The Last Hurrah (1958)
Overview
In a changing world where television has become the main source of information, Adam Caulfield, a young sports journalist, witnesses how his uncle, Frank Skeffington, a veteran and honest politician, mayor of a New England town, tries to be reelected while bankers and captains of industry conspire in the shadows to place a weak and manageable candidate in the city hall.
Cast
Spencer Tracy
Mayor Frank Skeffington
Jeffrey Hunter
Adam Caulfield
Dianne Foster
Mave Caulfield
Pat O’Brien
John Gorman
Basil Rathbone
Norman Cass Sr.
Donald Crisp
The Cardinal
James Gleason
Cuke Gillen
Edward Brophy
Ditto Boland
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CinemaSerf
Spencer Tracy is very much in his element as the long established, ducking and diving, Irish-American city mayor who takes on the blue-blooded commercial powers-that-be in his un-named New England city led by industrialist "Cass" (Basil Rathbone). It plays a little to Irish-American stereotypes across the board - corruption abounds all over the shop; plenty of light hearted cons and arm-twisting being used for the public good and with a little healthy pocket-lining at the same time. A solid supporting cast led by Jeffrey Hunter (his nephew "Adam") with an on form James Gleason ("Cuke") and Donald Crisp as the obligatory Cardinal all make for a well put together political drama with plenty of pithily scripted and lightly-amusing banter, most of which comes from the confident Tracy. I didn't much care for the ending; it is a little disappointing - almost as if John Ford ran out of steam - but overall, the pace is great and fans of modern day American "machine" politics will still see plenty that resonates even now. Maybe a little bit too long, but still a thoroughly engaging vehicle for the star to demonstrate his personable acting style and is certainly well worth watching.
