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Quiz Show

Play trailer Poster for Quiz Show PG-13 Released Sep 14, 1994 2h 10m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 117 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Queens-born Herbie Stempel (John Turturro) becomes an unlikely hero after winning on America's beloved game show, "Twenty One." When the network decides to bring in a more telegenic contestant, the WASP-ish Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes), Stempel takes aim at the show, announcing that the game is rigged. Congressional investigator Dick Goodwin (Rob Morrow) is brought in to examine the claim that winners were given the answers. Goodwin wrote the book on which this true story is based.
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Quiz Show

Quiz Show

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Critics Consensus

Directed with sly refinement by Robert Redford and given pizazz by a slew of superb performances, Quiz Show intelligently interrogates the erosion of public standards without settling on tidy answers.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Wilmington Chicago Tribune The movie hums, purrs and shines. But it's also full of contradictions. A big budget picture about mass media fakery that's somewhat rigged itself, a docudrama that stretches the facts, an exposé on class prejudice that almost succumbs to [that] vice. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 13, 2024 Full Review Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times Fiennes' ability to project the pain behind a well-mannered facade, to turn intellectual and emotional agony into a real and living thing, is devastating. Impressive as the film is... Quiz Show would have been a very different experience without him. Feb 13, 2024 Full Review Dave Kehr New York Daily News For all of its occasional naiveté, this is a movie that practices what it preaches: It's a fine, worthy film, devoid of pandering or commercial compromise, that allows a number of talented people do some very good work. Rated: 3/4 Feb 13, 2024 Full Review Joe Baltake Sacramento Bee Robert Redford's soft-spoken, intelligent but never less than entertaining movie reminds us of exactly what we've been missing -- a story that seems utterly fresh and a filmmaking style best described as civilized. Rated: 4/4 Feb 13, 2024 Full Review Stephen Hunter Baltimore Sun What's so good about Robert Redford's sleek version of the story is how delicately such issues as motive and emotions are sketched, and how ambiguity, not glib moralizing, is prized. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 13, 2024 Full Review Gary Thompson Philadelphia Daily News If you were truly shocked when you found out NBC blew up a "faulty" truck in order to get exciting video, well, then Quiz Show may chill you to the bone. Everyone else can enjoy it simply as an example of impeccable moviemaking. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 13, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Lorenz L Intriguing look at how network television was corrupt from its inception, with some excellent performers and writing. Unfortunately, Redford neglected to reign-in John Turturro who is so overblown compared to the rest of the cast that he threatens to tank the entire show every time he opens his mouth to unconvincingly scream another line. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/25/25 Full Review David F This is a kind of old school drama based on a true story full of quirky characters and a fascinating story about a 1950s game show where the producers were picking winners and losers based on the ratings. It’s a serious drama with a ton of talent in front of and behind the camera. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/01/25 Full Review Gina R Robert Redford's soft-spoken, intelligent but never less than entertaining movie reminds us of exactly what we've been missing -- a story that seems utterly fresh and a filmmaking style best described as civilized. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/19/25 Full Review Stephen C Based on a true story in 2 1/6 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/08/25 Full Review thiago s Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, o filme tem cenas fracas, a história é mais ou menos, o elenco é mais ou menos, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, e os personagens até que são fraco. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/29/25 Full Review Rosana B Dramatizando os escândalos do quiz show Twenty-One da década de 1950, adapta as memórias de Richard N. Goodwin, um advogado do Congresso dos EUA que investigou as acusações de manipulação de resultados pelos produtores do programa... Adorável adaptação, muito cativante, comovente e até revoltante, os responsáveis pela fraude no fim terminaram milionários, os dono e patrocinador nada sofreram e os participantes marcados para o resto de suas vidas, injustiça imperou... Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/29/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Quiz Show

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Cast & Crew

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Robert Redford

Director

John Turturro

Herbie Stempel

Rob Morrow

Dick Goodwin

Ralph Fiennes

Charles Van Doren

Paul Scofield

Mark Van Doren

David Paymer

Dan Enright

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Quiz Show

Quiz Show (1994) Quiz Show (1994) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Queens-born Herbie Stempel (John Turturro) becomes an unlikely hero after winning on America's beloved game show, "Twenty One." When the network decides to bring in a more telegenic contestant, the WASP-ish Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes), Stempel takes aim at the show, announcing that the game is rigged. Congressional investigator Dick Goodwin (Rob Morrow) is brought in to examine the claim that winners were given the answers. Goodwin wrote the book on which this true story is based.
Director
Robert Redford
Producer
Robert Redford, Michael Jacobs, Julian Krainin, Michael Nozik
Screenwriter
Paul Attanasio
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Baltimore Pictures, Wildwood Enterprises, Hollywood Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 14, 1994, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$24.8M
Runtime
2h 10m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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