The Last Hurrah (1958)

88% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(710 ratings)

Spencer Tracy stars in John Ford's sentimental adaptation of Edwin O'Connor's novel about the final campaign of a big city mayor, loosely based upon the life of Boston politician James Curley. Tracy is Frank Skeffington, the political boss of an Eastern city dominated by Irish-Americans. Skeffington… More Spencer Tracy stars in John Ford's sentimental adaptation of Edwin O'Connor's novel about the final campaign of a big city mayor, loosely based upon the life of Boston politician James Curley. Tracy is Frank Skeffington, the political boss of an Eastern city dominated by Irish-Americans. Skeffington tries to assist the people of the city and avoids cutting political deals with the power elite. But despite his concern for the people, Skeffington has no friends, just flunkies. The Mayor is greatly admired by his idealistic nephew Adam Caulfield (Jeffrey Hunter), who writes for an opposition newspaper run by Amos Force (John Carradine). When Skeffington needs money for a loan, he asks the powerful banker Norman Cass (Basil Rathbone), but Cass steadfastly refuses. In retaliation, Skeffington appoints Cass's retarded son as an interim fire commissioner. To prevent his son from disgracing the family, Cass agrees to the bank loan. But Cass uses his deep pockets to finance the opposition's candidate for mayor. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 1 min.
Directed By: John Ford, Des Molloy
Written By: Frank S. Nugent, Edwin O'Connor
Genres: Documentary, Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1958 Wide
On DVD: Oct 19, 1999
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Enjoyable as crowd-pleasing nostalgia.
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Hilarious, richly inventive political satire targeting the rich's class war against the poor, is more timely than ever.
Blake French, Filmcritic.com
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Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

Ken S

Good movie featuring a great understated performance by Tracy.
jay n

Very fine film with a typically great Tracy performance, cunning and wily. Jeffrey Hunter scores strongly as the nephew. Well directed.
cody f

A good political film about a mayor running for his 5th and last election. This is not a great political film, but Tracy gives a good performance. It could have been better if they would have focused more on the political change that TV was inflicting on modern politics. The film… More
A good political film about a mayor running for his 5th and last election. This is not a great political film, but Tracy gives a good performance. It could have been better if they would have focused more on the political change that TV was inflicting on modern politics. The film does address it but doesn't really show how much it had changed. It's a good film and well directed by John Ford, but I wish Tracy's character was a little more shrewed and less a great man. I would of liked to see more faults that a man receives after a life in politics. Worth a watch, but it needed to be less wholesome.

Cast

            Spencer Tracy as Frank Skeffington

            Jeffrey Hunter as Adam Caulfield

            Dianne Foster as Maeve Caulfield

            Pat O'Brien as John Gorman

            Basil Rathbone as Norman Cass Sr.

            James Gleason as "Cuke" Gillen

            Donald Crisp as The Cardinal

            Edward S. Brophy as Ditto Boland

            John Carradine as Amos Force

            Willis B. Bouchey as Roger Sugrue

            Basil Ruysdael as Bishop Gardner

            Ricardo Cortez as Sam Weinberg

            Wallace Ford as Charles J. Hennessey

            Frank McHugh as Festus Garvey

            Carleton Young as Mr. Winslow

            Frank Albertson as Jack Mangan

            Bob Sweeney as Johnny Degnan

            William Leslie as Dan Herlihy

            Anna Lee as Gert Minihan

            Ken Curtis as Monsignor Killian

            Jane Darwell as Delia Boylan

            O.Z. Whitehead as Norman Cass Jr.

            Arthur J. Walsh as Frank Skeffington Jr.

            Ruth Warren as Ellen Davin

            Charles Fitzsimmons as Kevin McCluskey

            Helen Westcott as Mrs. McCluskey

            Mimi Doyle as Mamie Burns

            Danny Borzage as Pete

            James Flavin as Police Capt. Michael J. Shanahan

            William Forrest as Doctor

            Frank Sully as Fire Lieutenant

            Charles Sullivan as Chauffeur

            Ruth Clifford as Nurse

            Edmund Cobb
            
            Hal K. Dawson as Managing Editor

            Richard Deacon as Graves

            William Henry as Votes Tallyman

            Harry Lauter as Votes Tallyman

            Edmund Lowe as Johnny Byrne

            Eve March
            
            Tom Neal as Tom (Funeral Mourner)

            Julius Tannen as Mr. Kowalsky

            Harry Tenbrook as Footsie

            Charles Trowbridge as Man

            Harry Tyler as Retainer

            Jack Pennick as Policeman

            James Waters
            
            Robert Levin as Jules Kowalsky

            Thomas E. Jackson
            
            Clete Roberts as News Commentator

            Rand Brooks as Young Politician

            Des Molloy
            
            Dick Molloy
            
            Tracie Spencer
            
See full cast