Product Details

• Actors: Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, Raymond Massey, Kent Smith, Robert Douglas
• Directors: King Vidor
• Writers: Ayn Rand
• Producers: Henry Blanke
• Format: Black & White, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Run Time: 114 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301969294
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,168 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Exhibiting a darker edge to his hero persona, the strapping Gary Cooper has the (Frank Lloyd) Wright stuff as architect Harold Roark, a "fool visionary" who refuses to conform his artistic ideas to popular taste. His inflexibility makes enemies out of a tabloid architecture critic and a tycoon (Raymond Massey), who proclaims, "All men can be bought... there are no men of integrity." Keating (Kent Smith), a former classmate, urges Roark to take "the middle of the road so it's sure to please everybody." But Roark will not compromise, and when one of his building designs is radically altered without his consent, he resorts to drastic measures. Adapted for the screen by Ayn Rand from her towering and controversial bestseller, The Fountainhead is about as subtle as that phallic drill Roark wields so impressively, which catches the frenzied eye of the formidable Dominique Francon (Patricia Neal in her film debut). She recognizes Roark's nobility, but fears he has no chance "in a world where beauty, genius and greatness have no chance." Rand did little to dilute her polemics for the screen, resulting in melodramatic scenes that border on high camp, such as Roark and Francon's rather sexually charged discussion about limestone. Rand practiced what she preached. According to a bonus featurette about the making of the film, she refused to trim Roark's then-unprecedented six-minute courtroom speech in which he defends his actions. Even for those who don't adhere to her philosophy, The Fountainhead does offer something rarely seen on screens these days, a man of unshakable principles. And Hollywood could sure note Rand's object lesson about the perils of mediocrity and catering to "the mob." For Cooper fans, The Fountainhead is an essential addition to your DVD library. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Gets Better Every Time!, December 20, 1999

By	Jack Greene (Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA) - See all my reviews

The first time I saw this movie, circa 1969, I was disappointed. I felt it was melodramatically presented, in black and white, and in two hours it was an injustice to the novel's power and grandeur. The actors did not seem to measure up, or buy in, to the characters they portrayed. This movie review, thirty years ago, would have rated "The Fountainhead" as, at best, two stars. It was a definite embarassment to most Ayn Rand devotees at the time.

The five star rating I give the movie today, thirty years and numerous viewings later, is a very personal, indivdualized one. Through these eyes, "The Fountainhead" is enormously moving, well-cast and very well portrayed, if you're the kind of person who relates to: (1) the struggle between integrity and conformity in our private and business lives (2) the travails of entrepreneurship and perseverance in the face of spirit crushing adversity (3) the belief that there is definable difference between good and evil, and that it is really possible for the former to prevail.

Several of Gary Cooper's scenes as Howard Roark are profoundly memorable: (1) when he refuses money from Peter Keating after showing him he was down to his last few cents (2) when he walks out on the munificent offer from the bank board to build a mutation of his bank design (3) the party scene when Dominique discovers the quarry worker she had obsessed over was Roger Enright's architect, Howard Roark.

There's more. Great camera angles, strong dialogue from the supporting cast, especially Ellsworth Toohey.

Summarily, the director, screenplay people and actors did a magnificent job within the two hour confines of making a riveting movie. But if you're looking for a verbatim reproduction of the book, or you have an aversion to Ayn Rand's message of individual creativism and freedom, this one's not for you!

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good "summary" of the classic novel, May 21, 1999

By	B. W. Fairbanks "Brian W. Fairbanks" (Lakewood, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ayn Rand not only wrote the screenplay for this film based on her classic novel, she was, according to most reports, in favor of casting Gary Cooper as her architect hero Howard Roark. That proved to be a mistake. Not only is Cooper too "mature" for the role, he lacks the necessary passion to deliver Rand's philisophical speeches with conviction. Despite this misstep, "The Fountainhead" is a pretty faithful summary (as opposed to adaptation) of the legendary novel, and though it is far from perfect, the fact that Warner Bros. would even undertake such a radical project shows that the movie moguls of the past (such as Jack L. Warner) had a lot more vision and courage than the folks running the show in Hollywood today. The rest of the cast is quite good, and King Vidor's direction is masterful. The camera angles, the cinematography, and set design are all splendidly offbeat, making this film worthwhile for its visual qualities alone.

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You don't need to know about the book to enjoy this film, March 7, 2004

By	Eric Kassan (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While it was based on Ayn Rand's book, Ayn Rand personally altered the story to adapt it to film. It is a great movie that really makes the viewer think about many things including individualism, selfishness, and even what is right and wrong. For many people who take these notions as given from a very young, questioning them with an adult mind is a good idea. If you enjoy this movie, be sure to pick up and read some of Ayn Rand's non-fiction.