In May 1964, former Secretary of State William Russell [Henry Fonda] and Senator Joe Cantwell [Cliff Robertson] emerge as the two leading contenders for the presidential nomination of their unnamed party. Russell is portrayed as a principled intellectual, but his personal life casts a shadow: his past indiscretions and a strained marriage to Alice Russell [Margaret Leighton] complicate his image, and a prior nervous breakdown lingers over his public bearing. Cantwell presents himself as a ruthless, populist anti-communist who promises to close the missile gap and win the presidency by any means necessary. He thrives on aggression and bold tactics, and his willingness to go to great lengths to secure the nomination makes him a formidable rival. Neither man trusts the other, and both question the other’s fitness to lead the country.
At the nominating convention in Los Angeles, the aging but pragmatic former President Art Hockstader [Lee Tracy] holds the deciding influence. He would rather see Russell succeed, yet he is wary of Russell’s indecision and strict-principled stance; Cantwell’s hard-edged toughness and readiness to do whatever it takes begin to appeal to him. The pivotal turn comes when Cantwell privately attacks Russell using illegally obtained psychological reports, a tactic arranged by Don Cantwell [Gore Vidal], his brother and campaign manager. Hockstader withholds endorsement from both men, choosing not to commit to either side. He also distributes a tantalizing offer: the vice-presidential slot to the three minor candidates still in play—Senator Oscar Anderson [Richard Arlen], Governor John Merwin [William R. Ebersol], and Governor T. T. Claypoole [John Henry Faulk].
Behind the scenes, Sheldon Bascomb [Shelley Berman], a wartime acquaintance of Cantwell, becomes a pawn in a smear campaign. Cantwell’s rivals push Bascomb to testify about Cantwell’s past, and when Bascomb is confronted by Cantwell, the confrontation escalates into a back-and-forth that places Russell’s team under pressure to retaliate with smear tactics. Russell resists, and Cantwell recognizes that Russell does not have the stomach for such dirty tricks. As the balloting progresses, neither candidate secures a majority, though Cantwell maintains a slender lead.
The endgame arrives when Russell’s circle suggests leveraging the allegations, yet Russell refuses to cross that line. In a dramatic sequence, Cantwell offers Russell the second spot on his ticket, only for Russell to turn the offer down. Instead, he endorses Merwin by releasing his delegates and urging them to consolidate behind Merwin, who ultimately clinches the nomination.
> the missile gap
This portrait of ambition, principle, temptation, and power unfolds with a clinical, observational tone, highlighting how personal flaws, strategic partnerships, and hardball politics collide at a moment when the country’s leadership is being decided.
