The Best Man (1964) in Color — Starring Henry Fonda & Cliff Robertson

The Best Man (1964) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover The Best Man, the 1964 political thriller written by Gore Vidal and starring Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson, now available as a professionally colorized version. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

At a chaotic, smoke-filled national political convention where the party’s presidential nomination hangs in the balance, two dramatically different candidates wage a brutal, backroom war for the ultimate prize in American politics. William Russell (Henry Fonda), the Secretary of State and former president’s protégé, is an intellectual, principled liberal whose personal life conceals a troubled marriage and a brief psychiatric hospitalization that could destroy his candidacy if made public. His rival, Senator Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson), is a ruthless, ambitious young political operator with a winning smile and an absolute willingness to use any weapon — blackmail, fabricated evidence, character assassination — to seize the nomination he believes is his destiny.

As the convention floor seethes with deals, betrayals, and shifting loyalties, both candidates desperately court the endorsement of the dying former president Art Hockstader (Lee Tracy, in an Oscar-nominated performance), a shrewd, earthy political veteran whose blessing could swing the nomination either way. Hockstader sees through both men with devastating clarity — he recognizes Russell’s intellectual superiority but questions his toughness, while despising Cantwell’s ruthlessness but respecting his hunger for power. When Cantwell obtains Russell’s psychiatric records and threatens to expose them, Russell retaliates with evidence of a scandal from Cantwell’s military past that could destroy the senator’s career. The film builds with excruciating tension through late-night confrontations, frantic telephone calls, delegate counts that shift by the hour, and moral dilemmas that force both candidates to choose between winning and preserving their integrity. Gore Vidal’s razor-sharp screenplay, drawn from his own Broadway hit, creates a devastating portrait of the American political process that exposes the gap between public idealism and private savagery with a wit and intelligence that remains as timely today as when it was written.

Cast & Crew

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner

Stars: Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Edie Adams, Margaret Leighton, Shelley Berman, Lee Tracy, Ann Sothern, Gene Raymond, Kevin McCarthy, Mahalia Jackson

Henry Fonda brings his unmatched ability to embody American decency and moral complexity to William Russell, creating a candidate whose intelligence and principles are both his greatest strengths and his most dangerous liabilities. Cliff Robertson is electrifying as the ruthless Cantwell, investing the antagonist with enough charisma and conviction to make his villainy genuinely threatening. Lee Tracy, himself a faded star making a remarkable comeback, delivers a career-crowning performance as the dying president whose political wisdom and earthy humor illuminate the film’s deepest themes, earning a richly deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

The Best Man was originally filmed in black and white with a documentary-style visual approach that emphasized the intensity of political combat. This professionally colorized restoration brings frame-by-frame precision to the smoky convention halls, the red-white-and-blue campaign decorations, the dark wood-paneled hotel suites where deals are brokered, and the bright, harsh television lights that transform private men into public performers. The colorized version adds visual depth and atmospheric intensity to this restored classic film, enhancing the spectacle of American democracy at its most raw and revealing. Now also available in colour.

Buy The Best Man in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Based on Gore Vidal’s acclaimed Broadway play and released in the politically charged year of 1964, The Best Man remains one of the most intelligent and prescient political films ever made. Lee Tracy’s performance earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and the film’s unflinching portrayal of smear tactics, media manipulation, and the moral compromises demanded by political ambition has only grown more relevant with each passing election cycle. Through colorization, this timeless political drama is preserved for modern audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD restored
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: Original mono restored
• Runtime: Approximately 102 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Is The Best Man based on a play?
A: Yes, the film is adapted from Gore Vidal’s acclaimed 1960 Broadway play of the same name, and Vidal himself wrote the screenplay, preserving the original’s razor-sharp political dialogue and moral complexity.

Q: Did Lee Tracy receive an Oscar nomination?
A: Yes, Lee Tracy was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his powerful portrayal of the dying former president Art Hockstader, in what proved to be one of the final roles of his distinguished career.

Q: How does colorization enhance this political drama?
A: Colorization brings vivid life to the convention atmosphere — the patriotic red-white-and-blue campaign materials, the smoky hotel rooms, the harsh television lights — creating a visual immediacy that enhances the film’s documentary-like realism.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as an MP4 file compatible with virtually any device or media player.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• 12 Angry Men (1957) Full Movie in Color —
• The Dirty Game (1965)
• Fail Safe (1964)
• The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
• A Face in the Crowd (1957)