I saw this when I was about 10 or 12 and enjoyed it once again on DVD. Frank Skeffington (Spencer Tracy—older, more tired, but real chops!) is seeking his fifth term as mayor of a New England city a la Curley in Boston. His machine is truly that, a machine. He loves the power, isn’t in it for the money, and loves to lead. He serves the people, in his own way. He can force, cajole, and make things happen or not happen. Tracy, Pat O’Brien as an aid, and Basil Rathbone as an evil banker (ain’t they all, well they are in this!) are all wonderful The comic relief of. bumbling Edward Brophy as his beloved go-fer “Ditto” just doesn’t work in our jaded days, but this is a movie worth seeing to understand what we’ve lost to nothings like the politicians of our day. The machines were corrupt and debased politics, they manipulated people but also delivered some goods. Sometimes it wasn’t about the money. Sometimes it was. A misty-eyed romantic ode to old-style machine politics. Old style film making in its own ‘last hurrah?’. Not a swear word in ear-shot but lots of power and passion. Totally a man’s game, women in the house and the background. A few visuals of African-Americans to let you know these machines included a wide range of groups, each with their own leaders. Skeffington is Irish but his inner circle includes Jewish and Brhamins. The scene that stuck in my head when I was 10 or 12, the scene of the Cardinal watching the pathetic, bank-business sponsored challenger and bemoaning his emptiness, is just as powerful today. This is a film worth revisiting.