Classic Movies - Fabulous Films of 1939: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Today, let’s talk Classic Political Comedy- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington! Released in 1939, the last of Frank Capra’s fine and funny films of the 30s took as its target nothing less than the Senate of the United States. James Stewart is the small-town boy who comes to Washington as a short-term Senator. As Jefferson Smith, Stewart’s character is wide-eyed, naïve, and dedicated to democratic ideals. When Mr. Smith discovers that his idol, Senator Joseph Paine (Claude Rains), is a dishonest grafter, he sets out to fight him and is immediately framed by the crooked political machine of Washington, D.C. Fortunately, Mr. Smith has an experienced and politically-savvy secretary (Jean Arthur) who helps him escape expulsion through a filibuster that lasts long enough to overwhelmingly sway public opinion to his side. In the end, democracy and the young Senator triumph and the evil Senator Paine repents.

“For its time, this primitive Watergate tale was highly controversial. After a much publicized premiere in Washington’s Constitution Hall, Senator Alben Barkley assailed Mr. Smith as a “grotesque distortion” of the truth. Ambassador to Great Britain, Joseph Kennedy, said it damaged America’s reputation abroad and played into the hands of Adolf Hitler’s propaganda machine. There were even reports that major Hollywood studios, fearing industry-wide censorship, offered to pay back all costs to Columbia Pictures to have it withdrawn. On the other hand, millions agreed with Frank Nugent’s New York Times review that it was” more fun even than the Senate itself”. And to the audiences that loved it, James Stewart’s impassioned rhetoric seemed to impart a new optimism about their country and the basically decent principles for which it stood.” (Author, Paul Trent)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a thoroughly entertaining motion picture and one that we highly recommend. Jack Carson and Thomas Mitchell also co-star in this often delightful, often distressing glimpse into the political workings of U.S. government at the Senate level. All performances are top-notch, but Stewart’s “filibuster” sequence unquestionably holds some of the finest acting moments of his long, illustrious career. Take a look (or another look) at this classic film of 1939 and see for yourself. It is a real “eye-opener”.

**Trivia Question for Today: To what earlier Capra film is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington comparable and also starred Jean Arthur?

Trivia Answer for Previous Post: John Garfield appeared in the 1939 boxing classic, They Made Me a Criminal, co-starring “The Dead End Kids” and Claude Rains. Ironically, Garfield was first choice of Clifford Odets to play Joe Bonaparte in the stage production of Golden Boy, but Garfield went to Hollywood instead.