Genre: political drama
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Release: 1964
Studio: United Artists
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 8.6/10
It’s Amazing How Little Has Changed!
The time is 1964 and THE BEST MAN begins in a Los Angeles convention centre. At the podium, a speaker introduces ‘the next President of the United States, our own Secretary of State, William Russell!!’ An enthusiastic crowd roars in approval but candidate Russell (Henry Fonda), watching the scene on TV with reporters and operators, won’t address his supporters just yet. Before that, he has questions to answer, people to placate, problems to solve and rivals to think about. Like it or not, this is the wonderful world of big-time politics. With Cliff Robertson (Joe Cantwell), Edie Adams (Mabel, Cantwell’s wife), Margaret Leighton (Alice, Russell’s wife), Kevin McCarthy (Dick Jensen, Russell’s campaign manager), Lee Tracy (President Art Hockstader), Ann Sothern (Sue Ellen Gamadge), Gene Raymond (Don Cantwell, Joe’s brother), Shelley Berman (Sheldon Bascomb) and Mahalia Jackson (in a singing role).
Rodney Dangerfield often complained that he couldn’t get any respect but he is fondly remembered and will remain so for a long time to come. In the universe of American cinema, however, THE BEST MAN seems like a castoff… and for some reason, I suppose. A rather old flick in a world where newness always matters, it was shot in black and white instead of eye-catching colour and bears a title so nondescript that it could be mistaken for any kind of film (Malcolm D. Lee’s comedy of 1999, for one). Who would guess that this BEST MAN is an awe-inspiring exposé about politics in America (and elsewhere for that matter)? I sure didn’t and I do hope you will take notice and try to catch this astute and useful drama.
Its main talking point (if I may say so) is a masterly screenplay by Gore Vidal that raises a host of issues and fuses them into a compelling and realistic story. Though THE BEST MAN depicts a selection process more open and unpredictable than today’s money-fuelled primary races, its content is in no way outdated or irrelevant. Everything’s there, in plain view and vivid detail: the importance of leadership, personal image and Presidential spouses, the backroom deals, mudslinging and fratricidal smiles, the ethical questions posed by the candidates’ backgrounds and platforms, the truths, half-truths and patent lies, the obligatory media circus and, of course, the blinding, all-consuming attraction of power. Not only are these issues played out intelligently but they also stir up many great quotes like Art Hockstader’s quip on the future presidency of a Jew or a black man… and eventually a woman. Later, the same Hockstader will utter another gem that goes something like this: ‘I was going to support you but, if I don’t anymore, it’s not because you’re a bastard but because you’re a
stupid bastard.’ Shades of the body politic? Or of the ‘bawdy politic’ as pundits have often remarked? It’s a bit of both and, moreover, a clear example of insider knowledge unavailable to us ordinary folk. No wonder we’ve grown so cynical about public office!
Realism aside, THE BEST MAN is also a thrilling show brought to us by an inspired team. Franklin J. Schaffner’s direction is seamless and frantic as it translates the craziness and breakneck pace of a politician’s life, builds strong tension and keeps Vidal’s surprises under wraps until just the right moment. Acting-wise, Henry Fonda shines as a respected party man more prone to reflection than to action while Cliff Robertson’s incandescent Joe Cantwell, energetic and merciless, sees the presidency as the grandest of conquests for a small-town guy. Ann Sothern and the rest of the cast also deliver fine performances. By the way, it may be incorrect to label THE BEST MAN as a satire; it owes much more to serious drama but I’ll admit it uses humour very effectively… in a political vein, naturally.
But where does this glorious brouhaha take us in the end? To an enthralling payoff on screen − the kind of denouement that does American moviemaking proud − but also to a depressing conclusion about the state of our nations. With political systems as warped as today’s, parties and governments simply cannot entrust our future to ‘the best man or woman’. As for democracy itself, it is ironic to see it proclaimed an ideal and a ticket to freedom for countries that have been deprived of it while it is twisted, violated or slowly hollowed out in countries that have practised it for centuries. I know democracy is a matter of choice, but what can you do when none of the choices offered appeals to you? On that account, THE BEST MAN’s clear-eyed appraisal of human nature points to a future that looks iffy at best.
MBiS
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