Robert Redford Takes on Politics in "The Candidate"

Of the many roles Robert Redford played in his life, chances are “The Candidate” most likely resembled the actor’s life the most accurately. While Redford never personally ran for public office, he was a politically concerned man who did not hesitate to lend his voice to political causes he believed in. The chances Redford would ever run for office were likely low, as he was also a shy and private man, and likely saw politics as being a beast too big for him to navigate. From everything I know about the man, “The Candidate” is likely how Redford felt about the political machine.

No, Redford did not direct this movie (nor did he have a hand in the screenplay), but its hard to watch him in the role of Bill McKay and not draw parrels to Redford’s real life political interviews on “60 Minutes”; both men are passionate about what they are talking about, yet also shy and unsure of how to truly fix the problems at hand. Like Redford, McKay even wonders if the problems can be fixed if those who hold political power aren’t willing to have the hard discussions that are required to change the world. Despite audience’s desire to root for McKay to win, the screenplay is rather cynical at heart.

McKay begins the film, ironically, as a sort of unwilling spectator of the political system. His father (played by Melvin Douglas) was the former governor, and his influence still casts a large shadow. McKay saw firsthand the good intentions of his father, followed by the reality that poured cold water on his plans. When he is approached to run for governor against the incumbent, he isn’t sought out because the Democratic party thinks he can win; he’s simply the only one who might be willing to run against the unbeatable Republican incumbent. 

Since the race is pretty much a sure-gone conclusion, McKay will be able to say whatever he wants and won’t even have to use his father’s political clout by asking for an endorsement (which he doesn’t fancy seeking in the first place). In what could have been seen as pure fantasy at the time, McKay starts to climb in the polls because he is unfiltered in his views and speaks his mind. At the time, audiences might have watched “The Candidate” and cheered seeing a politician speak his mind freely, despite his words not being politically advantageous.

These days, politicians are willing to speak unfiltered more often (though more and more of their unfiltered thoughts are hateful rather than inspiring). In some regards, this aspect of “The Candidate” has come true, even if the fantasy that politicians would use their unfiltered thoughts for thoughtful good rather than selfish game remains intact. “The Candidate,” for all its idealisms, in some ways predicted the future of politics while still remaining naïve to what that would mean. The final moments are still pure cinema, as McKay sits in an office and ponders his political career, and asks a question so honestly you can’t help but feel Redford himself improvised the line.