The Fountainhead (1949)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

King Vidor

Writers:

Ayn Rand (screenplay)
Ayn Rand (novel)

Release Date:

2 July 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

No Man Takes What's Mine !

Plot:

An uncompromising, visionary architect struggles to maintain his integrity and individualism despite personal, professional and economic pressures to conform to popular standards.

Plot Keywords:

Architect | Visionary | Individualism | Jackhammer | Personal Vision

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Howard Roark
Patricia Neal	...	Dominique Francon
Raymond Massey	...	Gail Wynand
Kent Smith	...	Peter Keating
Robert Douglas	...	Ellsworth M. Toohey
Henry Hull	...	Henry Cameron
Ray Collins	...	Roger Enright
Moroni Olsen	...	Chairman
Jerome Cowan	...	Alvah Scarret

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #13358) | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

According to Barbara Branden's biography, Ayn Rand was furious when the courtroom speech was edited without her approval and refused to ever work with Warner Bros. in the future.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Roark is having his first meeting with Toohey he has a copy of the Banner in his hand. When Roark says "I read that in your column yesterday" the paper in his hands is open. The scene shifts perspective to Roark from behind and the paper is folded.

Quotes:

Dominique Francon: I wish I had never seen your building. It's the things that we admire or want that enslave us, I'm not easy to bring into submission.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Angels in America" (2003)

Totally miscast and way off the mark in-terms of impact.

I think is is the worst adaptation possible of the novel which changed the way million of people think. Most characters including Howard and Toohey are miscast. What on earth suggest makers to cast Gary Cooper. May be Miss Rand thought the power of the script will prevail over the casting but she must have realized after seeing the movie that novel and films are two different mediums. I think it went into a different territory of love and hate game and philosophy took the backseat. We see the philosophy only in between as filler wherein it is the soul of the novel. Also the antithesis of Howard which is Toohey has not been shown properly neither is Peter Keating. Most of the dialogs in the novel which establishes the character are missing. The opening conversation between dean and Howard has been shown just because it has been to be shown. The most important conversation of the novel is missing.

"Do you mean to tell me that you're thinking seriously of building that way, when and if you are an architect? "

" Yes "

" My dear fellow, who will let you? "

" That's not the point. The point is, who will stop me? "

Only part satisfying in the movie is the performance of the actors who played the character of Gail Wayand and Dominique.

So if you have read the novel and have very fond memories don't insult it by watching the movie. But if you are movie buff do see it to experience how genius is maligned.

*4/10. A star less because it made a mess of a really path breaking work.