King Vidor's The Crowd (1928) tells the story of John Sims, born on the Fourth of July, 1900, as he grows up and tries to become a "big man." Tracing his difficulties as he moves to New York City, The Crowd documents the struggles of the individual to rise above "the crowd," an entity alternately depicted in the film as sinister and as sheltering. Separateing oneself from the crowd is how one become wealthy and powerful, but getting out of step with the crowd can result in disaster and ruin. How is a man supposed to understand where that fine line exists?  ¶ 1:17 AM