Thursday, 24 April 2025

The Last Hurrah (1958 John Ford & prod)

Spence had worked with Ford before back in the thirties (Up the River, 1930) but though Ford was keen to have him again in Frank Nugent's screenplay from Edwin O'Connor's novel, Tracy was reluctant. But after several salary increases he finally agreed. It was a happy shooting experience with Ford - knowing the actor would get tired in the afternoons - calling the shooting day to a close deliberately early.

Tracy is of course perfect as the slightly rascally senior politician seeking one more run at Mayor. No problem at all that Tracy and Ford were both fans of first takes, but we've got literally scenes full of actors all who have to be on their game. They are: Jeffrey Hunter, Dianne Foster, Pat O'Brien, Basil Radford, Donald Crisp, James Gleason, Edward Brophy, John Carradine, Basil Ruysdael, Ricardo Cortez, Wallace Ford, Frank McHugh, Carleton Young, FRank Albertson, Bob Sweeney, William Leslie, Anna Lee, Jane Darwell, Arthur Walsh (son).

P.B. The Last Hurrah also deals with defeat.
J.F. What do you call it - 'the glory in defeat'? Right. OK. I liked that picture very much. It was a good character study. And Tracy was a wonderful guy to work with.

Wasn't sure at first but gradually creeps on you right to the poignant ending. (I could hear Ford grumpimg about too much music everywhere.)


Photographed by Charles Lawton. Columbia.

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