The mayor invites Caulfield to observe in person what will be his last election, his "last hurrah", to document urban politics before radio and television fully change campaigning.

After Cass's bank turns down a loan for the city to build a housing development, Skeffington invades the exclusive Plymouth Club to confront him, Force, the bishop, and other members of the elite.

He confidently states on television that he will run for governor, but suffers a heart attack that night, and a large crowd comes to pay respect to the invalid.

Most of this 'Boston Row homes' set burned down in 1974, but the 'Skeffington Mansion' stood until October of 2023, when it was demolished, along with the rest of the famous Backlot, at what was then known as the Warner Bros Ranch Facilities.

"[8] Variety wrote, "The two-hour running length is somewhat overboard but Tracy's characterization of the resourceful, old-line politician-mayor has such consummate depth that it sustains the interest practically all the way.

"[9] Harrison's Reports called the film "a vastly entertaining study of a resourceful old-time politician, wonderfully portrayed by Spencer Tracy, who makes the character warmly human, sympathetic, witty and charming even though he is not above resorting to trickery and malice to combat political enemies.

"[10] John McCarten of The New Yorker wrote "There are some sprightly moments in this film...but as a really sound representation of political shenanigans it is a long way from home.

"[11] Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post praised Spencer Tracy's performance as "deep and alert" but still found the film disappointing, writing that it "isn't exactly bad, but it's nowhere near the movie Edwin O'Connor's hard, rollicking political novel should have made...Very rarely does Hollywood risk meeting politics head-on and this shows clearly in Frank Nugent's fairly empty, very sentimental screen treatment of O'Connor's vigorous book.

"[12] A positive review in the British Monthly Film Bulletin commented that it was "directed with humour, feeling (notably in the relationships between Skeffington and his supporters, the clownish Ditto and the shrewd ward politicians) and a superlative sense of the big occasion.

[2] Tracy was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in The Old Man and the Sea released earlier that year, but believed his performance in The Last Hurrah was superior.