IMDb RATING
7.6/10
3.7K
YOUR RATING
The two front runners for their party's presidential nomination, one principled and the other ruthless, vie for the former president's endorsement.The two front runners for their party's presidential nomination, one principled and the other ruthless, vie for the former president's endorsement.The two front runners for their party's presidential nomination, one principled and the other ruthless, vie for the former president's endorsement.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 5 nominations total
Penny Singleton
- Mrs. Claypoole
- (scenes deleted)
Anne Newman Bacal
- Janet
- (as Anne Newman)
- Director
- Writer
- Gore Vidal(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaLegend suggests that the future Republican American President Ronald Reagan, late in his previous career as a Hollywood actor, was rejected for a role in this film because a studio executive at United Artists didn't think he had "that presidential look". However, Gore Vidal, in one of his several essays attacking Reagan's presidency, says that Reagan was actually considered for the role of Joe Cantwell during preparations for the first Broadway production of his original play in 1960. (Frank Lovejoy eventually played Cantwell on stage). 1964, the year the film version appeared, was the year Reagan decisively left acting for politics, so Vidal's version of the story is the more likely.
- GoofsDuring the roll call, the chairman of the Pennsylvania delegation begins his announcement by saying "Mr Chairman, the State of Pennsylvania....". Pennsylvania is actually a Commonwealth, and any leading politician would refer to it as such.
- Quotes
Joe Cantwell: I don't understand you.
William Russell: I know you don't. Because you have no sense of responsibility toward anybody or anything. And that is a tragedy in a man, and it is a disaster in a president.
- Crazy creditsDuring the opening credits, a picture of every single U.S. President appears in order, from George Washington to Lyndon Johnson.
Featured review
political movie of the era
In a Presidential convention, William Russell (Henry Fonda) and Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson) are the leading candidates. Russell is a principled intellectual with personal issues that could haunt him. His estranged wife Alice is supportive publicly. Cantwell is a populist on the outside, and a ruthless opportunist on the inside. His wife is superficial. They struggle for the endorsement of the departing President Art Hockstader. Cantwell threatens to Hockstader that he would release Russell's secret psychiatric hospital records. In his all important speech, Hockstader doesn't give a direct endorsement throwing the convention open. He has concerns about Russell but vows to stop Cantwell.
This is a political movie of the era. The main characters are referencing politicians of the time. It loses a little with the passage of time. Fonda and Robertson are exceptional. Writer Gore Vidal injects the movie with plenty of behind the scenes realism. It is more real than most political thrillers of that era.
This is a political movie of the era. The main characters are referencing politicians of the time. It loses a little with the passage of time. Fonda and Robertson are exceptional. Writer Gore Vidal injects the movie with plenty of behind the scenes realism. It is more real than most political thrillers of that era.
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- SnoopyStyle
- Jul 18, 2016
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Details
- Runtime1 hour 42 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
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