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The Candidate (1972)

PG 110 min  -  Drama  -   23 August 1972 (France)
7.1
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Ratings: 7.1/10 from 4,345 users  
Reviews: 54 user | 18 critic

Bill McKay is a candidate for the U.S. Senate from California. He has no hope of winning, so he is willing to tweak the establishment.

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writer:

Jeremy Larner
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Redford ...
Peter Boyle ...
Marvin Lucas
Melvyn Douglas ...
John J. McKay
Don Porter Don Porter ...
Senator Crocker Jarmon
Allen Garfield ...
Klein
Karen Carlson Karen Carlson ...
Nancy McKay
Quinn K. Redeker Quinn K. Redeker ...
Rick Jenkin (as Quinn Redeker)
Morgan Upton Morgan Upton ...
Wally Henderson
Michael Lerner ...
Paul Corliss
Kenneth Tobey Kenneth Tobey ...
Floyd J. Starkey
Chris Prey Chris Prey ...
David
Joe Miksak Joe Miksak ...
Neil Atkinson
Jenny Sullivan Jenny Sullivan ...
Lynn
Tom Dahlgren Tom Dahlgren ...
Pilot
Gerald Hiken Gerald Hiken ...
Station Manager
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Storyline

Californian lawyer Bill McKay fights for the little man. His charisma and integrity get him noticed by the Democratic Party machine and he is persuaded to run for the Senate against an apparently unassailable incumbent. It's agreed he can handle it his own way, on his own terms. But once he's in the race and his prospects begin to improve, the deal starts to change. Written by Jeremy Perkins <jwp@aber.ac.uk>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Candidate | Cynicism | California | Politics | Election  | See more »

Taglines:

Too Handsome. Too Young. Too Liberal. Doesn't have a chance. He's PERFECT! See more »

Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(France) See more »

Also Known As:

El candidato See more »

Filming Locations:

Angel Island, California, USA See more »

Box Office

Gross:

€82,274 (Spain) (1972)
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Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Scriptwriter Jeremy Larner used to write political speeches for 1968 Presidential candidate, Eugene McCarthy. See more »

Goofs

Continuity: The red convertible driven by Marvin Lucas (Peter Boyle) has three different license plates during the opening credits: "677 EIY", "185 ENV", and "772 DYD". All are from the 1972 era in California. See more »

Quotes

Floyd J. Starkey: He's gonna get his ass kicked.
John J. McKay: He's not gonna get his ass kicked.
Floyd J. Starkey: Oh yeah? How can you be so sure?
John J. McKay: Because he's cute!
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