The Best Man

1964

1h 42m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

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3 Videos

17 Images

Drama

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.

Directors

Franklin J. Schaffner

Writers

Gore Vidal(screenplay by)

Stars

Henry Fonda

Cliff Robertson

Edie Adams

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Videos3

Photos17

Top cast

William Russell

Joe Cantwell

Mabel Cantwell

Alice Russell

Sheldon Bascomb

President Art Hockstader

Sue Ellen Gamadge

Don Cantwell

Dick Jensen

Gov. T.T. Claypoole

Sen. Oscar Anderson

Mrs. Claypoole (scenes deleted)

George Kirgo

Speechwriter

George Furth

Tom

Anne Newman Bacal

Janet (as Anne Newman)

Mary Lawrence

Mrs. Merwin

Directors

Franklin J. Schaffner

Writers

Gore Vidal(screenplay by)

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User reviews1

Review

Featured review

7/10

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.

Geronimo196704 Apr, 2022