… something to shout about!
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.
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Character
Classical in form, cool, resolved and effortless.
- classical in formformally daring
- cooloverwhelming
- resolvedopen-ended
- effortlessdemanding
- sparerichly built
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“Is Adam Caulfield the real protagonist?”
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“Is this John Ford's best work?”
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- CinemaSerfon TMDB · Oct 20237/10
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.
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Cast
- Spencer TracyMayor Frank Skeffington
- Jeffrey HunterAdam Caulfield
- Dianne FosterMave Caulfield
- Pat O'BrienJohn Gorman
- Basil RathboneNorman Cass Sr.
- Donald CrispThe Cardinal
- James GleasonCuke Gillen
- Edward BrophyDitto Boland
- John CarradineAmos Force
- Willis BoucheyRoger Sugrue
Crew
- John FordDirector
- Frank S. NugentScreenplay
- Edwin O'ConnorNovel
- Charles Lawton Jr.Director of Photography
- Jack MurrayEditor
- John FordProducer
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Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
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The Apothecary Diaries 202380% alikeTelevision · Both classical in form.
Rumpole of the Bailey 197576% alikeTelevision · Both classical in form.
Often watched with
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