Hollywood Flashback: ‘The Best Man’ Took On Cutthroat Campaigning

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As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in political strategy games, I find “The Best Man” to be an intriguing tale that mirrors the cutthroat world of virtual politics. The narrative’s focus on backroom deals, mudslinging, and the struggle for power resonates deeply with my gaming experience, where every move counts and the stakes are always high.

60 years ago, I found myself at the movies watching “The Best Man,” a film about politics and endorsements. As I stand here today, officially endorsed by the Democratic Party as their nominee for president, I can’t help but reflect on the challenges faced in that movie and how they compare to my own journey.

Titled “The Best Man“, this work was penned by Gore Vidal and is an adaptation of his stage play. The story revolves around two contenders – the honorable ex-Secretary of State, William Russell (portrayed by Henry Fonda), and the manipulative Senator Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson) – both vying to secure their party’s presidential nomination without a named political party. Their rivalry intensifies as they compete for the support of the ailing ex-president, Art Hockstader, who is played by Lee Tracy in this production, which previously won Tony awards.

In 1964, Franklin J. Schaffner took charge of the film adaptation of “The Best Man”, released by United Artists on April 5th. This movie came out before Lyndon B. Johnson’s victory in October, seven months later. The film is noted as the first American production to incorporate the term “homosexual” in its dialogue, and it earned an Oscar nomination for Tracy, marking his final feature role. Initially, Frank Capra was slated to direct, but according to Gore Vidal (who passed away in 2012), Capra’s contract gave him the authority to swap out any director at will. In a 2008 interview, Vidal stated that Capra aimed to transform the story into an overtly religious Christian narrative, which was far from what Vidal had written. Capra, known for his political themes in movies like “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), had reportedly intended to make this movie a highly devout Christian tale, but these elements were not consistent with the original script.

Afterward, the scriptwriter received recognition when the 2000 Broadway revival of his play was rechristened “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man“. Jeffrey Richards, the producer, stated this to THR back then, explaining that the title change was their way of paying tribute to Vidal. He recalled Vidal attending a film festival for the adaptation and only seeing Schaffner’s name highlighted on posters. Richards added, “Schaffner certainly did an excellent job directing the movie, but what would it have been without the author? We’re merely acknowledging the ownership we believe Vidal deserves.” Reflecting on “The Best Man” in 2008, Vidal—a grandson of Thomas Gore, a blind U.S. senator from Oklahoma—saw the film as addressing the necessity for politicians to seem appealing to a broad array of people.

As a long-time reader and enthusiast of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, I always look forward to its monthly issues. The August 21 edition was no exception. It contained an intriguing story that caught my attention. If you’re interested in keeping up with the latest happenings in the entertainment industry, I strongly recommend subscribing to this publication. You never know what fascinating tales it might reveal!

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2024-08-23 20:25