THE CANDIDATE (1964)

Ted Knight as the candidate

THE CANDIDATE (1964), Director: Robert Angus. 

Frank Carlton (Ted Knight) is running for the senate but he has some concerns over the morality of his new campaign manager, Buddy Barker (Ernesto Macias using the name Eric Mason), who is a Hugh Hefner-type with many girlfriends. As Buddy makes a former hotel employee, Christine Ashley (Mamie Van Doren), his secretary-assistant and starts a relationship with her, Frank starts falling for Angela (June Wilkinson), a formerly kept woman who finds herself without a "sponsor." An added complication is that one of Buddy's one-night-stands, Mona (Rachel Romen), turns up pregnant and in tears even as Buddy tries to convince Frank that he's making a big mistake with Angela. 

Mamie Van Doren and Ernesto Macias

The Candidate is an oddball if compelling movie with an interesting cast. Although playing the title character, Ted Knight is really in a supporting part, but acquits himself nicely, especially in a bedroom sequence with Wilkinson. Macias, who was more often billed as Eric Mason, is excellent as Buddy, a man who on occasion tries to do the right thing even if his instincts are telling him to do otherwise. Rachel Romen has several strong scenes as Mona, Wilkinson is good, but Van Doren proves once again that she isn't really much of an actress and just can't get out of sex kitten mode. Steve Karmen, who once had an act with Bobby Darin and wrote a book about him, contributed a fine score with jazzy interludes and romantic and poignant passages. "Buddy Barker" was probably based on Washington D.C.-based pimp Bobby Baker. 

Verdict: Enough good acting and interesting sequences in this to keep you watching. **1/2.