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Best of Enemies

Name: Best of Enemies
Director: Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville
Released: 2015
Duration: 87 min

Representation Score

4.0/10

Limited

2015

Director

Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville

Runtime

87 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Best of Enemies is a specialized intellectual history that focuses on the ideological clash between Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr., rather than a broad demographic perspective. It excels as a cultural critique, examining how television transformed substantive political arguments into a spectacle-driven commodity. However, the film is limited by its historical context. The focus on elite, mid-century media circles results in a lack of racial and gender diversity. The narrative remains centered on white, male intellectuals, reflecting the era's power dynamics. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its postmodern analysis of media and truth. While it lacks a diverse range of perspectives, it offers a profound deconstruction of how systemic shifts in communication have reshaped American democracy.

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Category Breakdown

Does Best of Enemies have LGBTQ+ representation?

Good

The film delves into Gore Vidal’s life and identity, presenting his personal history as an essential part of his character rather than a caricature. This approach highlights the ways he challenged the straight-centered norms of mid-20th century society.

How does Best of Enemies portray gender?

Limited

The documentary reflects the male-dominated media landscape of the 1960s. Interviews and archival footage focus almost entirely on male intellectuals, with little attention given to women's roles or the subversion of gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Best of Enemies?

Limited

The narrative centers on the intellectual conflict between two prominent white figures during the 1960s. While it recognizes the social tensions of the time, the story remains predominantly focused on Anglo-American perspectives, lacking a broader racial diversity.

How does Best of Enemies represent religion and culture?

Good

The film provides a sophisticated critique of Western institutions and the erosion of democratic discourse due to media capitalism. It explores how truth has become fragmented, offering a deep look at the shifting institutional authority.

Does Best of Enemies include disability representation?

Minimal

The documentary does not include significant or identifiable representations of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

Presents a nuanced, non-caricatured exploration of Gore Vidal’s identity and personal history.
Offers a sophisticated critique of how media capitalism and spectacle erode democratic discourse.
Effectively deconstructs the shift from substantive political debate to televised entertainment.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of women's roles and the subversion of gender hierarchies.
The narrative remains heavily Anglo-centric, focusing primarily on white intellectual figures.
Provides almost no visibility or discussion regarding physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official 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?"

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