Amazingly enough, this movie is only becoming more and more relevant. Even if you ignore the political inferences of the film, it's a great and greatly engaging story. Andy Griffith is unbelievable.

A powerful contemporary yet prophetic tale of folksploitation and corruption in corporate media. Andy Griffith and the rest of the cast do an incredible job expressing a traumatic rise and fall from fame. There's lot of imagery and interesting shots that make this well worth re-watching.

The so much to praise in Kazan's merciless dark comedy. The timelessness of the film is not just in the concept, but in the construction. There's nary a false note, and if the means of the lead character's comeuppance now seems cliched, compensation exists in the splendid image of him alone in his gigantic apartment, basking in the echoing cheers of a sound effects machine. That character is played with genius malevolence by Andy Griffith in his film debut. His acting is ferocious and fearless.

A vicious, absolutely brilliant attack on television. Andy Griffith's hoarse Lonesome Rhodes is an incredible performance and Patricia Neal anchors him with skill and finesse. And it has a young Walter Matthau and a young Lee Remick, both just getting started but both great. Schulberg's script is top-notch and Kazan uses his skill with actors to bring out some superb efforts. Really just a class effort all around - should be more of a classic than, say, A Streetcar Named Desire.

Typical Schulberg: interesting ideas dulled by preachiness and lack of restraint. Neal, Griffith and Matthau are great, but the movie is awfully over-the-top.

'All the King's Men' meets 'Network'. Both Neal and Griffith are marvelous. Awesome, dark classic.

Even though this movie is black and white and made back in 1957, it is a terrific movie. Patricia Neal and Andy Griffith are both wonderful in this. Lee Remick is young and very pretty. Clever story, realistic script, great production quality and good sound. This interesting story is engaging and fun to watch. It is refreshing to find an old movie this good, I just wanted it to continue. Some very funny stuff, mixed well with a serious rise and fall drama. Bravo.

Just brilliant. Way before it's time and very apt today.

I was trying to think of a way not to give this movie a(n) 100. Then I thought, maybe the ending will help me out but no such luck. There is nothing bad I can say about this movie. Great acting by all, very funny and still, painfully, true today.

This movie predicted Glenn Beck before Glenn Beck was even born so I have to give credit where credit is due. Fortunately, Glenn Beck never became as popular as Lonesome Rhodes, even though they're probably equally as despicable.

Yeah, okay- So it's not exactly subtle, but when you're satirizing TV that's not where you want to go (or you'll end up with a poodle of a movie like Broadcast News instead of a pitbull like Network). Griffith is a whirlwind of negative energy and has been lauded accordingly, but there's something to be said for Neal as well. A movie like this needs a performance that is incredibly strong without being showy to anchor it, and that's just what Neal delivers. Excellent stuff.

Andy Griffith is a marvelous surprise as the randy, drunken, sly, manipulative and violent "Lonesome Rhodes" (no Andy Taylor he!) and Patricia Neal has never been better. This may be Kazin's best movie--with the possible exception of "Waterfront"--and it would be a masterpiece if it were not for the fact that Schulberg's screenplay--although prophetic--is a little too heavy-handed.

'Power corrupts' story with razor sharp dialogue and an inspired performance by a silver-tongued Griffith. Kazan puts his stamp on it (especially the stunning last 20 minutes), Neal is great and Matthau gives a nice turn, but it's Griffith's charisma that powers this film. May polarise some with it's political views, including the academy considering it's shunning. Definitely ahead of it's time and very relevant today.

20 years before Network, here's another movie about the corruptive powers of television, and its inappropriate influence in the world of politics. Andy Griffith is quite good in this, to my surprise. A meaningful, thoughtful and worthwhile film.

Surprisingly dark and cynical. Andy Griffith really makes his character larger than life, and there's some great dialogue to be found.

At times it's a bit too on-the-nose; however, this occasionally works to spectacular effect (particularly in the denouement and killer ending). That aside, it's a vicious and uncompromising look at the corrupting effects of power, media manipulation, and the shady relationship between publicity, politics and business. Andy Griffith is a surprisingly despicable bastard here, and Patricia Neal and Walter Matthau are in fine form in supporting roles.

Andy Griffith overacting so much that it actually works. Relies on the strength of its actors and script rather than the directing. It's a shittier version of Network (and not nearly as relevant or insightful) but still worth seeing if you're into this sort of thing. Gets ridiculous at times and you can see everything coming from a mile away but it's still a pretty good movie, just not as good as some people think.

Shocking, dark, and cynical. More relevant today than when it was filmed. About as subtle as a boot to the face, but some messages don't need to be subtle.

On the Waterfront was a bit didactic and lacking in subtlety also, but not so much that it didn't work, and it had Cobb and Brando and good side-plots and some unforgettable dialogues. This time around Kazan and Schulberg definitely screwed up. A Face in the Crowd is very watchable but for the most part simplistic, unconvincing and hopelessly preachy.

A must-see film for our times, it's hard to believe it is 50 years old. Andy Griffith as a charismatic, but ultimately sociopatchic entertainer. From the beginning you know he is using people, but you also watch him be used by more and more people. He becomes corrupted by power and moves further away from the values he original sang about and ends up as a thing he both hates and loves. Andy Griffith proves in this that he is a masterful actor.

Griffith and Neal's spectacular performances hold attention in otherwise overly dreary fable. Screenplay makes many interesting observations about the corrosive effects of being a lightning rod for the populace (and these observations have not dated a bit) but inexplicable actions of the Neal character, plus an ending that feels a little too righteous given what's come before, means its overall impact is dulled.

A haunting movie that is just as relevant today, if not more so than when it was first released. Griffith gives a tour de force performance as a lost and corrupt soul whose rise and fall in the spotlight destroys him. The final scene will shock you and leave you breathless as Lonesome Rhodes sings his way into your mind.

Spot on, even nowadays. Especially nowadays.

The raw characters of this film weave themselves into the awesome power of new media. But it isn't the corrupting nature of power, so cleanly depicted here, that defines this movie. Instead it is the remarkable corruptibility of the world around Griffith's Rhodes that is so intriguing. His fall is, in effect, the traditional Hollywood ending, where the villain we've watched forming is cast down as he blindly grasps. In the reality he reflects demagogues are rarely cast aside so cleanly.

This movie which deals with self destruction that all too commonly goes with over night fame. Andy Griffith's outstanding and diverse acting ability carries this movie strong throughout.

I expected this to be better. The ending is very good, but I wasn't really blown away by anything else. Griffith is good and so are some of the supporters.

Has the same kind of fire in the writing and performances that Network does, and while it's not quite as brilliant as that film it still stands out as a wildly entertaining drama.

Scathing commentary on the media and a dominating performance from Andy Griffith make this a wonderful experience. It's funny, it's dramatic and it's sharply written, building up from a solid but unremarkable opening to an impressive finale.

Classic, mesmerizing performance from Andy Griffith. A film that seems even more relevant today in the contemporary media climate.

Great performances by Patricia Neal and Andy Griffith. Satire-lite, but so much fun.

Much has been said (and rightfully so) about Griffith but Neal's performance as the woman who can't let go of the monster she helped create is not only outstanding, it is also what helps the film keep its feet on the ground. I would have liked to have seen more time spent illustrating her role in Rhodes' inner circle as he climbed to the top. Instead, too much time which was spent overplaying the satire. Because while this is a great film (that remains relevant to this day), it not a subtle one.

Wow, wow, wow... Better than Network and Meet John Doe. Great masterpiece, especially first one hour and the final (unfortunately final is too long. Reminds me of Scarface and Sunset Blvd, of course LOTR: Return of the King style!). "Behind every successful man there's a woman". This is my third Patricia Neal movie and third is a masterpiece, again. She is gorgeous. I adore her. Black Mirror fans must see this movie.