The Candidate

Year: 1972

Runtime: 110 min

Language: English

Director: Michael Ritchie

DramaComedy

To land his dream job, a desperate candidate faces an unconventional and daunting final interview challenge that pushes him to his limits.

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Timeline & Setting – The Candidate (1972)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Candidate (1972). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:07

Main Characters – The Candidate (1972)

Meet the key characters of The Candidate (1972), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:07

Major Themes – The Candidate (1972)

Explore the central themes of The Candidate (1972), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:07

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Explore Movie Threads

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Process-driven disillusionment dramas like The Candidate

Stories that methodically trace the erosion of ideals within a flawed system.If you enjoyed the methodical, tense journey of The Candidate, explore more movies like it. These films focus on characters navigating complex systems, where the procedural details reveal a sobering truth about power, compromise, and the cost of achieving a goal.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread follow a linear, often steady-paced progression through a system (political, corporate, legal). The central conflict is internal: a protagonist's ideals are gradually worn down by the pragmatic, and sometimes cynical, demands of the process, leading to a victory that feels ambiguous or hollow.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a detailed process, a tense and realistic tone, and a central theme of disillusionment. They deliver a similar experience of intellectual engagement mixed with a sense of sobering realism about how institutions function.

Movies with hollow victories like The Candidate

Stories where achieving the goal comes with a profound sense of emptiness.Fans of The Candidate's ambiguous ending will appreciate these similar stories. Discover movies where the climax is not a clean resolution but a beginning of a new, more complex dilemma, exploring what happens after you get what you thought you wanted.

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Narrative Summary

These stories follow a character striving for a defined goal, but the emotional arc subverts the typical victory narrative. The ending is ambiguous or bittersweet, emphasizing the sacrifices made and the unsettling reality of power or success, leaving the protagonist and viewer with more questions than answers.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by their shared narrative structure that builds to a climax which deliberately feels unsatisfying or philosophically complex. They share a mood of cynicism and disillusionment, prioritizing intellectual and emotional ambiguity over clear-cut resolutions.

Unlock the Full Story of The Candidate

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Candidate in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Candidate is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Candidate Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Candidate, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Candidate Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Candidate with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Candidate Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About The Candidate

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Candidate: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

Similar Movies to The Candidate

Discover movies like The Candidate that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.