. About time I saw it again. Prescient film.

[Eric J in MN]

5. I feel like George W. Bush is like the Andy Griffith character and

the rightwing Senator rolled into one.

A folksy presidnt who exploits religion trying to destroy Social Security.

[Minstrel Boy]

2. A great film with much creepy foreshadowing

of today.

Griffith plays a great hypocritical heel. If I remember the film correctly, he tries to go into politics himself, and fails when his true self is revealed to the public.

He'd have been right at home in today's Republican Party.

[Eric J in MN]

7. The Andy Griffith character has a poltical talk show and

he wants to be appointed "Secretary of the National Morale."

[grasswire]

3. scary, scary, scary

Definitely worth watching again today.

[Zen Democrat]

4. That movie is the best thing Andy Griffith ever did.

He and Patricia Neal were great in that movie. It was so freaky at the end with him desperately yelling at the world.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

6. One hell of a movie.

Anybody thinks Andy is just Opie's pa, see this.
In RL Griffith is a hard-core Dem.

[Eric J in MN]

8. Why do you say Andy Griffith is a Democrat? nt

nt

[A-Schwarzenegger]

9. I saw an interview on some talk show.

He declared it with much energy.

[Eric J in MN]

10. Good to know. About how long ago was the inteview?

nt

[Syrinx]

11. he gave $1,000 to John Kerry

http://newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Andy_Griffith.php

And this from http://www.nndb.com/people/569/000022503/

Politically, Griffith is a Democrat, but he is soft-spoken about it.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

12. Oh, jeez, time. Within a couple years I think.

Also, Carville's favorite show was Andy's show.
I believe one of them was talking about how they met.

OMG, I just googled & found this freep thread, which
describes him as everything from a Marxist to a Zell Dem:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1279896/posts

[getmeouttahere]

13. Awesome movie....

One of Andy Griffith's, and Elia Kazan's, best ever, probably Griffith's best work ever. Rove obviously isn't as flamboyant as Lonesome Rhodes, but KKKarl has the same disregard for the public as Lonesome.

[enigmatic]

14. Absolutely brilliant film

Up until that time Andy Griffith was known as a country-fried nightclub comedian who did comedy monologues ("What It Was, Was Football" being the most famous); when "A Face In The Crowd" came out, it was a complete revelation just how great of an actor Griffith was.

Lonesome Rhodes was semi-based on Arthur Godfrey's career, but also had a touch of the Red Scare Hysteria going on at that time, too.

I can't say enough good things about this film..

[Eric J in MN]

23. Thanks. I was wondering who they based the character on (nt)

nt

[KittyWampus]

15. Try Elmer Gantry With Burt Lancaster

shows the religious charlatans for what they are.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. The movie (EG) didn't go far enough.

Read the book by Sinclair Lewis.

The first time I read it, I was sighing, moaning, slapping my forehead, shaking my head, and shocked for every page I turned. Should be a DU Book Club Recommendation.

[BeHereNow]

17. Best part Andy EVER did!

He was STUNNING in that part-
He must have time travelled forward
and studied the Chimp for inspiration
in creating the character...
LOL-
BHN

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

18. Just goes to show - there is nothing new under the sun, Horatio

media and crowd manipulation has been around since time immemorial. And we're not as sophisticated as we think we are.

[leesa]

19. Love that movie!

Andy Griffith just oozes sleaze.

[kansasblue]

20. is this the movie where

he's talking about how stupid his listener are and that they will
believe what ever he says....but he doesn't know that he still on the air live!

[Eric J in MN]

22. yes, this is the movie (nt)

nt

[UTUSN]

21. Ain't It Something? What Happens NOW Has Happened Before n/t

[Doctor_J]

24. Good film

Andy also did a couple turns as a bad guy in some TV movies in the 70's. Did a helluva job in them too. One was a retelling of "Dangerous Game", with Joseph Bottoms as Andy's quarry. Another was a crime drama with AG as a racist killer and Johnny Cash as the sheriff who brings him to justice.

He's a pretty good actor.

FWIW, I think everyone from Mayberry except for Goober is/was a Dem.