The Best Man (1964)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

The Best Man (1964) – F. Schaffner

Gore Vidal’s Tony-nominated play focused on the battle for a party’s presidential nomination is brought to the screen by Franklin J. Schaffner (with Vidal’s own screenplay).  It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the tactics used by ruthless conservative populist Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson) and intellectual but indecisive liberal William Russell (Henry Fonda) who are vying to get the most votes at the (unnamed) party’s convention in Los Angeles.  Cantwell has dirt on Russell (a prior nervous breakdown) and plans to use it to swing things his way; Russell’s people also find dirt on Cantwell but will the candidate use it or stand by his principles?  We’ve seen these candidates in the US before (and I fear that the tide has turned to Cantwell’s brand of politics of late) and contemporary audiences would have been thinking of Adlai Stevenson and Richard Nixon.  But fifty plus years later nothing here can shock or even surprise the modern viewer.  Still, there is some suspense built and Lee Tracy has a great turn as the folksy ex-president with advice for both candidates. Frank and authentic or cynical as hell – you be the judge.