The Best Man (1964)

The two front runners for their party's Presidential nomination, one principled and the other ruthless, vie for the ex-President's endorsement.

Director:

Franklin J. Schaffner

Writer:

Gore Vidal (screenplay)

Stars:

Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Edie Adams

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Henry Fonda	...	William Russell
Cliff Robertson	...	Joe Cantwell
Edie Adams	...	Mabel Cantwell
Margaret Leighton	...	Alice Russell
Shelley Berman	...	Sheldon Bascomb
Lee Tracy	...	President Art Hockstader
Ann Sothern	...	Sue Ellen Gamadge
Gene Raymond	...	Don Cantwell
Kevin McCarthy	...	Dick Jensen
Mahalia Jackson	...	Herself
Howard K. Smith	...	Howard K. Smith
John Henry Faulk	...	Gov. T.T. Claypoole
Richard Arlen	...	Sen. Oscar Anderson
Penny Singleton	...	Mrs. Claypoole (scenes deleted)
George Kirgo	...	Speechwriter

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

endorsement | campaign manager | bra | swimming pool | u.s. president | 

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Taglines:

Does The Best Man Always Get To The White House?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gore Vidal's The Best Man

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Millar/Turman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the filming locations is the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. In 1968, Robert Kennedy was assassinated here during his campaign to win the Democratic Party's nomination for president.

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Goofs

When Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson) is watching the convention floor on TV monitors and talking on a walkie-talkie he is holding a coffee cup in his right hand when the shot is of his back but it disappears when the shot is from the front.

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Quotes

William Russell: I never pass a mirror, I don't look in it. I wonder why?

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Crazy Credits

During the opening credits, a picture of every single U.S. President appears in order, from George Washington to Lyndon Johnson.

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Connections

Featured in The 53rd Annual Academy Awards (1981)

User Reviews

The Great Lee Tracy Actually Gets To Curse On screen

What a pleasure to see Lee Tracy in his later years! He plays a President who is terminally ill-- not that Conservative, mudslinging candidate Cliff Robertson cares about his health.

The movie has some weird, faux cinema verite angles. It may not be great art as a movie. But what a screenplay, courtesy of Gore Vidal! Rarely are audiences treated to such literate dialogue and politic insight and wisdom.

Henry Fonda is very good as the upright candidate in a primary. Margaret Leighton, whom I love, is charming as his wife, though it's odd that a senator would have a British-accented wife.

Robertson, not a particular favorite generally, is superb as his rival. His tactics make the flesh crawl.

Kevin McCarthy as Fonda's aid is very good. Edie Adams as a political hostess is a scream -- and she seems just right.

And Tracy. He is both funny and touching. What a splendid actor that man was! In so many early movies, he delivered long, elegant bits of dialogue in what seemed to be a single take. That guy was load with talent. What a shame he self-destructed. But here he was, back again.

This is one of a kind and most definitely worth a visit.