Ralph Fiennes’ ‘Quiz Show’ Is Worth Watching 31 Years Later

To many of today’s younger generations, Ralph Fiennes may have become known solely as Voldemort, but older fans of the star know that his amazing career as an actor has encompassed far more than just being a dark lord. In fact, over a career that has now spanned more than three decades, Fiennes has established himself as one of the most versatile and accomplished actors of a generation. After his breakout role in Schindler’s List, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, he went on to be nominated for a second Oscar for his outstanding role in The English Patient.

Despite never winning an Oscar yet, his numerous accolades include BAFTAs and Tony Awards, demonstrating his immense talent and chameleon-like abilities as an actor in both film and theater. However, while it’s often overlooked amid his many dazzling movie credits, just a year after he broke out, he starred in another critically acclaimed film that still holds a 97% critical rating. Celebrated as a stunning meditation on morality and the ability of fame and wealth to corrupt, that film was Quiz Show, a 1994 drama/thriller directed by Robert Redford and featuring a sterling cast in which Fiennes was just one of multiple standout names. If you’ve never had the pleasure, here’s why you should watch it!

‘Quiz Show’ Is a Compelling Story Based on True Events

The film centers around a game show known as Twenty-One that was very popular in the US in the 1950s. However, despite its popularity and massive appeal, the show was later embroiled in a massive scandal when it later came to light that it was rigged. Following congressional lawyer Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow), it highlights his struggles as he’s tasked with investigating irregularities on the show.

What he discovers is a pernicious system where contestants were being coached so the show could deliver predetermined outcomes for the sake of better entertainment value. Ralph Fiennes plays Charles Van Doren, who becomes one of the most famous contestants on the show and a media darling by becoming a winner of the show. As a charismatic academic who hails from a highly respected family and is prominent in academia, Van Doren cut the perfect figure for the show. As Sean Patrick explained for Geeks, US audiences were far easier to dupe back then:

Quiz shows enthralled an America that was very early into the honeymoon phase when it came to television. It was an innocent time when people wanted to believe they could trust the people whose faces were beamed into their home everyday.

Handsome, brilliant, charming, and seemingly the perfect contestant, audiences fell in love with Charles Van Doren while the media put him on a pedestal. However, it was all a lie, and Van Doren is forced to confront just how much he has tainted his reputation and integrity by trading them for a chance at fame and fortune — ultimately providing a sharp and incisive indictment of the darker side of television and the media’s corrupting influence in a world where entertainment is placed above truth and principles.

‘Quiz Show’ Was a True Masterclass in Directing

Robert Redford had long since already earned his sterling reputation as a true great of cinema, whether for his roles in front of the camera or his meticulous work behind it. With Quiz Show, Redford again showed his immense talent as a director and displayed the same poise and measured subtlety with how he balanced drama and complex emotional themes that won him an Academy Award for Best Director in 1980’s Ordinary People.

Conjuring another stunning film, he coaxed a stunning performance from Ralph Fiennes, just a year on from the British actor’s brilliant turn as Amon Goeth in the iconic Schindler’s List. His layered performance as Charles Van Doren in Quiz Show provided another look at his exceptional talent, as he played a vastly different role in that film but brought just as much gravitas to the role. As impressive as Fiennes was, the film itself became known for numerous standout performances.

‘Quiz Show’ Featured a Brilliant Cast Before Their Time

While Ralph Fiennes had already begun excelling as an actor, Quiz Show also featured some scintillating acting by other stars, like John Turturro (Herb Stempel), David Paymer (Dan Enright), Hank Azaria (Albert Freedman), and Paul Scofield who also earned an Oscar nomination for his role as Mark Van Doren, Charles’ father.

To illustrate just how talented the cast of Quiz Show was, it also starred the likes of Mira Sorvino, Christopher McDonald, Allan Rich, and even one Mr. Martin Scorsese as marketing executive Martin Rittenhome. With a line-up like that, it’s easy to see now why the film was both so richly praised and deserving of that praise.

‘Quiz Show’ Is an Exceptional Film Underscored by Its Acclaim

In the end, Ralph Fiennes helped the film stand out amid its other gripping highlights like its direction and cinematography. Despite this, it’s far from his most memorable role some 30 years later, given what a glittering career he went on to have. The film itself wound up with four Academy Award nominations in total, including ones for Best Picture and Best Director.

With Fiennes now again in the limelight for his amazing role in the Trojan epic The Return and his brilliant turn in Conclave, to this day, this truly amazing star continues to wow audiences, many of whom believe he should have won the Oscar back in 1994. If you’re as flawed by his skills today as audiences first were over 30 years ago when he first made Schindler’s List, his splendid performance in Quiz Show is one you’ll definitely want to catch as well.

Quiz Show is now available to rent on Prime Video.