Best of Enemies 2015

Overview

Best of Enemies is a 2015 American documentary film that explores the series of nationally televised debates between public intellectuals Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr. Co-directed by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville, the film examines these ten encounters, which took place during the 1968 United States presidential election. The documentary delves into the entangled biographies of the two men, positioning their vitriolic and explosive exchanges as a pivotal moment in the history of media. By analyzing these debates, the film illustrates how the nature of public discourse shifted as spectacle began to overshadow content and argument replaced substance. This transition is presented as the beginning of the contemporary media landscape and the dawn of modern pundit politics. Best of Enemies premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and was released in the United States on July 31, 2015. With a runtime of one hour and twenty-seven minutes, the film is categorized within the documentary and history genres, offering a penetrating look at the legacy of these two thinkers.