Best of Enemies Plot
A documentary about the legendary series of nationally televised debates in 1968 between two great public intellectuals, the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr. Intended as commentary on the issues of their day, these vitriolic and explosive encounters came to define the modern era of public discourse in the media, marking the big bang moment of our contemporary media landscape when spectacle trumped content and argument replaced substance. Best of Enemies delves into the entangled biographies of these two great thinkers and luxuriates in the language and the theater of their debates, begging the question, 'What has television done to the way we discuss politics in our democracy today?'
Best of Enemies Cast
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User Review
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This was my favorite documentary of Sundance 2015 bar none. The film has two directors, and one is Morgan Neville who won the Oscar for 20 Feet from Stardom. The film is so well edited and solid -- it has a narrative that really keeps you engaged. It doesn't hurt to have two of the most fascinating and witty subjects in William F. Buckley and Gore VIdal.
The film begins at Gore VIdal's home on the cliffs of Revello on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. He is showing off the bathroom which is the only room that he has photos of himself. Pictures of the 1968 debates with Buckley have the pride of place over the bathtub!
The directors set the stage, interviewing people like the former... |
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