SYNOPSIS
Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, and winning for Best Original Story, this classic film stars James Stewart as a naive, idealist, patriotic young politician who, after being sent to Washington, D.C. as a junior senator from an un-named state, matures in wisdom, fights political corruption within his state's political machine, and guards American values as a moral hero, representing the powerful forces of American freedom, democracy and morality over oppression and evil.
Also starring Jean Arthur, this wonderfully-acted, absorbing and human drama was popular at the box-office and a critical success, while also sparking some political controversy for appearing to paint an anti-democratic picture of the US government during WWII. But the film also provides an educational lesson in the inner workings of the legislative system, and ultimately calls for faith in the power of the people, and in the traditional American values of patriotism.
PLOTLINE:
The untimely death of a junior Senator (from an unnamed American state) sends political boss Jim Taylor (Edward Arnold) into a momentary panic. Taylor needs the votes in the Senate to back a pork barrel project that will line his pockets. He controls the state's Governor, Hubert Hopper (Guy Kibbee) and the state's beloved senior Senator, Joseph Paine (Claude Rains), who suggest a popular citizen and local Boy Ranger leader, Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) to fill the empty position. Smith is humbled and proud to be under the wing of Paine, who had known Smith's late father, a crusading journalist. The patriotic Smith drinks in the sights in the nation's Capitol and reports to the Senate. He is hit hard upon his arrival by the Washington Press Corps, including reporter Diz Moore (Thomas Mitchell), who paint him as a naive fool in the newspapers. With the encouragement of Paine and with help from his cynical assistant Clarissa Saunders (Jean Arthur), Smith begins to draft a bill to establish a Boy's Camp in his state. Unfortunately, Smith's bill conflicts with Taylor's plans for pork politics; Taylor turns all of his might against Smith, including Senator Paine. Smith sees the enormity of the forces against him, but he is determined to get the truth out to the people of his state. Saunders is falling in love with Smith, and she, Diz, and others sympathetic to the effort, including the President of the Senate (Harry Carey), help Smith in his last-ditch effort to clear his name.
WHY IT'S ESSENTIAL:
Though it's now universally revered as an ode to democratic ideals, Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) was originally denounced by many Washington power-brokers. That may come as a bit of a shock if you haven't seen this classic picture for several years. Jimmy Stewart's lead performance made him a star, and is justly remembered as the key component of a beautifully constructed narrative. But Capra, for all his flag-waving and sometimes naive moralizing, saved a great deal of bite for the hallowed halls of American government.
If not subversive, the movie is at least driven by a strong distaste for the misuse of power by our elected officials. This was an exceptionally gutsy message at a time when Americans were concerned with the rise of Nazism overseas, and Capra surely knew he would ruffle a few feathers. But he put his foot down and said exactly what he wanted to say, much like the film's patriotic lead character. This is the kind of movie that makes you want to light up a sparkler. turnerclassicmovies
