New seminary graduate Reverend Sam Whitehead receives his first assignment as pastor of his own church in Wood Falls, Kansas, and moves to the small town with his family, including his mother-in-law and brother-in-law, only to discover a building in need of major renovation and a town divided by a long-running feud between two important families; all Sam's effort to fix these problems only makes them worse.

A chronicle of the rise and fall of Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, a boisterous entertainer discovered in an Arkansas drunk tank by Marcia Jeffries, a local radio producer with ambitions of her own. His charisma and cunning soon shoot him to the heights of television stardom and political demagoguery, forcing Marcia to grapple with the manipulative, reactionary monster she has created. Directed by Elia Kazan, this incisive satire features an extraordinary...