Friday Film Noir
Quiz Show (1994) is an elegantly crafted historical drama directed by Robert Redford and written by Paul Attanasio. It follows congressional lawyer Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow) as he investigates growing suspicions that NBC's quiz program Twenty-One is being staged rather than played. His search leads him to Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes), an esteemed Columbia University professor whose charm and intellect make him the network’s newest sensation. As the inquiry unfolds, Goodwin uncovers how producers, sponsors, and contestants quietly conspired to shape the outcomes, revealing the corruption that thrived behind the glow of prime-time television.
The film was shot in and around New York City and Washington D.C. Redford drew inspiration from archival footage of live television in the 1950s and had historian Dan Wakefield as a consultant to ensure the era’s tone felt accurate. To study his mannerisms, Ralph Fiennes drove to Van Doren’s Cornwall, Connecticut home and, posing as a lost motorist, briefly spoke with him on the porch. John Turturro gained weight and altered his voice to echo real-life contestant Herb Stempel. Martin Scorsese plays the imperious Geritol sponsor executive, a part Robert Redford shaped after Charles Revson because legalities barred using Geritol CEO Matthew Rosenhaus by name. The film was nominated for four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director (Robert Redford), Best Supporting Actor (Paul Scofield), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Paul Attanasio).
1994 • PG-13 • 2h 13m
