CinemaOSMovie · 2015 · 1h 27m

Best of Enemies

Buckley vs. Vidal. 2 Men. 10 Debates. Television Would Never Be the Same.

72%(151)IMDbDocumentaryHistory

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?"

Directed byRobert Gordon, Morgan Neville

Play
Status
Released
Runtime
1h 27m
Language
EN
Released
July 31, 2015
Budget
$1,000,000
Studios
Tremolo ProductionsMotto PicturesMagnolia Pictures

Watch the

Trailers & teasers

2 videos
Best Of Enemies - Official Trailer

Best Of Enemies - Official Trailer

Best of Enemies Official Trailer 1 (2015) - Documentary HD

Best of Enemies Official Trailer 1 (2015) - Documentary HD

Featuring

Cast & crew

10 credited
Starring
Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal

Self

William F. Buckley Jr.

William F. Buckley Jr.

Self

Kelsey Grammer

Kelsey Grammer

Voice of William F. Buckley

John Lithgow

John Lithgow

Voice of Gore Vidal

Dick Cavett

Dick Cavett

Self

Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens

Self

Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky

Self (archival)

Reid Buckley

Self

Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan

Self

Todd Gitlin

Self

Creative team
Directed by
Robert Gordon
Robert Gordon
Morgan Neville
Morgan Neville
Written by
Morgan Neville
Morgan Neville
Robert Gordon
Robert Gordon
Produced by
Morgan Neville
Morgan Neville
Robert Gordon
Robert Gordon

Keep watching

More like this

10 Years

10 Years

2025 · Film

Old Thieves: The Legend of Artegio6.7

Old Thieves: The Legend of Artegio

2007 · Film

Le 3615 ne répond plus8.0

Le 3615 ne répond plus

2022 · Film

The Untouchables7.8

The Untouchables

1987 · Film

A Losing Game

A Losing Game

2025 · Film

The Seoul Guardians6.0

The Seoul Guardians

2026 · Film

Film-Tract n° 19686.5

Film-Tract n° 1968

1968 · Film

Ip Man 4: The Finale7.3

Ip Man 4: The Finale

2019 · Film

The Little Prince: A Star Is Born7.9

The Little Prince: A Star Is Born

2023 · Film

Reiwa Uprising

Reiwa Uprising

2019 · Film

La Resistance

La Resistance

2025 · Film

Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace6.3

Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace

2019 · Film

M. Butterfly6.6

M. Butterfly

1993 · Film

Mirror7.9

Mirror

1975 · Film

Wild Session6.8

Wild Session

2019 · Film

Que mi nombre no se borre de la historia7.0

Que mi nombre no se borre de la historia

2006 · Film

Under the Libertarian Sign6.7

Under the Libertarian Sign

1936 · Film

Picked for you

Recommended movies

I Am Not Your Negro7.7

I Am Not Your Negro

2017 · Film

Sidney6.9

Sidney

2022 · Film

O.J.: Made in America8.4

O.J.: Made in America

2016 · Film

My Mom Jayne8.0

My Mom Jayne

2025 · Film

9/11: Inside the President's War Room6.9

9/11: Inside the President's War Room

2021 · Film

Altman6.6

Altman

2014 · Film

Pavarotti7.3

Pavarotti

2019 · Film

Thriller 408.7

Thriller 40

2023 · Film

John Candy: I Like Me7.9

John Candy: I Like Me

2025 · Film

The War Room6.8

The War Room

1993 · Film

Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye7.2

Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye

2022 · Film

The Class of ‘927.1

The Class of ‘92

2013 · Film

The Bloody Hundredth7.2

The Bloody Hundredth

2024 · Film

Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/207.2

Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20

2022 · Film

Hoop Dreams7.6

Hoop Dreams

1994 · Film

All the Empty Rooms7.3

All the Empty Rooms

2025 · Film

The Last Repair Shop7.5

The Last Repair Shop

2024 · Film

Deliver Us from Evil7.1

Deliver Us from Evil

2006 · Film

Stan Lee7.2

Stan Lee

2023 · Film

Heart of a Dog6.5

Heart of a Dog

2015 · Film