Yes, “On the Waterfront” and “The Harder They Fall” are VASTLY better movies. Stronger in every department. It always struck me as odd how about fifteen or twenty years ago that “Face” seemed to be suddenly re-discovered by the intelligensia, and became the recipient of endless raves and quotes. And Griffith’s Rhodes persona was so overdone, nobody in the 1950s would have fallen for it. And the rural public was never as two-diminsionally naive as the filmmakers love to present. Rhodes needed more subtelty, more of an easy-going Arthur Godfrey quality (and wasn’t Godfrey even partly an inspiration for the character?). THEN, it might have worked, been more believable.
I think you’re right about Arthur Godfrey. I doubt many people here - perhaps including the poster - even remember who he was. Rhodes is one of those characters who seems to fit any celebrity who annoys one. So naturally the elites would glom onto him. Elmer Gantry is another one.
Have you ever seen Budd Schulberg’s tv version of “What Makes Sammy Run” which starred Larry Blyden? My father saw it and loved it and talked about it for years. I was wondering if you, in your quest to find great films, ever came across it. I always liked Larry Blyden and he died so prematurely.