The Best Man

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The Best Man

1964

1h 42m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

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6 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Secretary of State William Russell (Henry Fonda) lives by his principles, but is haunted by a recent sexual indiscretion that threatens both his marriage and his career. Senator Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson) presents himself as the people's candidate, yet his determination to win at all costs is also his great flaw. These two frontrunners for their party's presidential nomination vie for the support of the outgoing president (Lee Tracy), and resort to mudslinging in a very public contest.

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Judith Crist

New York Herald Tribune

08/15/2022

Cliff Robertson gives his best performance to date.

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Alison Gillmor

Winnipeg Free Press

11/10/2020

Adapted by Gore Vidal from his own stage play, this look at a viciously contested presidential primary is full of cynicism, snark and spark.

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Richard Oulahan

LIFE

10/16/2019

"There is nothing like a good, dirty, low-down political fight to bring the roses to your cheeks." says the film's ex-President. As an excellent facsimile of the real thing... The Best Man wins.

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Dwight MacDonald

Esquire Magazine

08/13/2019

It is "good theatre," no more but also no less. The director, Franklin Schaffner, has given it a lot of razzmatazz, which was probably the way to do it.

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

08/15/2011

4/4

It's hard to be educational while being poignant, but this film does both easily.

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Pablo Villaça

Cinema em Cena

07/25/2003

4/5

Mostrando como os bastidores da política podem ser sujos, o filme conta com ótimas atuações de Fonda, Robertson e Tracy (indicado ao Oscar) e, escrito por Gore Vidal, traz diálogos afiados e inteligentes.

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Ben W

Feb 25

It’s a good movie and I can see why it’s a classic. But I do feel strange about one of the messages that this movie conveys. It seemed to me that the theme of this film was forgiving cheating and lying and how those two things are, somewhat, inconsequential. It rubbed me the wrong way, but I still enjoyed the flick.

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Tom B

Feb 19

Disliked it strongly. The Fandango description linked to this film is for a black and white Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson film. In fact this film was released in 1999 and is an entirely different film. Nice going, Fandango. THAT'S CALLED FRAUD.

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Danzelle

Jan 28

I love this movie. Everyone should go see it.

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Don L

@RT98863765 Sep 23

This is a truly excellent film. Great script, great performances, and the direction wonderfully captures the feel of old-style political conventions. A couple of implausibilities here and there, but it's close to flawless.

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David F

@dfulmer 10/17/2024

It feels like a play and it started life as such, but this backroom drama about a political convention and the man to man combat between the two leading contenders is an intense, suspenseful film, completely plausible, and infused with the political wit and wisdom of its brilliant author - Gore Vidal.

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Cynthia C

@Filma 09/23/2024

Unfortunately, Rotten Tomatoes has an important error in the plot synopsis. Needs to be amended.

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Franklin J. Schaffner

Director

Henry Fonda

William Russell

Cliff Robertson

Joe Cantwell

Edie Adams

Mabel Cantwell

Margaret Leighton

Alice Russell

Shelley Berman

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Synopsis

Secretary of State William Russell (Henry Fonda) lives by his principles, but is haunted by a recent sexual indiscretion that threatens both his marriage and his career. Senator Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson) presents himself as the people's candidate, yet his determination to win at all costs is also his great flaw. These two frontrunners for their party's presidential nomination vie for the support of the outgoing president (Lee Tracy), and resort to mudslinging in a very public contest.

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Producer: Stuart Millar, Lawrence Turman
Screenwriter: Gore Vidal
Production Co: Millar/Turman Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 6, 1964, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 16, 2016
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Dolby
Aspect Ratio: 35mm