The Best Man

Watch: The Best Man

4/5/19641h 42m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ Does The Best Man Always Get To The White House? ~

Overview:

The other party is in disarray. Five men vie for the party nomination for president. No one has a majority as the first ballot closes and the front-runners begin to decide how badly they want the job.

Director:

Franklin J. Schaffner

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

election campaign
presidential election
politics
based on play or musical
los angeles, california
corrupt politician
ex-president

Cast

Henry Fonda

~ as ~

William Russell

Cliff Robertson

~ as ~

Joe Cantwell

Edie Adams

~ as ~

Mabel Cantwell

Margaret Leighton

~ as ~

Alice Russell

Shelley Berman

~ as ~

Sheldon Bascomb

Lee Tracy

~ as ~

President Art Hockstader

Ann Sothern

~ as ~

Sue Ellen Gamadge

Gene Raymond

~ as ~

Don Cantwell

Kevin McCarthy

~ as ~

Dick Jensen

Mahalia Jackson

~ as ~

Mahalia Jackson

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 3 year(s) ago
7
As the presidential nomination process comes to it's chaotic climax, the two leading candidates are deadlocked. The more principled "Russell" (Henry Fonda) and the more savvy "Cantwell" (Cliff Robertson) are trying to get the approval of the former president "Hockstader" (Lee Tracy) whilst the former tries to avoid the whole process becoming mired in personal issues (and back-stabbing). Like so many films that depict American political process, it presents a scenario in which it's rarely the best man who wins and the so-called "Land of the Free" proves anything but! Neither of these candidates really merit the job, it all just boils down to which is going to be prepared to scrape the bottom of the barrel and ruin the reputation of the other. Both Fonda and Robertson are on good form, but pale by comparison with the rather manipulative and scheming Tracy whom you could actually believe held high office once. The pace is good, there is plenty of intrigue and as the denouement looms, I was still never quite sure who was going to come out on top. I liked the ending, though I did feel it was just a little bit of a cop out. Almost as if Gore Vidal didn't really want to make a choice either! Nobody is all bad, nobody is all good - but is compromise always the best answer? It's good, this.