Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
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Director: Frank Capra
Starring: Jean Arthur, James Stewart
Honor:
Jimmy Stewart breaks through in his most iconic role as Mr.
Smith, an every man, who meets the world of politics and learns of its hidden,
dirtier side in one of cinema’s all time classics Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. At a time when much of the world was beginning
to go at war with each other this American motion picture paints a portrait of
how the people running the nation are not always the most upright citizens. A
comedy with the mid-western charm of Stewart and the direction of the
Hollywood’s morally decent and American-centered filmmaker, Frank Capra, the
picture was a controversial film in its day, but would rise up to become one of
the most beloved and revered motion pictures in American history. For many
later generations it would a tool of introduction into just how the political
system can be ran, giving audiences a glimpse into the world of Washington in
form that is entertaining, with a heroes and villains, as well as the ideal of
decent American morals.
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| Jefferson Smith filibusters on the Senate floor in the film's climax |
Mr. Smith Goes to
Washington is a political comedy/drama of a naïve, patriotic everyman
appointed to serve in the US Senate and his discovery into how businessmen and
crooks play the political system to their favor and his attempt to prevent it.
The exuberant youth leader Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) is appointed to
replace a deceased US Senator for his state. Trying his hand at learning the
system of government for the betterment of people Smith inadvertently begins to
impede the actions of backroom deal between Smith’s fellow Senator, Sen. Joe
Paine (Claude Rains), and corrupt political boss Jim Taylor (Edward Arnold),
based on a land deal Smith wants to donate to his young boys group, the Boy
Rangers. Together Taylor and Paine attempt to destroy Smith’s reputation, which
throws the naïve junior Senator for a loop with the unthinkable idea that such
public servants of America would do such a thing to an honest man like himself.
With the aid of his jaded secretary, Clarissa Sauders (Jean Arthur), Smith tries
everything he can to stop a bill that would devastate his plans to give to the
youth organization he once served for and furthermore forever tarnish his name.
His efforts culminate with a filibuster where Smith takes the floor of the
Senate and holds onto it in hope to postpone the vote for his corrupt bill. His
exhaustive attempt takes a toll on him physically, but his words and strong
beliefs win out as Paine is overcome by guilt and confesses his misdeeds,
saving Smith and faith in democracy.
The film is a near perfect introduction for many into
Washington DC and the world of politics. For inexperienced Americans Mr. Smith is the vehicle that allows
many to take a wide-eyed look into the realm of how the political world, in a
way, is in this dramatization of Frank Capra. For most politics may be that
stuff you read in articles and here about purely through the news, as rooms of stiff
suited men run the overall show that is our government. In American history
classes many of the nation’s leaders are held in high esteem, glorifying them as
great men that rise up and lead the nation into further greatness. Politics may
appear intangible to the masses because many have never seen it in action and
do not understand all of the processes that it takes to make laws that run the
land. With Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Frank
Capra makes politics palpable and comprehensible to a novice extent, further
manifesting the evils that take place behind the scenes as our hero comes under
fire for doing no wrong, but simply being in the way of a crooked backroom deal
and naiveté.
For Frank Capra, Columbia’s greatest director, this was
still in line with his series of American ideals features. As seen in such
pictures as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
and Lady for a Day, Capra had a
positive outlook at the world, filled with decent people that honestly care for
the sake of others. Here in Mr. Smith
Capra delves a little bit into the more crooked side of the world that actually
lies within the clean world he presents us. The world of puppet-makers in the
backrooms of the most powerful places in the land, this does not paint a bright
picture of American ideals, but Capra good morals win out as they stand their
ground in the form of Jefferson Smith.
When Columbia original bought the rights to the story that
would become Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Frank Capra had the mindset to make the story a sequel to Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, bringing back Jean Arthur and Gary Cooper as
Mr. Deeds would become the US Senator. As it became apparent that Cooper would
not reprise his role in such a case Deeds became Smith and Capra saw James
Stewart, whom he had worked with in You
Can’t Take It With You, as the leading man while bringing Jean Arthur
aboard as the female co-star as his secretary that helps him learn the system.
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| Arthur, Stewart, and Mitchell |
Mr. Smith would be the role of a lifetime for James Stewart.
As he went for film to film Stewart was not the most glamorous man that was
common during this period of Hollywood. Leading men of the day were the likes
of Clark Gable, William Powell, or Charles Boyer. Each were suave men with a
special way with words. Stewart lent to a charm of a youthful, inexperienced
man that tripped on words or hesitated in actions, which made him perfect for
Smith. As Jefferson Smith, James Stewart would gain major attention, including
an Academy Award nomination, as he would quickly become one of the biggest
leading men in Hollywood in the coming years especially after his service in
World War II.
Jean Arthur was given top billing as she was the better
known name in the picture. She had worked with Stewart before in the previous
year’s winner for best picture, Capra’s
You Can’t Take It With You, where her role overshadowed Stewart’s time on
screen. Her leading lady demeanor would be more of a name grabber as Stewart’s
performance was the catalyst of the picture. However, her role as Clarissa
would be a major part as a romantic and psychological anchor to the story of a
small fish in a big pond.
The feature contained a large cast of wonderful character
actors as well. Including the like of Guy Kibbee as the happy governor that
appoints Smith, Claude Rains as the antagonist in Senator Paine, Thomas
Mitchell as Clarissa’s often inebriated and equally jaded reporter friend Diz,
and Harry Carey as the Senate President who is somewhat entertained by Smith’s
actions on the Senate floor. Both Rains and Cary would be nominated for Best
Supporting Actor, manifesting just how much acting ability was in this
supporting cast.
Great detail was taken into account in production of the
picture down to the tiniest details with the Senator chamber and even the
National Press Club in Washington recreated by the talented art direction. The
city of Washington and its many monuments and memorials would play an
inspirational role to Mr. Smith as they are meant to with the American public.
In a way the film is in part a short travelogue as the audience receives a brief
tour of the nation’s capital with shots either made on the fly in Washington or
recreated on sound stages in the studio recreated by the Oscar nominated team of
art directors.
While war was emerging throughout the world here in the late
1930s, many had doubts whether Mr. Smith
Goes to Washington should be made. Frank Capra even began to have his
doubts as the film was in production while news in Asia with Japan and Europe
with Germany began to dominate the headlines. A film that manifested the
weakness of America’s leaders displaying them as crooks or a room full of fools
could possibility make the nation and democracy look weak in a world in
transaction. At this time monarchies were giving away to other forms of
government and Communism and Fascism began to spread, and Mr. Smith displays
how mishandlings can flaw democracy.
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| Headlines shows Mr. Smith's premiere at Constitutional Hall. |
As the filmed premiered in Washington DC’s Constitutional
Hall, just walking distance from the White House, many invited Congressmen and Washington
insiders were appalled. To have a film at this time when the world is looking
for answers, this made democracy in America look weak and corrupt. Ambassador
Joseph P. Kennedy, former Hollywood executive and father of future President
Robert F. Kennedy, wrote Capra and Columbia pleading that they not release the
feature in Europe, as it would weaken the morals that America preached in
democracy.
As time would prove the film was quite the contrary to what
these hesitant critics believed. Mr.
Smith manifests all that is good with America. The film allowed people to
see how the political machine worked and perhaps give audiences the opportunity
to make better, well informed decisions of their elected officials based on the
happens in their states and towns, as well as the nation. With war coming close
to the front door American s needs to be surer of who ran their country more
than ever. During World War II the picture was banned throughout many of the nations
fighting against America.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
would in fact make Americans and democracy look stronger with a brighter future
with faith that good would win out when people are asked to do the right thing.
The picture would go on to be nominated for 11 categories at
the Academy Awards, one of the most celebrated films for the year, but only
walked away with the award for Best Original Story. The picture would be
elected to the inaugural class of pictures for the National Film Registry in
1989 and would find itself on the AFI list of best American films both in 1998
and 2007, moving from #29 to #26 in that time. It would also find its way onto
the AFI list of most inspirational films, listed at #5. Clearly Mr. Smith Goes to Washington lasts as a highly praised film
well after the days when it first was released.
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| Frank Capra shooting a scene with James Stewart in the recreation of the Senate. |
The picture would inspire countless numbers into becoming
evolved in politics and inspired many filmmakers and other mediums into
reimagining the story or paying homage to this great film that remains in high
regard by many. At one time in the 1950s there was a proposed sequel to be Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, which
happily never came to fruition, however there would be a 1960s television show
inspired by the picture, which starred Fess Parker of Davey Crockett fame.
For many this picture stands as one of the three finest
features to come out of the greatest year in Hollywood history. This period was
known as “Hollywood’s Gold Age” and Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington was the one that shined the brightest from those
that were still in black and white. Gone
With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz
seemingly stand as the most popular of 1939 as time would manifest, perhaps out
of there Technicolor spectacles that they were. Mr. Smith would be an all time classic movie with a classic main
character that portrays the good and simple side that makes America in a world
of corruption and war.
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