Pride comes before the fall.

Rating: 7/10 (13 March 2012)

"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Based on real events, Quiz Show is the tale of what happens when a beloved American past time turns out to be rigged. Young lawyer Dick Goodwin (Rob Morrow) stumbles upon a conspiracy behind the scenes of the popular game show "Twenty-One", that is used in order to keep the winners that get the best ratings to remain the ones on the stage.
The film, directed by Robert Redford and written by Paul Attanasio off of Richard N. Goodwin's book, is elaborately staged, focusing on several different characters from Goodwin to ousted and unstable former "Twenty-One" champion Herbie Stempel (John Turturro) to the new reigning champ, the prim and well-educated Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes). It's set up like a Shakespearean work of true drama, and Redford constructs it in such a detailed and extensive way that it all feels so resounding. There's not a lot to stick with you after it's over, but the way he plays it is so grand and alive, with Attanasio's script so seamlessly weaving together the rises and falls of these men.
The whole thing boils down to the male ego in a fascinating way, with each character letting their pride get the best of them at various stages of their careers. There's a lot of talk about their wounded spirits, about what it means to be a man, about showing the world their worth and the drama that ensues as a result is wonderfully entertaining. The performances are marvelous all around, with the standouts being Fiennes and especially the manic Turturro. They breathe such life into these intriguing characters. Redford orchestrates it all with a swift pace that never gets dull for a moment and always left me entertained and wondering what was going to happen next. A very fine picture.