On The Media: A Face In The Crowd

I listened to A Face In The Crowd. A podcast about the recent interest in the 1957 film, A Face In The Crowd. A film about a man named Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes who rises from obscurity to radio/television star, to powerful politician and his eventual ruin. Though the podcast was short-only eight minutes-it really got me thinking about politics today and how a business mogul like Trump can become a candidate for the Presidency of The United States, with out ever being a Senator, or Governor.

In a way, it is a reflection of our current society, where status and popularity seem to be the most important things. After all, Trump is a celebrity of sorts since he has become a very famous and powerful business man, with his own empire and he has been on television.

In 1957, when A Face In The Crowd was released, the idea of a celebrity becoming a politician was unheard of and the film did not do well.

Perhaps that is one of the things that has changed in the last sixty years. A person with celebrity status can be a politician and run for office, relying on the fact that they are in the public eye to gain popularity. Though that might not be the message being conveyed in the pod cast.

Instead I think another question is being asked. And that question, is whether or not a public figure can become a political giant and be successful, or as the film illustrates, will that person fall from that high pedastal they are on and lose everything?