On C List of Movie Reviews
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The Candidate (1972)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
11/15
11/15:
If you ask me what's the best film I've seen for politics, my answer is The Candidate.
What's brilliant about it, which feels like a documentary, is that nothing has changed. In fact, it's the bona fide blueprint
of how to run a successful political campaign. Hence, I won't be surprised if it's the standard reference guide for many
fledgling politicians.
My favorite moment is when Bill McKay, who's marvelously played by Robert Redford, made fun of himself by how he sounded
while riding in the limo. It's also the moment that Bill realized he sold his soul during the process.
There are a lot of small moments that are just as priceless such as being mobbed by horny women and grabbed by people in
every direction (sometimes, it felt like they were going after Robert Redford, not Bill McKay), having no privacy, sounding
and looking like a complete fake, editing videos for maximum effect, and spouting empty rhetoric (read that as "bullshit").
It's not a surprise that the screenplay won an Oscar which was written by Jeremy Larner (the only one of his career).
Yet there should be Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Robert Redford), Best Supporting Actor (Peter Boyle
and Don Porter who's perfect as Crocker Jarmon), and Best Director (Michael Ritchie).
All in all, The Candidate explains why politics has always been full of shit.