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Actors: Robert Redford, Peter Boyle, Melvyn Douglas, Don Porter
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Candidate (1972) |
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A handsome young California attorney and liberal advocate named Bill McKay (Redford) is persuaded by the Democratic party to run against the apparently undefeatable GOP incumbent, Crocker Jarman (Porter). With poor support (even from his father, the conservative retired governor John McKay played by veteran actor Melvyn Douglas), and expecting from the start to lose, McKay starts out the campaign speaking his mind. But as the race picks up steam, he finds himself having to cut corners and compromise in ways that make him uncomfortable. Directed by Michael Ritchie, this 1972 film was an early Redford triumph, and serves as a primer on the running of a political campaign. Peter Boyle plays McKay's campaign manager; Natalie Wood, Mayor Sam Yorty, ABC's Howard K. Smith, and Senators Alan Cranston, Humbert Humphrey, and George McGovern all appear as themselves. (In 2002, Redford and writer Larry Gelbart announced plans for a sequel to this fine film.)
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of The Candidate (1972) |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1960's-1970's
Polit/Social/Race/Gender activism
Yes
Plotlet:
- liberal/lefty activism
Job/Profession/Poverty Story?
Yes
Job:
- politician
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- a lawyer creature
Age:
- 20's-30's
Hair color?
- blonde
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- irritated
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- white/grey
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
How much in movie?
- 20%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- politician/elected ruler
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Body type
- (man) fat
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
City?
Yes
City:
- Los Angeles
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Movie makes you feel...
- thoughtful
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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