The other criticism I have of The Fountainhead is that, for some inexplicable reason, the movie starts with Roark relegating himself to the quarry run by the Francons.
I realize that Rand wrote the screenplay, but for me, it misses some valuable content of the original book.
I also found Gary Cooper to be a disappointing effort in this movie. However, Raymond Massey’s Gail Wynand and Patricia Neal’s Dominique were superb!
I haven’t seen this posted anywhere: The Fountainhead is scheduled for release on DVD the first week of November.
The Fountainhead @ Warner Home Video (I hope this isn’t considered unwelcome advertising.)
I know that opinions of this have been mixed, to say the least, but I’ll be picking this up, as I’ve never had the chance to see it for myself.
The other criticism I have of The Fountainhead is that, for some inexplicable reason, the movie starts with Roark relegating himself to the quarry run by the Francons.
I realize that Rand wrote the screenplay, but for me, it misses some valuable content of the original book.
I also found Gary Cooper to be a disappointing effort in this movie. However, Raymond Massey’s Gail Wynand and Patricia Neal’s Dominique were superb!
How can a screenplay possibly cover such a lengthy tome as The Fountainhead?! Ayn Rand did cover all the “valuable” content – what was missing for you then?
The inexplicable is quite explicable. Roark working at the quarry shows he is not afraid of work, that a man must produce for himself and not live off of another man, even if that means labouring in the quarries. It also has the effect of showing a great character arc; Roard becomes a sublime architect.
Gary Cooper disappointing you is something that I can’t argue with as that is more opinion than anything; I liked his performance immensely. I see the ideal man as being a little stiff.
I liked Cooper. I thought he did a good job portraying Roark. I liked Wynand, too. I thought the woman who played Dominique Francon did a poor job. I was hardly convinced.
Howdy All, Whilst perusing the stacks in the rather extravagant collection of DVD’s at my local library today, I stumbled upon a DVD copy of the 1948 “The Fountainhead”, staring Gary Cooper as Howard Roark. I only mention this because I scour the DVD stacks; as I scour the rest of the library, two or three times a week, and though I have many times stumbled across the five copies of “The Passion of Ayn Rand”, I have never stumbled across “The Fountainhead”, not even once. Now I have never seen this movie, although I have read the book, and just recently finished the unabridged audio book. So I have the story reasonably fresh in my mind. First off let me express my jealousy of Ayn Rand. As one that is making the journey to forty, I am jealous of her for not only publishing a novel before 40, but also writing the screenplay and having it made into a movie well before 50. Like Gaius Julius and the statue of Alexander; many times I think of Ayn Rand, shake my head and vow to do something great. As for the movie, I think it was pretty damn good. It is by no stretch the book. However since the screenplay is written by Rand, the message was brought across if in a somewhat Hollywood way. In fact the one thing that really came across to me in the writing is that there is a tacit assumption that the viewer knows a least something about the story, or has in read the novel. At the same time there is no apology made for the movie not being the book. I think perhaps for it’s time this is the best translation of a novel into a book that I have seen. Although I by no means claim to be an expert in historic cinema, so watch the movie for yourself, and decide on your own. SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER! Now I do have a few gripes with the movie. Most are just my own picky expectations. One though that stands out is the final scene with Gail Wynand. I know it is the movie and not the book, but did I miss something? I know Wynand is first introduced in the book as thinking of suicide, but unless I missed something he chooses to live at the end. I could be wrong, I may be mistaken, but the final scene with Wynand in the movie really threw me for a loop. Gripes and nit picking aside, I would recommend this movie to any that claim to be fans of Ayn Rand. I consider it as time well spent, and that is a recommendation that I do not give lightly.Rob
[repetition whacked: d.o.]
I actually just watched the movie today and I have to say it was amazing (keep in mind I am a Classical Liberal and not an Objectivist). I have to wonder if many of you have seen ANY movies from this time period. The acting seemed very on par keeping the era in mind. It is not the style we are used to today but it was spectacular for when it came from.
Set your DVRs, the Fountainhead will be playing on Turner Classic Movies at 7:30AM January 20th.
Set your DVRs, the Fountainhead will be playing on Turner Classic Movies at 7:30AM January 20th.
I wonder if the choice of that particular day was a calculated decision? 
I wonder if the choice of that particular day was a calculated decision?
Why so? What am I missing?
Why so? What am I missing?
We’re changing presidents that day.
Why so? What am I missing?
I"m not sure what is meant. Could be referring to the inauguration. Four days late though to match the title of the Rand play “Night Of January 16th”.
I"m not sure what is meant. Could be referring to the inauguration. Four days late though to match the title of the Rand play “Night Of January 16th”.
Snaps, I forgot about that. I think my mind was thinking Bush would still be President for a few more years with Obama as the President-elect
It was Barbara Stanwyck who persuaded Warner producer Henry Blanke to read The Fountainhead and open the door for getting the book made into a movie. An account of how the film got made, particularly in respect of its script, is given in Jeff Britting’s “Adapting The Fountainhead to Film” (2007).
_Greene County Examiner-Recorder_
Catskill, New York
July 21, 1949
Among the movie advertisements on page 8, was this one:
July 26, 27, 28
MONUMENTAL BEST-SELLER!
TOWERING SCREEN TRIUMPH!
GARY COOPER
—IN—
THE
FOUNTAINHEAD
—CO-STARRING—
Patricia ~ Raymond
NEAL ~ MASSEY
A Review (also p. 8)
> Bringing to the screen one of the most absorbing and tempestuous stories of the past decade, Warner Bros. will present at the Community Tuesday their film version of “The Fountainhead,” adapted from the famed Ayn Rand novel which swept the country as a best-seller a few years ago.
>
> Starring Gary Cooper as Roark, the architect, and Patricia Neal as Dominique, the picture has been eagerly awaited by motion picture fans who recognize the production as one of the most ambitious on the Warner Bros. schedule of the past year.
>
> “The Fountainhead” is the thrilling story of a young architect who fights out against complacency and tradition in behalf of his own work in which he believes so strongly. This theme is set against a lush background of beautiful buildings and interiors, and the film, having been given Warner Bros.’ most lavish production treatment, promises something as pictorially thrilling as any picture of the year.
>
> Gary Cooper has been cast in one of the strongest roles of his great film career. Opposite him, playing the brilliant and beautiful newspaperwoman is Pat Neal, the Broadway star who soared to screen stardom after her debut in “John Loves Mary” and is here given a brilliant dramatic opportunity to display her talents in the tumultuous romance of Roark and Dominique.
>
> Also in the cast are Raymond Massey as the newspaper publisher, Robert Douglas, and Kent Smith. King Vidor directed the picture.
[NYT Review](http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9902E7DA113EE03BBC4153DFB1668382659EDE)
Box Office
I was unable to attend first-run showings of the film in 1949 as I was incapacitated on account of infancy.I was unable to attend first-run showings of the film in 1949 as I was incapacitated on account of infancy.
I’m sorry, but that is no excuse.
Perhaps I should add that I’m kidding.
On a not completely unrelated topic:
Perhaps the best thing about TF movie is the comments section on Netflix:
“Based upon what was one of the 20th century’s most popular books, The Fountainhead as film serves as the perfect illustration essentially of Ayn Rand’s preferred method for defecating all over the Bible and everything for which its moral code stands. Delightful to watch as it was to read, and terrifically acted by Cooper (handpicked by Rand herself), this thrill ride will have you on the edge of your seat, explaining directly Rand’s faults for you through–at times hilarious–over-identification with the capitalist fetish and its logically selfish conclusions. At work throughout Rand’s praxis, especially so The Fountainhead, is a distinction between “prime movers” and “second handers,” taking to extremes Kant’s opposition between ethical autonomy and heteronomy. Those pathetic second handers are looking endlessly for recognition outside themselves, their self-confidence and assurance depending on the qualities others see in them, while the prime mover is fully reconciled with himself, relying on his own will and creativity, selfish in the sense that his satisfaction does not depend on the recognition from/of others or on sacrificing himself, his innermost drives, for the benefit of others. The prime mover is innocent, delivered from the fear of the other, and for that reason without hatred even for his worst enemies. Roark for instance, the “prime mover” in The Fountainhead, when asked by his opponent Toohey what he thinks of him, states simply that he doesn’t.”
Why is he using points that detract from his argument, as a way to support it? Or, what is his argument?
I know!
:lol:
.
Follow-up on #33 – I see that at the end of his chapter “The Fountainhead Reviews” (2007), Michael Berliner included a section on reviews of the 1949 film. That section is on pages 83–84, where one will find samples from a number of newspaper and magazine reviews.
#34 – LOL
In his recent movie Clear History the character played by Larry David takes inspiration from Howard Roark’s dynamite of Cortlandt in The Fountainhead movie, along the David way to hilarity and happy ending.
I have The Fountainhead in my DVD collection, and it is a convenient devise for discussion among the those unfamiliar with Ayn Rand and Objectivism. I happen to have a great fondness for films of this era. My opinion of this film is, of course, one of approval. However, the viewer ought to be familiar with this classic era of noir film, and it is noir fiction, (especially the suggested sexual violence, flogging, and the demise of Gail Wynand.) Raymond Massey was the only character perfectly cast for his part, although Patricia Neal was excellent. Gary Cooper was a bit too old for his part, (as was Jimmy Stewart for his parts in The Spirit of Saint Louis and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), but that was typical of those days. (I would have loved to have seen Vincent Price cast as Toohey.) Rand was supposedly thrilled to have her big screen idol, Cooper, cast in the part; so Roark’s age was one of those elements that deviated from the book. I can’t expect to have friends read the whole book, although some have, at my urging. The critical points made through Roark’s example were intact, and that makes it worth watching again, and sharing with a friend. The virtue of individualism is portrayed as Rand insisted it must be in the medium of film, which is an art form created collectively. It holds up much better than the current attempts to portray Atlas Shrugged on film.