No figure of the twentieth century has had such a profound worldwide impact on the literature, the cinema, the politics, the historical debate and the culture wars, as Gore Vidal (1925-2012). Based on intimate interviews with Vidal himself, this documentary by Nicholas Wrathall makes a fascinating account of the last great critic of American liberalism. The comments of those who knew him best (including famous journalist Christopher Hitchens, and the nephew of the writer, director Burr Steers) are mixed with footage of the legendary public career of Vidal, showing us why he will be remembered as one of the brightest and boldest critics of our time. We also see that the free treatment of homosexuality in his early novels hampered his literary career and pushed him to work harder as a screenwriter to survive.

Gore Vidal's career spanned more than 50 years of American political and literary life. His return to the U.S. after several years in Italy marked the last major phase of his creative career, and this film represents a unique opportunity to understand the vision he had of this country at the beginning of our century. Through sincere testimonies gathered during his last years, the film explores his global and lasting impact on art, politics and many other fields. His overview of the current state of the republic and the health of democracy in the U.S. is unique and unrepeatably incisive.