Last Hurrah, The

Clearly a labor of love for John Ford, this marvelously entertaining comedy-drama was indeed a "last hurrah" for many of the splendid character actors who filled out a film buff's dream cast. Based on Edwin O'Connor's bestseller, it stars Spencer Tracy as a charmingly corrupt mayor running for one last term. Wonderful vignettes featuring the likes of Pat O'Brien, Basil Rathbone, Donald Crisp, James Gleason, John Carradine, Wallace Ford and many others drift in and out of the action. Ford knew the audience would expect at least a couple of stars under 60, so Jeffrey Hunter and Dianne Foster played the juvenile leads. Ford's long-time screenwriter Frank Nugent adapted Edwin O'Connor's roman a clef, and the film won Best Actor and Best Director from the National Board of Review. In 1977, it was remade for TV with Carroll O'Connor.