Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a 1939 American political comedy-drama film directed by Frank Capra, starring Jean Arthur and James Stewart, and featuring Claude Rains and Edward Arnold. The film is about a newly appointed United States Senator who fights against a corrupt political system, and was written by Sidney Buchman, based on Lewis R. Foster's unpublished story "The Gentleman from Montana". The film was controversial when it was first released, but successful at the box office, and it made Stewart a major star.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) James Stewart and Jean Arthur both do incredible performances as Jefferson Smith and (Clarissa) Saunders.
 * 2) *It should also be noted that 1939 was the breakout year in James Stewart's career after half a decade of playing mainly supporting roles and second leads. Stewart brought a serious conviction to the role and his character's choices played a part in the actor's decision to enlist in the Air Force at the start of WWII.
 * 3) *Claude Rains, Edward Arnold and various other actors are also amazing in their performances.
 * 4) It's considered one of Frank Capra's greatest films due to the film's positive themes, and optimism that was needed at a time when America was having to handle the Great Depression. The bright and fearless lead Mr. Smith himself served as a beacon of hope to America's hassles at the time.
 * 5) The plot of the film is fairly simple, but it's still as timeless and relevant as ever due to the simple dilemma that the title character faces whether to honestly do his Job and be crucified for it or to give in to the corruption so that he could have a long career as a politician, it also explores how simplicity and morality are sacrificed when it comes to bureaucracy as the wide-eyed Mr. Smith holds on to his ideals even though the going gets tough -- Very tough.
 * 6) Capra incorporated several technical innovations into the film including filming with multiple cameras --resurrecting a technique from the early sound era-- allowing him to run through entire scenes instead of repeating portions for close-up insert shots. When close-ups were necessary, he used projecting equipment to play back dialogue, instead of having a continuity person feed lines to actors.
 * 7) Multiple symbols of American culture throughout the film, including beautifully shot scenes with images of the monuments and sights of Washington and several national anthems synchronized as the score.
 * 8) Over the years, the Capra's hero had been refined from the brash, abrasive reporter (often played by Douglas Fairbanks or Clark Gable) to the innocent surrounded by treachery. In this film, the brassiness was shifted over to the heroine, (Clarissa) Saunders, and the leads where surrounded by veteran character actors such as Lionel Stander, Charles Lane (who gets the opening shot) and Thomas Mitchell, who would supply the exposition to explain plot points to the viewers, as well as the cynical wit needed to keep the film appealing.
 * 9) Excellently portrayed and well-written characters
 * 10) Jefferson Smith is an excellent protagonist and an optimistic hero who wants to create a Boys Ranger Camp for the boy scouts. His journey is much more endearing because we believe that he is a common man thrust into an uncommon situation, and as a result, he stands out as the only Senate member who isn't corrupt.
 * 11) (Clarissa) Saunders is Smith's secretary and assistant who's just as attracted with Smith's simplicity as the audience is and helps him in his struggle initially. She also has a sarcastic wit and street-level charm to her and is a strong independent female character who guides the hero on his path of victory.
 * 12) Jim Taylor is the evil corrupt executive boss who criminalized Mr. Smith using his media machine.
 * 13) Senator Paine is a sympathetic anti-villain, who lost his initial zest to serve the public and is now a jaded shell of his former heroic self
 * 14) The Vice President/President of the Senate is a funny comic relief character who often supports Smith and it an overall reasonable figure.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The film attracted some controversy for painting senators as corrupt and the Senate susceptible to demagogic manipulation. This is why the film never identifies Jefferson Smith's home state or whether he was a Democrat or a Republican (although his seat was on the Democrats' side of the aisle)

Trivia

 * The film was originally planned as a sequel to Frank Capra’s 1936 hit Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, with Gary Cooper reprising his role as Mr. Deeds.
 * The original story had to be rewritten after a warning from Joseph I. Breen, the director of the Production Code Administration. The second version of the script was hailed by Breen as “a grand yarn that will do a great deal of good for all those who see it.”
 * The Senate Chamber was replicated in full scale on the Columbia Pictures studio lot.
 * The Boy Scouts of America objected to their inclusion in the film. Director Frank Capra had to create a fictitious name for his heroic group of young activists: the Boy Rangers.
 * The U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain at the time sent a message to Frank Capra that the film would damage “America’s prestige in Europe” and should therefore be withdrawn from European distribution. But today, the film stands as one of the great icons of American ideals.