blissfilm I write this review to complain of the easy and simple comparisons of Cantwell to Nixon. This doesn't fully hold up, as the two competing candidates in the film are from the same party (evidently the Democrats, judging by the other characters). Rather, Cantwell bears several stunning resemblances to Bobby Kennedy, whom Vidal had particularly disparaged in an Esquire article, in which he criticized the Kennedy family in general and Bobby in particular. Vidal was related to President John Kennedy's wife, Jackie. In another article (a review of a book by William Manchester, "Death of a President"), Vidal had called the Kennedys "ruthless and not very lovable after all." The character Cantwell has a very openly cozy and loving relationship with his wife (reminding us of Ethel) and in the film is also known for his several children. More of a clue, he's a former Attorney General who was known for going after the mob and communists, and also a Senator. People forget that Joseph McCarthy was close to the Kennedy family, and had hired Bobby as counsel for his investigative committee (Bobby later resigned due to clashes with McCarthy and Roy Cohn). The characters are clearly composites, but Vidal didn't leave out his antipathy for real politicians, and for RFK in particular. It's not surprising there would also be comparisons to Nixon; Vidal was an equal opportunity critic of politicians and that certainly included Richard Nixon as well.

Robert J. Maxwell For all the commotion on the screen -- the dashing about, the crowds, the vacuous speeches, the applause, the arguments, the creepy agreements -- it's pretty easy to schematize the movie. Two mean are in competition for the presidency of the United States, a liberal (Fonda) with a history of adultery and mental illness, and a conservative (Robertson) with a history of nothing but ruthless self promotion.By various means, Fonda hangs the accusation of being gay over Robertson's head, while Robertson has the original copies of Fonda's psychiatric history. Robertson, being Nixon, is perfectly ready, even anxious, to release Fonda's records to the press. Fonda, being an ex Abraham Lincoln and two presidents in other movies, isn't so sure about playing dirty pool.It's Gore Vidal's bitchy take on Washington as Hollywood. And it's curiously dated and, equally curiously, current in the conflicts it shows us. They are bundles of oppositions that pit liberals and conservatives against each other, even today.I don't need to spell out the positions each group takes. All I have to do is mention gay rights, women's liberation, fear mongering, a terrific anger, opposition to unions, an aversion to gossip, religious certainty versus religious doubt, and so on -- right down to the end of the tram line.Fortunately, Gore Vidal, who is both gay and liberal, doesn't fall into the seductive trap of binary thought. Robertson, the ambitious and self-absorbed character with his hit list, is given some human dimensions. He loves his wife in an offhand way. He's genuinely honest about himself, as far as he can be. He really believes in God and is faithful to his wife. He's a man of honor.And Fonda, a tall and skinny man who is bursting with rectitude, has a rocky relationship with his wife. He's been balling other women on various trips. He's plagued by doubts that prevent him sometimes from acting. And he DOES have that spell of hospitalization in his past, and the record is full of high-falutin' terms like "manic depressive" and "paranoid," although you'd never know it from what we see on screen.The script has some felicities. Vidal was a good essayist. Fonda looks in the mirror and muses, "What an indecent thing the human face is," its teeth revealing its barbaric evolutionary past, while his campaign manager warns him, "No Darwin tonight." It all boils down to whether or not Fonda will release to the press the allegations of homosexuality against Robertson that he himself regards as false.Want to know the moral message? Politics is a dirty business. And sometimes a nobody gets into office who is a total blank to the public, but the job adds features to his face. In other words, regardless of everything else, we have to trust the wisdom of the political system we've received.

theowinthrop Although dated because Gore Vidal placed too much emphasis on the importance of a convention, THE BEST MAN is one of those movies that should be shown the week just before a Presidential primary, convention, debate, or election is held. It is an important statement on what the public really deserves from its leaders, and also what the public frequently ends up getting.The date of the events would be roughly 1968 or possibly 1972, as Joe Cantwell (Clift Robertson's character) served in World War II. The World War II Presidents lasted from General Eisenhower to George H. W. Bush, but the youth of Cantwell limits his having a run after 1972. Cantwell (as was pointed out in another review) is based on Joe McCarthy, although the candidates seem to be Democrats, not Republicans. To be fair he is an amalgam of several figures: Huey Long (with Gene Raymond as a brother Earl - although Earl is made the older brother), and Estes Kefauver, the Tennessee Democratic Senator who fought the Mafia and ended up Stevenson's rival in 1956, and then his Vice Presidential running-mate. Cantwell has made a hard-hitting reputation against communists and mobsters. But he does not care what methods he uses to achieve his goals. At one point one sees him strong-arming delegates through blackmail.As was pointed out his rival, William Russell, is based on two time candidate and loser Adlai Stevenson. Russell actually has an even earlier lineage. His name is the same as Lord William Russell, a 17th Century Whig "liberal" nobleman, and political writer, who was executed for treason in a questionable trial in 1683 in what was called "the Rye House Plot" (supposedly against the life of King Charles II and his brother the Duke of York). Gore Vidal obviously chose the name to suggest a hopelessness in the man's ambitions from the start.Russell also turns out to have had a nervous breakdown of a quasi-violent nature that was covered up by the then President Art Hochstedter (Lee Tracy). This is based on the tragedy (in the Truman Administration) of our first Secretary of Defence, the brilliant James Forresthal, who killed killed himself (threw himself out of a window) from a hospital he was being treated at in 1949. Russell (in Vidal's fiction) was Hochstedter's Secretary of State at the time of his breakdown.Cantwell has massive appeal to the group that Nixon would label "the silent majority". He is one of them, and he knows that they think the way he does. To achieve what they want they will do anything. He has a contempt for effete, liberals like Russell. Russell, who has written a book on his views of the world (similar to Democrat - turned Republican - Wendell Wilkie), loathes Cantwell and his strong arm methods. Russell is married (his wife is played by Margaret Leighton). She resents his womanizing, but like Eleanor Roosevelt admires the man - and will support him if he will refrain from humiliating her in the White House. Cantwell is a family man with children (his wife is played by Edie Adams). He does compartmentalize home-life and political being, but Adams also understands this.Cantwell is ready to spring the report his brother acquired of the nervous breakdown of Russell. But Russell's assistant (Kevin McCarthy) has found evidence of a nasty rumor about Cantwell in the army. A fellow soldier stationed with Cantwell (Shelley Berman) is ready to expose that Cantwell had a homosexual episode while in the service.Both candidates hope to get ex-President Hochstedter's blessing for the nomination. But though he likes Russell, Hochstedter doubts Russell's fighting ability and decisiveness. Hochstedter hates Cantwell (who openly despises him as well), but he knows Cantwell can fight. But he is aware that Cantwell (to win his point) can overkill ridiculously. He also is aware that for himself time may be running out.Other figures are on the sidelines: A southern governor who wants to put a stop to this nonsense about integration (played by blacklist hero John Henry Faulk), an outspoken "Pearl Mesta" type of Washington hostess, giving social tips to the potential first ladies (Ann Southern). And other favorite son candidates, including Richard Arlen.Gore Vidal's family has been involved in American politics for many decades, his grandfather being Senator Thomas Gore of Oklahoma. Distantly he is related to our former Vice Presient Al Gore. So he has made his fable of politics very rich and thought provoking. Who indeed should our political fates be in the hands of? His conclusion is as clever as his viewpoints are wise.

fimimix "The Best Man" shows only A PART of the shenanigans that politicians use to win, at all costs. I can't, at this minute, remember the title of the film based-on Gov Huey P. Long of Louisiana; I do, because I'm from that part of the country and knew some of the Long family."Wm. Russell" (Henry Fonda) is a rarity, the unknown character of honest men involved in government since Jimmy Carter. If you know anything about his administration, you'll remember he was powerless because he would not deal with crooked politicians. "Joe Cantwell" (Cliff Robertson) is the epitome of corruption and scandal-mongering. Kevin McCartney's role as the "whistle-blower" who's attempting to provide evidence that "Cantwell" was involved with soldiers being discharged for homosexual activity, is right-on. You just know that "Cantwell" was guilty, too; "Mabel Cantwell's" (Edie Adams) reaction to the possibility the situation was about to be exposed should tell the story. Lee Tracy as former President Art Hockstader was brilliantly played, a wily ole fox. That "Russells" refused to get involved with mud-slinging (and throwing his influence behind one of the 2nd-tier candidates) is a testament of how desperate this country is for a moral government, and seems unable to achieve it. FDR knew how to get results, but his drawing this country from the dregs of The Depression and leading the USA to become the greatest country yet, is a testament to how beloved he was. I recall seeing him in an open jeep (in a parade), with no security-guards....There must be politicians like "Russell," but they don't seem to be able to become known to the voters. All the hype on the current (2007) presidential campaign is a prime example. "The Best Man" was heart-warming. I enjoyed every role, especially Ann Sothern and Mahalia Jackson. Let's have more of these enlightening films. Everyone should see it.