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The Best Man
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The Best Man (1964) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   1,126 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 17% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Gore Vidal (play)
Gore Vidal (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Best Man on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
5 April 1964 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Does The Best Man Always Get To The White House?
Plot:
The other party is in disarray. Five men vie for the party nomination for president. No one has a majority... more | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Top Ten Movies About U.S. Politics
 (From CinemaSpy. 3 November 2009, 9:45 PM, PST)

On DVD: "Please Vote for Me," "Primo Levi's Journey"
 (From IFC. 26 August 2008, 6:40 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
mutually assured destruction more (24 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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 ... Himself
John Henry Faulk ... Gov. T.T. Claypoole

Richard Arlen ... Sen. Oscar Anderson
Penny Singleton ... Mrs. Claypoole (scenes deleted)
George Kirgo ... Speechwriter
George Furth ... Tom
Ann Newman-Mantee ... Janet (as Anne Newman)
Mary Lawrence ... Mrs. Merwin
H.E. West ... Sen. Lazarus
Michael MacDonald ... Zealot
William R. Ebersol ... Gov. John Merwin
Natalie Masters ... Mrs. Anderson
Marie Blake ... Cleaning woman (as Blossom Rock)
Bill Stout ... Himself, Bill Stout
Tyler McVey ... Chairman
Sherwood Keith ... Doctor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Billy Beck ... (uncredited)
Jack Daly ... Photographer (uncredited)
Sam Harris ... Extra (uncredited)
William Henry ... Reporter (uncredited)
John Indrisano ... Mafia Man (uncredited)
Ray Kellogg ... Reporter (uncredited)
Colin Kenny ... Extra (uncredited)
Mike Lally ... Extra (uncredited)
Byron Morrow ... Master of Ceremonies at Banquet (uncredited)
Gene Roth ... Pennsylvania Delegate (uncredited)
Mark Russell ... Extra (uncredited)
Sara Taft ... Mrs. Cantwell, Joe's Mother (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey ... Extra at Political Banquet (uncredited)
Gore Vidal ... Delegate (uncredited)
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Directed by
Franklin J. Schaffner 
 
Writing credits
Gore Vidal (play "The Best Man")

Gore Vidal (screenplay)

Produced by
Stuart Millar .... producer
Lawrence Turman .... producer
 
Original Music by
Mort Lindsey 
 
Cinematography by
Haskell Wexler 
 
Film Editing by
Robert Swink  (as Robert E. Swink)
 
Production Design by
Lyle R. Wheeler 
 
Set Decoration by
Richard Mansfield 
 
Makeup Department
Virginia Jones .... hair stylist
Ben Lane .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Robert Goodstein .... unit manager
Ben Hersh .... production supervisor
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dick Moder .... second unit director (as Richard Moder)
 
Art Department
Max Frankel .... property master
 
Sound Department
Don Hall .... sound editor (as Don Hall Jr.)
Jack Solomon .... sound
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Johannas .... camera operator (as Robert P. Johannes)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathleen Dennis .... wardrobe: women
Dorothy Jeakins .... costume supervisor
Ted Tetrick .... wardrobe: men
 
Editorial Department
Hal Ashby .... editorial consultant (as Wm. Hal Ashby)
George E. Swink .... assistant editor (as George Swink)
 
Music Department
Jim Henrikson .... music editor (as James Henrikson)
 
Other crew
Tom Mankiewicz .... production associate (as Thomas F. Mankiewicz)
Stuart Millar .... presenter
Marion Rosenberg .... assistant to producer
Roger L. Stevens .... stage producer
Kay Thackery .... script supervisor
Lawrence Turman .... presenter
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Gore Vidal's The Best Man (USA) (complete title)
more
Runtime:
102 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Fun Stuff

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. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Several times, stock footage of actual political rally doesn't match scenes shot especially for movie. In several shots, no one is sitting in upper seats of auditorium that are nonetheless packed in newsreel footage of same alleged event. more
Quotes:
Joe Cantwell: I don't understand you.
William Russell: I know you don't. Because you have no sense of responsibility towards anyone or anything. And that is a tragedy in a man, and a disaster in a president.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in It's My Party (1996) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
22 out of 22 people found the following review useful.
mutually assured destruction, 8 December 2005
10/10
Author: mgrindberg from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

A sharp as nails look at US politics, maybe a bit old fashioned, but in a good way, with great performances and writing, and very well put together. It pits the packaged candidate of "the people", a scary Cliff Robertson against the principled liberal played by Henry Fonda, with Lee Tracy as the dying ex-president whose endorsement both vie for. While he favors Robertson for his decisiveness, he fears his utter lack of principles, but can't support the wavering Fonda. Sex, mental illness, shady characters dredged up by political operatives (in this case a great part by Shelley Berman), the fabulous portrayals of both of the wives (especially a cute and dangerous Edie Adams), the film transcends the characters, and hits home as much today as when it came out in 1964.

Was the above review useful to you?
more (24 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Best Man (1964)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Rarely Seen - BUT - it's coming up September 3rd ! FilmNoirOnline
William Russell - Liberal Wimp marathoner1
William Russel and Robert Leffingwell? ghayes-2
what party do you think they were in? teejay6682
great opening theme old_tv_guy
Robertson Played Kennedy jackbuckley278
more

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