Not to be confused with the 1964 Mamie Van Doren-Ted Knight sex romp, 1972 message film” The Candidate stars Robert Redford as Bill McKay, a loser-ish California candidate for the Senate who waters down his message the more he sees his poll numbers shrivel, satisfying no one but his own fears. The press covers his efforts, but only insofar as they’re influenced by his father, a former California governor. Onetime Eugene McCarthy speechwriter Jeremy Larner won the adapted screenplay Oscar for The Candidate; director Michael Ritchie had an entertaining and deeply bizarre career, with films ranging from Bad News Bears (1976) to the gripping insanity of The Island (1980). The Candidate was released two weeks after Watergate happened. Happy Election Day! Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.; Tues., Nov. 6, 1:30 p.m.; free. (310) 440-4500, skirball.org.

Tue., Nov. 6, 1:30 p.m., 2012