I read the original novel when I was in college and have seen the film a few times since. I was not aware of author Ayn Rand's political philosophy until recently, but I always appreciated the central character's (architect Howard Roark) struggle against convention to remain true to his creative vision. But ultimately his conclusion that creative vision confers the right to destroy anything that compromises it never quite seemed right to me. It made for a great story, but was highly impractical in reality, like many great stories.
The story is also interesting because the architect was supposedly loosely based on Frank Lloyd Wright. In the film Roark shows much of Wright's known certitude and passion for breaking from traditional architectural forms. But in the movie the architect's "new vision" seems clearly to be a version of the International Style coming into vogue at that time. From what I've read on Wright and his work, I don't think this is consistent with his beliefs at all. Evidence suggests that Wright was actually quite critical of the less-is-more thinking associated with the International Style. At best, he was only ambivalent about it. But Hollywood never lets the details get in the way of a great story.
The Fountainhead, 1949, written by Ayn Rand (novel and screenplay), directed by King Vidor, starring Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal and Raymond Massey.
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