The Best Man

Gore Vidal adapted his biting and bitter political satire from his hit Broadway play. Franklin J. Schaffner directed and Haskell Wexler provided the sharp-edged cinematography. The story concerns the political back-biting and smear politics involved in a presidential election year scramble by ...more

The Best Man was writer Gore Vidal's liberal counterpoint to Allen Drury's conservative Advise and Consent. Both stories hinge on the potential for blackmail in the political arena, specifically in regard to homosexual relationships. Vidal's dialogue is sharp and insightful, and the film features superb performances from Henry Fonda, Lee Tracy, and Cliff Robertson. Director Franklin J. Schaffner carefully underplays key moments to build toward the film's dramatic payoff. Much of the film's ...more