🗳️ A presidential ambition. A missing diary. A lot of nervous politicians.
William Powell stars as Senator Melvin G. Ashton, a politician whose confidence far exceeds his qualifications—and whose ambitions extend all the way to the White House. His party’s leaders would prefer him to step aside, but Ashton has a powerful bargaining chip: a private diary recording years of their embarrassing secrets.
When the diary disappears, his campaign becomes a scramble to keep those secrets from reaching the public. With publicity man Lew Gibson and reporter Poppy McNaughton caught up in the confusion, speeches, schemes and political reputations collide. How far can a man go when he knows everyone else’s business?
🎭 GENRES
Comedy • Political Satire
⭐ FEATURED CAST
• William Powell as Senator Melvin G. Ashton
• Ella Raines as Poppy McNaughton
• Peter Lind Hayes as Lew Gibson
• Arleen Whelan as Valerie Shepherd
• Ray Collins as Houlihan
• Allen Jenkins as Farrell
• Charles D. Brown as Dinty
🎥 BEHIND THE CAMERA
Director: George S. Kaufman
Screenplay: Charles MacArthur
Story: Edwin Lanham
Cinematography: William C. Mellor
Music: Daniele Amfitheatrof
📽️ FILM DETAILS
Release date: December 26, 1947
Filming location: California, USA
Original title: The Senator Was Indiscreet
Alternative title: Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet
🏆 AWARD RECOGNITION
William Powell received the 1947 New York Film Critics Circle award for Best Actor for his performances in both The Senator Was Indiscreet and Life with Father.
✨ CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD CONNECTIONS
This was the only film directed by celebrated playwright George S. Kaufman. Look out for an uncredited cameo by Myrna Loy, Powell’s famous screen partner from The Thin Man films.
💬 Does William Powell make the perfect unlikely presidential hopeful? Share your favourite moment in the comments.
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