Thanks for the memories!

The first must-see film of the year.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Gore Vidal, always one of our more honest and entertaining political insiders, provides a typically critical look at the closeted skeletons and backstabbing power plays behind a national presidential convention, where Henry Fonda and a young Cliff Robertson square off for their party's nomination. Fonda, more or less typecast as the more rational candidate, plays an admirable but unexciting character surrounded (thankfully) by a gallery of colorful eccentrics bordering on, but never quite reaching, the level of caricature. Chief among them is his rival, Robertson, a sleazy right-wing demagogue modeled, according to the author, after Richard Nixon, although his paranoid tirades would fit comfortably anywhere in the shallow soapbox of post-Reagan political discourse. Oscar nominee Lee Tracy and comedian Shelley Berman lend memorable support, but the real star of the film is Vidal's barbed wit and malicious political insight, none of which has aged a day, even while the old-style national convention depicted here has long since devolved into a meaningless charade of choreographed soundbites and corporate slogans.

Political movies of the past 25 years usually involve juxtaposed actual news footage, or far fetched conspiracies replete with multiple murders, action heroes and Femme Fatales. The "Best Man" is from a simpler (better?) time, and challenges a viewer to ask "what would I do?" in the situation confronting Henry Fonda's presidential candidate Bill Russell.Oh sure, political conventions probably never actually played out in the manner portrayed, but who cares? The platform for a delightfully arrogant and power hungry Cliff Robertson is a hoot, and, as always, Henry Fonda just flat out looks like a President.Fans of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" will love the quirky Shelly Berman character, and those of us old enough to remember the Muriel Cigar commercials can recall what a babe Edie Adams was. Catching it on TCM is wonderful, as the absence of commercial interruption enhances the story line and pacing. Enjoy it.

This movie was absolutely fabulous. I didn't think I would fall for a political movie but this one makes an exception. Full of mystique, political scandal, temptation, rumors, and did I mention great acting. Which candidate will stoop so low to win the election? I saw this movie once, before tonight and was utterly in awe (both times). Henry Fonda at his best. It's a classic black and white film with great direction as well. They don't make these kind of quality films anymore and, to me, it stands the test of time. Those convention days are not gone, they are still alive with McCain and Obama. The only other political movie I thought was noteworthy was The Manchurian Candidate starring Angela Landsbury.

The funniest thing here is reading the contorted, puzzled attempt to assert that Robertson's character is based on Nixon, but why would "Nixon" be running for the Democratic nomination against "Adlai Stevenson." The reason is that Robertson's character was based on John F. Kennedy (not Nixon) of that close family friend of the Kennedys, Sen. Joe McCarthy.Now, doesn't it make more sense? Jack Kennedy, in the late 1950s, still parroting the line of his old man (who was a Hitler fan), was the coldest warrior ever to seek the White House.Of course, getting his brains blown out has martyred & deified him, but he was once a tough-titty anti-commie.So, if you do a little research, you can find sources that say Joe Cantwell = Jack Kennedy. It's not a perfect match, Just as William Russell is a womanizer where Adlai Stevenson was dogged by degenerate rumors, but JFK was said to be Vidal's inspiration for Cantwell.