Quiz Show Ethics

1994’s historical period drama “Quiz Show”, directed by Robert Redford, bases its story on Richard Goodwin’s memoir “Remembering America: A Voice From the Sixties”. The story revolves around the rigging of a quiz show called “Twenty-One” and the way that three notable characters within the film use the show as a gateway for their individual pursuits of fame. In “Quiz Show”, directed by Robert Redford, the idea that the search for fame utilizes tools of honesty, dishonesty and questionable ethics is developed through choices of three prominent characters in the film. Richard Goodwin, Charles Van Doren and Herbert Stempel are all portrayed as desiring fame, but the methods that they use to attempt to acquire it and the affects that it has on

A tug of war between honesty and dishonesty in the pursuit of fame. A murky sea of questionable ethics and morals when presented with an option to make a name for one’s self. Charles often throughout the film makes conflicting statements and actions that show the inner battle between his moral code and his desire for fame. A desire to be seen as an equal amongst his family and most importantly his father. A chance to distinguish himself from the others. Like Goodwin, Charles too tries to make a name for himself. For Charles the film can be separated into three sections, before his appearance on the show “Twenty-One”, during it, and during the Congressional hearing. Before the show Charles lives in the shadows of the “Van Doren” name, a relative nobody when compared to the immense success of others who bare the name. When presented by the NBC producers with the idea of cheating, he declines. At this point of the film Charles is yet to taste the addicting flavours of fame and thus the idea of cheating is not a tantalizing offer to him. Yet as the picture progresses, the allure of fame and the insecurity of Charles become more prevalent as he bends his own moral code to allow for fame to seep into his life. He begins to encounter mental turmoil when faced with the notions of ethically right and wrong. As his weeks appearing on “Twenty-One” grows, Charles’ sense of self-importance rises.The peak of Charles’

Yet throughout the film it appears that at best this mindset for Stempel is only disillusioned. In “Quiz Show”, Stempel’s primary driving factor that motivates all of his actions is his desire to be seen in the limelight by all of America. Everyone decision that he makes in the film is not for the betterment of another but instead the betterment of himself. For example when he takes money and participates in the rigging of the show it is not for the “cause of education” but the lusting for more money and fame than he has ever known in his life. For Stempel there is no difference between an honest approach or a dishonest approach as the first steps towards stardom. Even later at the end of the film when he is willing to help Goodwin to create a case against NBC it is not to help Goodwin, but to once again help himself. By helping Goodwin he once again is put into the public eye, the center of attention. For Stempel it is not an issue how he is perceived by the public, for all he wishes is that he is always has a place in the spotlight. Redford shows this well during the scene at the Congressional hearing where Stempel is testifying about the rigging of the quiz shows. As he speaks and makes self-deprecating jokes the audiences is shown laughing. The key however is that the audience is not laughing at the jokes he is making, but instead at the situations he put