Best of Enemies
“Buckley vs. Vidal. 2 Men. 10 Debates. Television Would Never Be the Same.”
Synopsis
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?"
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Best Of Enemies - Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2015-06-09
Top Cast
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Gore Vidal
Self
William F. Buckley Jr.
Self
Kelsey Grammer
Voice of William F. Buckley
John Lithgow
Voice of Gore Vidal
Dick Cavett
Self
Christopher Hitchens
Self
Noam Chomsky
Self (archival)
Reid Buckley
Self
Andrew Sullivan
Self
Todd Gitlin
Self
Brooke Gladstone
Self
Paul Newman
Self (archival)
Arthur Miller
Self (archival)
Muhammad Ali
Self (archival)
Sam Donaldson
Self (archival)
Norman Mailer
Self (archival)
Matt Tyrnauer
Self
Godfrey Cambridge
Self (archival)
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 31, 2015
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
Pending
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville
- Screenplay & Story
- Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon
- Original Score
- Jonathan Kirkscey
- Original Title
- Best of Enemies
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 27m
- Production Budget
- $1M
- Production Studios
- Tremolo Productions, Media Ranch, Motto Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Participant, ITVS, Ford Foundation / JustFilms
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville
Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon
Jonathan Kirkscey
David Leonard, Mark Schwartzbard, Graham Willoughby
Aaron Wickenden, Eileen Meyer
Morgan Neville, Julie Goldman, Robert Gordon
Department Leadership Roster
David Leonard
Director of Photography
Robert Gordon
Director
Morgan Neville
Director
Morgan Neville
Writer
Robert Gordon
Writer
Aaron Wickenden
Editor
Mark Schwartzbard
Director of Photography
Jonathan Kirkscey
Original Music Composer
Graham Willoughby
Director of Photography
Morgan Neville
Producer
Robert Gordon
Producer
Eileen Meyer
Editor
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Best of Enemies.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Best of Enemies
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Best of Enemies about?
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?"
Who directed Best of Enemies?
Best of Enemies was directed by Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville.
Who stars in Best of Enemies?
The principal cast of Best of Enemies includes Gore Vidal, William F. Buckley Jr., Kelsey Grammer, John Lithgow, Dick Cavett.
When was Best of Enemies released and how long is it?
Best of Enemies was released in 2015 with a total runtime of 1h 27m.
Who composed the musical score for Best of Enemies?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Best of Enemies was composed by Jonathan Kirkscey.