Slate Money: Movies – The Fountainhead (July 13, 2021)

Episode Overview

In this installment of “Slate Money Goes to the Movies,” host Felix Salmon is joined by Slate regular Emily Peck and renowned graphic designer Michael Bierut for a lively (and often irreverent) deep dive into the 1949 film adaptation of Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead. The episode examines the movie’s philosophical, artistic, and cultural legacy, exploring Rand’s uncompromising ideology, the movie’s place in design and film history, its “clunkiest script” status, and the wild gender and creative politics at play. The group brings humor, expertise, and confessional honesty (Bierut once read the book 8 times as a teen) to dissect a film that remains weirdly influential on business, Silicon Valley, and American thought.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Ayn Rand’s Influence & the Making of The Fountainhead

• Unyielding Authorship: Rand demanded her script remain unchanged—a first in Hollywood, resulting in famously awkward dialogue. (02:07)
  • Felix: “It is the clunkiest script of any movie ever made in the history of Hollywood.”
  • Michael: “Those two things may have been interrelated, actually.”
• Parallel with Howard Roark: Rand’s production control mirrors Roark’s artistic purity—the protagonist refuses any compromise, much like Rand herself. (03:23–04:12)

2. The “Clunkiest Script” and Iconic Speeches

• Roark’s Trial Speech: The jury scene is “impenetrable” and endlessly long, demonstrating Rand’s penchant for didactic, heavy-handed speeches. (04:12–06:21)
  • Emily: “The worst part was when Howard Rourke gets up and makes his speech to the jury… you’re just like, oh my God.”
  • Felix: “I think I went off and took like four transatlantic trips...and he was still talking.”
• Studio Standoff: Rand’s refusal to cut her speeches left studio execs helpless (06:51–07:20).

3. Media Parody and the Role of Critics

• Press as World-Shapers: The movie takes the role of architecture critics and tabloids to satirical extremes. (07:20–08:36)
  • Felix: “Global domination through architecture criticism...the only thing I know about architecture critics is they always get regular placement on the front page of the biggest mass market newspapers in the world.”

4. Architecture, Design, and the Client–Genius Dynamic

• The Artistic Ego: The film explores the myth of the solitary creative. Roark insists: “I don’t build in order to have clients. I have clients in order to build.” (12:41)
  • Michael: “There’s a reason why some of these ideas have endured… there are parts that really resonate.”
  • [Quote, 12:41]

  Roark: “A building has integrity, just like a man… it must be true to its own idea, have its own form and serve its own purpose.”

• Reality Check: Bierut (himself a world-class designer) describes the tension between creative vision and practical, collaborative realities. (13:12–15:12)

5. Architects as Archetypes in Film

• Multiple actors have played architects to project trust, masculinity, and artistry (Paul Newman, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, and even George Costanza’s alter ego Art Vandelay). (17:02–18:16)
  • Michael: “There’s something about the idea that it’s both artistic and a business… that seems like: let’s make that profession an architect.”

6. Production Design & Modernism vs. Tradition

• Visual Excellence: The group praises the film’s production design, even if Rand was not fully satisfied (she wanted Frank Lloyd Wright). (18:56–23:34)
  • Michael: “I think the production design in this movie is great… particularly as it would be presented to an audience back in the late 40s.”
• Modernism Debates: The movie’s architectural controversies mirror real-world tensions over modern vs. classical design (09:30–11:22), with reference to Frank Lloyd Wright’s biography.

7. Gender, Power, and Ayn Rand’s Women

• Dominique Francon: The handling of the lone female character draws critique and bafflement.
  • Emily (23:46): “She’s just the only woman in the movie… she’s still just like someone’s possession to be bought and sold, basically.”
  • Felix (25:07): “A prime example of a woman who spent her entire career trying to prop up the patriarchy.”
  • The consensus is that Dominique represents Rand’s limitation regarding feminism, undercutting the message of “selfishness” and personal agency.

8. Performances, Dialogue, and Watchability

• Despite the script, the acting (Patricia Neal and Gary Cooper) elevates the film. (29:07–31:11)
  • Emily: “Despite the wooden dialogue, this is a very watchable movie… the acting is just a lot better.”
• [Quote, 28:10]

  Ellsworth Toohey: “I play the stock market of the spirit, and I sell short.”

9. The Politics and Cultural Impact

• Propaganda Comparison: Felix likens the film’s aesthetics and message to “Leni Riefenstahl” propaganda, emphasizing its disturbing but effective allure. (45:13)
• Legacy: The panel acknowledges The Fountainhead’s indelible mark on Silicon Valley and American business—Rand’s ideas continue to animate debate decades later. (45:23–46:16)
  • Michael: “It just seems to really have such a hold on the imagination of politicians, business people… certainly no shortage of Silicon Valley types.”

10. Iconic Final Scene & Endings

• Symbolic Climax: Dominique ascending the skyscraper in an open elevator to find Roark is read as a phallic, triumphant ending—“the happiest ending in Hollywood right there.” (30:23–30:49)
• Hollywood Censorship Fun Fact: A major character’s suicide replaced divorce, seen as less suitable for film at the time. (29:26–29:45)

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• Michael (on Ayn Rand’s script control, 03:05):
  “Ayn Rand claimed it was the first time in Hollywood history that the screenwriter got absolute final approval of what was put on film, and not a word was changed. And those two things may have been interrelated, actually.”
• Emily (on Roark’s speech, 04:12):
  “The worst part was when Howard Rourke gets up and makes his speech to the jury, the insane, long, impenetrable argument that really does not make any sense.”
• Felix (on the movie’s handling of critics, 08:05):
  “Global domination through architecture criticism. I mean, it is clearly the profession you choose if you want world beating, domination and control over the planet.”
• Michael (on the creative ego, 12:41):
  “I don’t build in order to have clients. I have clients in order to build.”
• Emily (on male genius and gender, 25:29):
  “That’s exactly the message you get. Like, the men are the geniuses and you’re supposed to act selfishly… yet the woman in the movie does not really act in her own self interest.”
• Felix (on propaganda aesthetics, 45:13):
  “It’s got that, like, Leni Riefenstahl thing going on. And, like, you know, are we going around saying, oh, yeah, we should all be watching the Triumph of the Will because the production design is awesome?”
• Michael (on lasting influence, 46:16):
  “It just seems to really have such a hold on the imagination of politicians, business people… certainly there’s no shortage of Silicon Valley types who have built businesses who obviously had some sort of fateful encounter with one of these books or movies.”

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:10]–[04:43]: Introduction, Michael Bierut’s “recovering Ayn Rand fan” status, and script history
• [07:20]–[09:30]: Satirical media dynamics and critics as villains
• [12:41]: Roark’s famous line about client/creator relationship
• [17:02]–[18:16]: Architects in film and popular culture
• [23:34]–[25:55]: Discussion of Dominique Francon and Rand’s gender problem
• [28:10]: Notable lines and enjoyment of minor characters’ dialogue
• [30:23]–[30:49]: Analysis of the iconic finale (Dominique’s elevator ride)
• [45:13]–[46:16]: The question of art versus propaganda and the film’s legacy

Final Verdicts

• Michael: “Surprisingly watchable… If you want to see an architect in a movie, really being an architect, this is the movie for you.”
• Emily: “I like this movie. It’s not for me. This is a celebration of male power and patriarchy… yet it was so watchable. I just… loved Gary Cooper. I loved Patricia Neal. They’re really good at acting.”
• Felix: Found the politics hard to stomach, but praised the direction and production design—admitting it’s a film worth seeing.

Closing Reflection

Despite their critiques of the script, gender dynamics, and ideology, the hosts agree The Fountainhead remains an influential, striking, and debate-sparking film. Michael Bierut’s confession of youthful Rand fandom and candid reflection provide expert context, and all agree: its odd mix of design, dogmatism, and drama grants it enduring relevance in both the creative and business worlds.

[Episode features ad-free, expert discussion and manages to be both critical and affectionate in equal measure. A must-listen for fans of film, architecture, philosophy, and the strange intersections of them all.]