Quiz Show dramatizes the 1950s Twenty One Quiz Show scandal, where rising star Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes) and an embittered former champion Herb Stempel (John Turturro) become central figures in an investigation by Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow), a congressional investigator probing into TV fraud.
Intelligent, stylish, and rich in moral complexity, Robert Redford’s film examines ethics, celebrity, class, and the allure of fame. With sharp writing and stellar performances, it’s both an engrossing mystery and a thought-provoking historical drama worth watching.
Director: Robert Redford (18/08/1936 – 16/09/2025).
Robert Redford has been described as one of the most influential film stars of his time and received acclaim for many films including, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men, The Way We Were and The Sting. He made his directorial debut in 1980 with Ordinary People, which succeeded in winning four Academy Awards including Best Director. Robert Redford was also known for founding the Sundance Institute, known for the Sundance Film Festival, promoting independent films and filmmakers and for his dedication in pursuing environmental issues.
Put people in extreme situations,’ said The Daily Telegraph on 21 May this year, ‘and you get extreme outcomes.’ The article spoke about the ‘shocking practices used to make hit shows’. This year’s shocking revelations concern MAFS, Married at First Sight. Before MAFS there was Love Island and long before that, in the 1950s, there was the scandal of Twenty One. The Quiz Show, the film based on the book that studied the scandal, reflects on the morality, ethics, heartbreak, public appetite for entertainment and sponsorship requirements, underpinning a hugely successful TV show: the need to trust in the integrity of the show and the frisson of entertainment friction. The choices taken by contestants, the lure of money and fame; all temptations difficult to refuse.
DFC will be running its own Quiz during and after the film and, there will be prizes!