Skip to content
HOLLYWOOD METRICS
HomeAboutCraftNewsAnalyticsScriptsBooksPricingAPIMCP
Catalog/Drama/The Candidate
The Candidate poster
B
Strong
MASTER SCORE 66.9 / 100
1972·Drama / Comedy·1h 50m

THE CANDIDATE

“Bill McKay has a lot going for him...but nothing compared to what's coming.”

Bill McKay is a candidate for the U.S. Senate from California. He has no hope of winning, so he is willing to tweak the establishment.

Above the Line
Michael Ritchie·DirectorJeremy Larner·WriterVictor J. Kemper·Director of PhotographyJohn Rubinstein·Original Music ComposerRichard A. Harris·Editor
Cast
Robert Redford·Bill McKayPeter Boyle·Marvin LucasMelvyn Douglas·John J. McKayDon Porter·Senator Crocker JarmonAllen Garfield·KleinKaren Carlson·Nancy McKayQuinn K. Redeker·Rick JenkinMorgan Upton·Wally HendersonMichael Lerner·Paul CorlissKenneth Tobey·Floyd J. Starkey
Full Crew
(17 credits)
Directing· 1
Michael Ritchie·Director
Writing· 1
Jeremy Larner·Writer
Camera· 1
Victor J. Kemper·Director of Photography
Editing· 4
Richard A. Harris·EditorRobert Estrin·EditorMarcia Lucas·EditorMarcia Lucas·Assistant Editor
Sound & Music· 3
John Rubinstein·Original Music ComposerGene S. Cantamessa·Sound MixerRichard Portman·Sound Mixer
Art & Design· 3
Gene Callahan·Production DesignPatricia Norris·Costume DesignPatrizia von Brandenstein·Set Decoration
Production· 4
Robert Redford·Executive ProducerWalter Coblenz·ProducerHoyt Bowers·CastingNelson Rising·Associate Producer
By the Numbers
66.9
OF 100
Master Score
7.0
OF 10
IMDb
88%
CRITICS
Rotten Tomatoes
$3M
ROI 56%
Worldwide Gross
1
2 NOMS
Oscar Wins
Where to Watch

THE AVAILABILITY MAP

The canonical record of where this film lives across the streaming map.

Provider Index In Progress

Streaming, rental, and purchase availability for this title is being ingested from the TMDB watch-providers feed and will appear here once the next catalog refresh runs. Until then, the canonical source links below remain the fastest route.

Find on TMDB
Poster DNA

THE VISUAL DECONSTRUCTION

A bespoke vision agent's reading of the design language behind The Candidate's key art.

Dominant Palette
3 colors
#0D131F
#C42B2B
#E2E2E2
Mood
Political, Ironic, Serious
Composition
Centered
Era
1970s
Visual Style
Photographic

“A man with medium-length blonde hair and a mustache is centered in the frame, blowing a large, clear bubble gum bubble. He is wearing a dark suit, a white shirt”

dramapolitical
Key Elements
American FlagBubble Gum BubbleSuitTieWatch
Atmosphere
Vibrant
Color Mood
Mixed
Setting
None Visible
Design Score
8/10
More Like This

THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Neighboring films in the catalog's similarity graph.

Keep Going

THREE WAYS DEEPER

Auteur
AUT
MORE BY MICHAEL RITCHIE

Every catalog entry where Michael Ritchie is credited as director.

Open
Family
GEN
MORE DRAMA

Top-ranked films inside drama, sorted by master score.

Open
Era
DEC
MORE FROM THE 1970S

The best films of the 1970s, ranked across every available metric.

Open
View on IMDbView on TMDBCatalog
HOLLYWOOD METRICS

The definitive mathematical oracle for cinematic success and creative script intelligence.

74,000+ Films100 Years1.1M+ Reviews
PRODUCT
  • Dashboard
  • Pricing
  • Script Analysis
  • Watch the Demo
  • The Red List
  • News
  • Analytics
  • API
  • MCP Connector
COMPANY
  • About
  • Track Record
  • Trust & Script Privacy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
CONNECT
  • ▶YouTube
  • ◉Instagram
  • ♪TikTok
  • @Threads
  • fFacebook
Get Started Free →
© 2026 Hollywood Metrics. All rights reserved.Powered by bespoke agents and autonomous agentic workflows