Quiz Show: 30th Anniversary- Robert Redford’s Best Picture Nominee Is Still Fantastic
Quick Take: As I am doing these anniversary releases, I’m realizing just how excellent some years were. 1994 brought us definitive classics like The Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, and Forrest Gump, but also adored auteur efforts like Leon: The Professional and The Crow, and blockbuster smashes like The Lion King and True Lies. But, Quiz Show deserves to be remembered as well. The absolutely excellent historical drama unpacks the real story of 21, one of the original TV Game Shows, and how the producers rigged the results, and the people who helped reveal the scandal to the public.
Academy Award Winning director Robert Redford helms, and was nominated again this year for directing another Best Picture nominee. While it seemingly never stood a chance against three titans, it still features Oscar worthy performances from Ralph Fiennes, John Tuturro, and Rob Morrow, a trio of actors who all failed to gain a nomination so that Paul Scofield, playing the ultimately distanced and disappointed father of Fiennes, got a nomination. he just flat out was the wrong choice. Depending on who you consider to be lead, at a minimum, John tuturro’s performance is far and away iconic as Herb, and should have easily beaten Scofield.
Scofield also already has been nominated once before, for A Man Of All Seasons, so you can’t even use the career achievement excuse that Martin Landau has. Scofield is also one of those actors who can’t be bothered to attend. So, the whole thing is nonsense.
I’ve seen Quiz Show numerous times. While it hasn’t hit the Desert Island level yet, as a true comfort film, there’s something about watching a film this expertly directed, about TV production, featuring an excellent cast that always works. So, when I noticed it on sale in the Apple Store, and it had audio description, I realized I didn’t even own the damn thing on DVD. I think every viewing I’ve had has been through cable.
So, let’s take Quiz Show out of the shadow of the other 1994 films, and try and hold it on the same level. It is just as good as the rest of them. For more, check out my video.
