Best of Enemies (2015)

'Best of Enemies' is a documentary on William F. Buckley Jr., Gore Vidal, and a series of televised debates they had as part ABC's coverage of the 1968 Republican and Democratic conventions. The debates were entertaining and at times explosive and shot ABC up from 3rd to 1st place in their convention coverage ratings. A not great side effect of all this is that it sort of set the template for the combative media environment we have today. There is a point in the 9th debate where Buckley crosses a line, and to his credit he knew when he crossed and it and it reportedly haunted him the rest of his life. While Gore Vidal is not someone I would want to be on the bad side of. There is something to be mourned though for a time when two such smart and urbane men could be such widely listened to public figures. ***1/2