bsmith5552
"The Last Hurrah" is John Ford's fine film about Frank Skeffington's fifth and final attempt to win the mayoralty of "a New England City". The story is loosely based on the life and times of former Boston mayor James Curley. Although Boston isn't identified per se, several discreet references are made to it throughout the film.Spencer Tracy heads up a large cast which includes many familiar faces from the 1930s as well as, members of the John Ford stock company. Tracy dominates the proceedings as we follow him through his fifth campaign to be elected mayor. Along the way we see his modus operandi as he greets his constituents, attends a wake, confronts his political enemies and deals with his personal problems as they arise.Skeffington draws his nephew Adam Caulfield (Jeffrey Hunter) into his circle with the apparent goal of eventually passing the torch to him. He treats Caulfield like the son he wishes he had rather than his actual son playboy Frank Skeffington Jr. (Arthur Walsh). Caulfield is married to the daughter (Dianne Foster) of his long time opponent Roget Sugrue (Willis Boucher) with whom there is no love lost.Banker Norman Cass (Basil Rathbone) and newspaper editor Amos Force (John Carradine)team up to block Skeffington's re-election. They put up their money and their own candidate Kevin McClusky (Charles B. Fitzsimmons - Maureen O'Hara's brother) to run against him.On Skeffington's team are secretary Dan Herlihy (William Leslie, his personal assistant Winslow (Carleton Young) and his "back room boys" Gorman (Pat O'Brien), Weinberg (Ricardo Cortez), Gillen (James Gleason) and gofer Ditto Boland (James Brophy).Others in the rather large cast include Donald Crisp as Cardinal Burke, Ken Curtis as Monseignor Killian, Basil Ruysdael as Bishop Gardner, Wallace Ford as mayoralty candidate Hennessy and Frank McHugh as Festus Garvey another opponent.As always Ford injects some humor into the story. There is a hilarious encounter at a wake between Hunter and Ford favorite Jane Darwell. Also the scene where Skeffington anoints Norman Cass Jr. (O. Z. Whitehead) as Fire Commissioner is hilarious. Look for Ford perennial stock company members Anna Lee and Jack Pennick, as well as Bob Sweeney and Richard Deacon in other parts.I have to take issue with the characterization of the Kevin McClusky character. Ford makes him such a buffoon that it's unfathomable that such a person could be elected mayor of "a New England city".Spencer Tracy as always, makes this film well worth watching.
Michael_Elliott
Last Hurrah, The (1958)** 1/2 (out of 4) Spencer Tracy plays a Mayor who is running for office for perhaps the last time and he invites his nephew (Jeffrey Hunter) along to see how a campaign is run. I must admit that I was pretty letdown with this film considering the talent involved. When you have Ford directing actors such as Tracy and Hunter then I expected a lot more than what was actually delivered. The supporting cast contains brilliant actors such as John Carradine, Basil Rathbone, Dianne Foster, Pat O'Brien, Wallace Ford, Donald Crisp, Ricardo Cortez and Frank McHugh. There are signs a greatness throughout this film but they're often followed up with overly talky scenes that just drag on for no reason at all. Ford is trying to make all sorts of points about the political game but when he speaks these points he just keeps on and on. There's a scene inside a funeral that has political motivations behind it and this scene is the perfect example of a message being beaten to death and dragged down into boredom. There are several great sequences including one where Tracy blackmails Rathbone into doing some good for the city and there's another great scene when Tracy busts in on some bank managers who are using race to work against him. Tracy is good in his role but I don't think this is among his best performances. Hunter delivers a nice performance as well but I found his role to be rather underwritten. I think Carradine steals the film as the racist newspaper editor who holds a grudge against Tracy. All in all, this is an interesting movie but I don't think it takes off the way it should have and considering the talent involved, the movie should have been much better.
John T. Ryan
We're not really sure just what it is that quality that the Irish people posses that predisposes them for success at the "Science" and Art of Politics. Scarcely getting their feet wet, the Immigrant from the Emerald Isle when they saw their children out and about working the Precincts for the local Democratic Ward Committeemen. Thus the very people who Good Queen Victoria had told the World were sub-human; short-cut their way to success. The cold realities of the "NINA" Signs* were circumvented all completely with the application of the 'Old Blarney' (Gift of Gab) and a lot of elbow grease.With their numbers in the ranks growing, it wasn't too long a time before that the Alderman (or City Councilman) as well as the real "Power Behind the Throne", the Party Ward Committeeman, were Irish also. The only next logical step is to have the Candidate at the top of the ticket as one of their own.In our own home town of "broad shoulders, Hog Butcher to the World, Stacker of Wheat", …..etc., Chicago, there has been a long standing tradition of a Political Organization or, to put it more bluntly, "The Machine." So, that we have seen a number of different Boss Men in charge in the 20th Century.And this isn't to insinuate that all of the Head Guys were Irish; though the leading exponent of Machine Politics was the Late Richard J. Daley, Mayor of Chicago (1955-1976) and Father of our current Mayor, Richard M. Daley. Over the years we've had City Bosses of various pedigrees and even a Republican, Big Bill Thompson, who ran on a plank of keeping the Saloons open and even promised to punch King George V of Great Britain in the nose. West side Political Powerhouse, Anton J. Cermak, a Czech immigrant, took the reins of the organization during a 2 year short-circuited Mayoral Administration (1931-33). He was struck down by the bullet of assassin Giuseppe Zangara in Miami, Florida, February 15, 1933. This was during an appearance with President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt. The assumption was that the bullet was meant for Roosevelt, but nobody knows for sure.Others to "ascend the Throne of the Organization/Machine were Edward J. Kelly (1933-47), Martin H. Kennelly (1947-51), Michael A. Bilandic (1976-79), Jane M. Byrne (1979-83), Harold L. Washington (1983-87), Eugene Sawyer (1987-89) and Richard M. Daley (1989-Present). Please forgive my relating all of this similarity to Chicago. Enough of this, already, so ……………… OUR STORY Long time Mayor Frank Skeffington (Spencer Tracy) of an un-named Bostonian-type Big City is facing an election after being in office of one form or another most of his life. Being an old pro, and facing challenge from College Boy-upstart, Kevin McCluskey (Charles B. Fitzsimmons), there is nothing that seems extraordinary about this election. So we are to follow Mr. Skeffington all day long during the last stretch of the election.We see it all through the eyes of Adam Caulfield (Jeffrey Hunter) a newspaper man who is assigned to cover the Campaign of his somewhat estranged Uncle. In addition to the Public Man, we get to see the day to day functions of the Skeffington no one ever sees.In addition to regular duties as the City's Chief Executive, All of us are present when he decides on who a new statue in city park shall be made. The Mayor brings in a host of "mourners" for a socially solitary constituent and gets the widow a rock bottom price by using a little City Hall Arm Twisting on Mortician Johnny Degnan; gently reminding him that his business licensing is up for renewal soon. He also garners support he needs from the City's Bluebloods by "appointing" Amos Force, Jr. (O.Z. Whitehead) the nitwit sissified son of Amos Force (John Carradine) to be the new "Fire Chief", complete with Black Mail Photos.The campaign progresses and the public turns Frank out of office. In making concession speech he announces his new campaign for Governor, which would go unrequited as he is stricken with a highly debilitating stroke. Confined to his bed, all of his political allies and some of the old rivals come by to pay their respects. Frank dies.Director John Ford took an excellent adaptation of the novel and transformed it into great film. Use of the archival-like effect of the Black & White was well executed and effective. Ford & writers Edwin O'Connell (novel) & Frank S. Nugent (screenplay) use ironic twist of having Frank Skeffington, Jr. (Arthur Walsh) characterized as a useless, goodtime, Prodigal Son type; having no interest in his Father's Mayoralty or his declining physical condition.One thing for sure though is that Mr. John Ford put together a super talented cast; some of the regulars, others working with him for the first time. These include: Pat O'Brien, Basil Rathbone, Diane Foster, Donald Crisp, Frank McHugh, James Flavin, James Gleason, Ed Brophy, Basil Ruysdael, Willis Bouchey, Ricardo Cortez, Wallace Ford, Carleton Young, Frank Albertson, Edmund Lowe, William Leslie, Anna Lee, and Ken Curtis. Jane Darwell, Ruth Warren, Helen Westscott, Mimi Doyle, Danny Borzage, William Forrest, Frank Sully, Charles Sullivan and others too numerous to name here.NOTE: * The "NINA" stands for "No Irish Need Apply"signs, which were commonplace in our big cities in the mid to late 19th Century.
MartinHafer
John Ford's version of the book, THE LAST HURRAH, is a behind the scenes look at one last election campaign for an aging mayor (Skeffington) of a town whose name is never mentioned in the film. In many ways, the film is a bit cynical as it showed the way that politicians wheel and deal and manipulate--but in this case, always for a good cause. While Skeffington is definitely not above using these questionable tactics, at the same time, he is shown as fundamentally decent and very, very sentimental--with a true love for his constituents. This is a very difficult balancing act for the film--combining gritty realism with sentimentality, but it manages to do so.In many ways, this is highly reminiscent of the real life Ford, as he was by many accounts a highly manipulative son of a,.....well, you know what I was going to say. Yet, at the same time, sentimentality abounds in his films like no other film maker. You can see it here in his liberal use of old and almost forgotten supporting stars--such as Eddie Brophy, Frank McHugh and Jane Darwell.Overall, the film is very interesting and manipulative (in a good way), as you find yourself pulling for Skeffington and feeling his pain as well--even though he is a fictional character AND a politician! The film is well worth seeing and the film is extremely well-acted and directed.
