Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Reviews
Andres Gomez
Fun movie with an interesting story and characters but with an extremely naïve ending. In any case, I must to be seen by Frank Capra and a young James Stewart.
CinemaSerf
There's an interview somewhere with Bette Davis enthusing about the skills of Claude Rains, and I think this is an example of just what she meant. He is the established senator ("Paine") who has taken the rather stoic view that representing big business some of the time allowing him to represent his electorate the rest of it is a path worth following. When his colleague suddenly dies, it falls to the very political machine he serves to find a replacement. The hapless governor (Guy Kibbee) couldn't make a decision if his life depended on it, but thanks to a lively family dinner alights on local boy scout leader "Jeff Smith" (James Stewart). The man in charge - "Taylor" (Edward Arnold) is convinced that this naive and optimistic young man can do no harm to a pressing project they are hoping to pass through the Senate imminently. Duly appointed, our trusting and doe-eyed young gent heads to a Washington DC where an admittedly rather sentimental bus tour reminds him that he is the heart of his great democracy. "Paine" has assigned the wily "Saunders" (Jean Arthur) to keep an eye on him, and pretty soon they have suggested he find a pet project. A camp for boys from underprivileged backgrounds. That's got to be a benign concept - except, well soon he's got the establishment that sent him there in a complete and pretty violent tizz! Gradually, "Smith" realises that his fanciful desires for his nation are but an illusion. Can he still win through, though? Frank Capra can't resist a little flag waving at the beginning, but once this story gets into it's stride it's a powerful evaluation of just how undemocratic democracies can be. Big business and vested interests prevail - however altruistic they may originally intend to be. Stewart delivers a character brimming with authenticity and integrity; ably assisted by the quick-tongued and very much on-form Arthur and by the always reliable Thomas Mitchell as the gin-soaked reporter "Diz" we build convincingly to a conclusion that.. well you'll have to watch. It's a great drama this, plenty of pace and a script that keeps each persona and the whole scenario engaging from start to finish. One of the best, I reckon - and if you can, it's well worth seeing on a big screen for two hours that flies by.
Filipe Manuel Neto
**A strangely current film that, using comedy, shows us well the problems that affect our democratic system.** I only discovered this film a few days ago. It is quite evident that it has fallen into total oblivion and few people remember it. However, it is worth revisiting. It's a comedy in which an idealistic scoutmaster is recruited for the position of senator, finding himself in a corrupt environment where idealism seems to have disappeared. There is also a romantic plot essay between a congressman's daughter and the main character, but I think this is unnecessary as it serves absolutely no purpose. Despite being a comedy, the film brings us very serious messages that are worth reflecting on. The most obvious is the importance of fighting for noble values and just causes, regardless of whether they are difficult, raise objections or result in discomfort. There is a special nobility in pure idealists, even if their ideas are not very doable. The film also highlights the corruption in the political system, the promiscuity between politics and business, and the way in which a few men with political power and money control the media and stifle press freedom, restraining journalists and forcing them to tell their versions of the truth. Unfortunately, these problems persist, they have worsened and make the film very current. Politics has never been as badly attended as it is today; never has the poor quality of politicians been so evident; it has never been easier to be corrupt in positions of power; it was never been so clear the connection between political parties, big companies and banks, where politicians go when they leave the office. And with the amount of fake or highly manipulated news that circulates on social media like wildfire, it has never been easier to manipulate truth. For these reasons, our democracies, which we strive to build and want to preserve, are seriously ill. If people have dissociated themselves from politics, disgusted by what they see, and don't want to hold an office or exercise the right to vote, it's our fault, we let the rats take over the ship. The film is not subtle, even though there is never any mention of political parties or North American states, and a clear warning is made that the story is absolute fiction. I can, therefore, understand the terrible reaction it aroused among politicians and the party apparatus, but it is still curious that it was banned in European dictatorships (I don't know if it reached Portugal, but it was banned in Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and of Francoist Spain), fearful that the film would show the advantages of the democratic system. In fact, despite ending well, the film shows its most serious weaknesses. I also don't understand why the US Scouts refused to be associated with the project, considering that the film portrays a really good image of them! Nominated for eleven Oscars at the 1940 ceremony, it was one of the favorites that year, but only won the statuette for Best Original Screenplay, which makes it one of the losers of the night. With excellent cinematography and incredible work on sets and costumes, it was one of the studio's biggest bets that year. The number of renowned actors among the cast is quite remarkable and shows the commitment and budget available for the project. James Stewart knew well how important it could be for his career, and his commitment was total, providing us with one of the most intense works he has done. Beside her, the friendly Jean Arthur ensures a strong and impactful female presence. Claude Rains and Edward Arnold also deserve praise for their work on this film, as does Harry Carey, who said more with a smile than with a full speech.
Movie Recommendation
The Shop Around the Corner1940-01-12Two employees at a gift shop can barely stand one another, without realising that they are falling in love through the post as each other's anonymous pen pal.More...
Won't Back Down2012-09-28Jamie Fitzpatrick and Nona Alberts are two women from opposites sides of the social and economic track, but they have one thing in common: a mission to fix their community's broken school and ensure a bright future for their children. The two women refuse to let any obstacles stand in their way as they battle a bureaucracy that's hopelessly mired in traditional thinking, and they seek to re-energize a faculty that has lost its passion for teaching.More...
Jungle Book1942-04-03Mowgli, lost in the jungle when a toddler, raised by wolves, years later happens upon his human village and reconnects with its inhabitants, including his widowed mother. Continuing to maintain a relationship with the jungle, adventures follow.More...
Imitation of Life1934-11-23A struggling widow and her daughter take in a black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter. The two women start a successful business but face familial, identity, and racial issues along the way.More...
The Naked Spur1953-01-30A bounty hunter trying to bring a murderer to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers.More...
Advise & Consent1962-06-06Proposed by the President of the United States to fill the post of Secretary of State, Robert Leffingwell appears before a Senate committee, chaired by the idealistic Senator Brig Anderson, which must decide whether he is the right person for the job.More...
Young Man with a Horn1950-03-01Taken in by the musical world as a young orphan, Rick Martin grows up with a desire to play pure jazz instead of the commercial gigs he lands, whilst also coping with the problems caused by his tempestuous marriage to an aloof heiress.More...
A Midnight Clear1992-04-24In 1944 France, an American Intelligence Squad locates a German Platoon wishing to surrender rather than die in Germany's final war offensive. The two groups of men, isolated from the war at present, put aside their differences and spend Christmas together before the surrender plan turns bad and both sides are forced to fight the other.More...
Gaslight1940-08-31Twenty years removed from Alice Barlow's murder by a thief looking for her jewels, newlyweds Paul and Bella Mallen move into the very house where the crime was committed. Retired detective B.G. Rough, who worked on the Barlow case, is still in the area and grows suspicious of Paul, who he feels bears a striking resemblance to one of Barlow's relatives. Rough must find the truth before the killer can strike again and reclaim his bounty.More...
The Easy Way Out2015-03-04Patrick, a travel agent in his early 30s, lives with Arthur, an immigration lawyer; but for a long time, Patrick has been sleeping on an air mattress on the floor of their bedroom. His younger brother, Tony, plans to marry his high school sweetheart but is having an affair that is far more satisfying than his relationship with his fiancee. Their older brother, Ryan, is divorced, living at home and working at his parents’ hopelessly unprofitable men’s clothing store. And McCauley soon makes achingly clear that the parents’ marriage is far from happy.More...
Little Lord Fauntleroy1936-03-06An American boy turns out to be the heir of a wealthy British earl. He is sent to live with the irritable and unsentimental aristocrat, his grandfather.More...
Earth1930-04-08Vasyl, a member of the Komsomol, with the help of a local party organization, gets a tractor and plows private boundaries "on kulak fields". However, this enthusiasm will cost him dearly.More...
The Bullet Train1975-07-05A Japanese bullet train is threatened with a bomb that will explode automatically if the train slows below 80 km/h, unless a ransom is paid. Police race to find the bombers so the train crew can learn how to defuse the bomb.More...
Rock-a-Bye Baby1958-07-23An average television repairman must care for the newborn triplets of his former hometown sweetheart—now a famous movie star—so her career will not suffer.More...
Indie Game: Life After2014-08-18Find out what happens after Indie Game: The Movie. Life After includes epilogues of subjects in Indie Game: The Movie as well as stories about more game creators. This short film anthology consists of over 100 minutes of new footage.More...
Johnny Belinda1948-09-14A small-town doctor helps a deaf-mute farm girl learn to communicate.More...
Left Behind: World at War2005-10-21A year and a half ago, the globe was hit with the biggest catastrophe it had ever seen. Without warning and without explanation, hundreds of millions simply vanished off the face of the Earth. The world was in chaos like never before. Yet somehow one man seemed to rise to the challenge. One man had the strength and conviction to unite a shattered world. One man gave the world hope. That man was Nicolae Carpathia, who now rules the entire world.More...
The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular2017-10-08Mickey is challenged by his nephews to tell a scary story on Halloween night, but his stories are mostly fun and silly, until he is finally pushed to tell a truly terrifying tale.More...
Planet of the Erotic Ape2002-01-01A mad scientist creates a device that transports him to a world where women rule. They keep all the men locked away, and have their sexual needs fulfilled by the local ape population. Soon the women force the newest male in their midst to help them find the biggest, most powerful ape available...More...
It's a Wonderful World1939-05-19Detective Guy Johnson's client, Willie Heywood, is framed for murder. While Guy hides him so he can catch the real killer, both of them are nabbed by the police, tried, convicted and sentenced to jail: Guy for a year with Willie to be executed. On the way to jail, Guy comes across a clue and escapes from the police.More...
Similar Movies
Frühstück mit einer U...
2007-05-29Laurens works for the German Minister of Finance and is an extremely correct and conscientious person. He knows his way around numbers, but less so with women. One day he meets Gina, a single young woman. She is sitting alone at one of the tables and Laurens forces himself to sit with her. Hesitantly, a first conversation develops between them. This is the beginning of a seemingly impossible love story that not only throws Laurens' life into turmoil. Laurens is secretary to the German finance minister. Over breakfast, he approaches the attractive Gina and invites her to accompany him to the G8 summit. There, Gina realizes that she doesn't fit into the world of politicians and business bosses. She is the only one to say what she thinks - and causes quite a stir. Laurens has to choose between his career and the love of his life.The Peaceful Air of t...
1990-09-07Set in Milan in the summer of 1989 against the backdrop of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the film follows four frustrated individuals whose lives intertwine because of the loss of a planner.American Pie Presents...
2005-10-31Everyone has 'moved on', except for Sherman and Jim Levenstein's still understanding father. Little Matt Stiffler wants to join his older brother Steve's business and, after everything Matt has heard from Jim's band-geek wife, he plans to go back to band camp and make a video of his own.Gorky Park
1983-12-15Police Inspector Renko tries to solve the case of three bodies found in Moscow's Gorky Park but finds his attempts to solve the crime impeded by his superiors. Working on his own, Renko seeks out more information and stumbles across a conspiracy involving the highest levels of the government.Poetic Justice
1993-07-23Still grieving after the murder of her boyfriend, hairdresser Justice writes poetry to deal with the pain of her loss. Unable to get to Oakland to attend a convention because of her broken-down car, Justice gets a lift with her friend, Iesha, and Iesha's postal worker boyfriend, Chicago. Along for the ride is Chicago's co-worker, Lucky, to whom Justice grows close after some initial problems. But is she ready to open her heart again?Victory Over Death
1967-12-13World War II. Albania is under the Nazi occupation. The Germans capture two young girls and torture them to learn more about the communist movement.A kiss in Lebanon
1945-01-03Fathia travels to Lebanon to spend a period of convalescence, leaving her husband Sami behind. Fathia meets an Egyptian young man in Lebanon at the same time that her husband Sami falls in love with the playful Souad and spends time with her. News reaches Fathia that her husband is cheating on her, so she becomes angry and finds no way to respond to the betrayal except with betrayal.Money and Women
1960-11-27Shehata is a committed employee in a private hospital. He lives with his daughter Nemat and his wife. One day Hussein proposes to his daughter, but the problem is that Shehata is unable to prepare his daughter, which prompts him to ask for an advance from the company. After management refuses, one of the bribed employees takes advantage of the opportunity and offers Shehata received a sum of money in exchange for a trust receipt, which he quickly used against him, especially after Shehata discovered that an incident of embezzlement had occurred.Nora
1944-02-14The film is an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House. The film uses Ibsen's alternate ending where the unhappy couple are reconciled at the endThe Lion King
1994-06-15Young lion prince Simba, eager to one day become king of the Pride Lands, grows up under the watchful eye of his father Mufasa; all the while his villainous uncle Scar conspires to take the throne for himself. Amid betrayal and tragedy, Simba must confront his past and find his rightful place in the Circle of Life.The Thin Red Line
1998-12-23The story of a group of men, an Army Rifle company called C-for-Charlie, who change, suffer, and ultimately make essential discoveries about themselves during the fierce World War II battle of Guadalcanal. It follows their journey, from the surprise of an unopposed landing, through the bloody and exhausting battles that follow, to the ultimate departure of those who survived.Sein großer Sieg
1952-08-07GDR and West Berlin in the 1950s. Hans Nettermann, a designer at the "Komet" bicycle factory, is a favorite of the BSG road riders. His dream is to one day ride in a stand-up race. A construction error throws him back in the road race. They work for a long time to fix it. Then he is persuaded to go to West Berlin to become a professional rider. Although he makes it to the top class, he also learns about the scams in professional sport. He marries Marianne, who has followed him and tries to persuade him to return to the GDR, which he eventually does. After some difficulties at work, he is nominated for the first amateur endurance race in the GDR and wins.Furtuna
1959-02-04Story depicting the national liberation struggle of the Albanian people against the Italian and German invaders during World War II.Gefährliche Fracht
1954-05-20During the unloading of the freighter "Florida", West German dock workers discover napalm bombs instead of the specified precision machines - and a deceptive maneuver by the American occupying forces: the workers had already refused to unload the ship in France, where it was named "Chicago". It was refloated on the voyage to Germany. The German dockers also went on strike. Among them was Hein Jensen, who found it particularly difficult to take part. He had just found work again with difficulty. He needs the money because he wants to get married. His bride Helga has just given birth. When the Americans try to blackmail him into changing his colleagues' minds, he knows where his place is. The strike turns into a huge peace demonstration.Batman Begins
2005-06-10Driven by tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to uncovering and defeating the corruption that plagues his home, Gotham City. Unable to work within the system, he instead creates a new identity, a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld - The Batman.The Apartment
1960-06-21Bud Baxter is a minor clerk in a huge New York insurance company, until he discovers a quick way to climb the corporate ladder. He lends out his apartment to the executives as a place to take their mistresses. Although he often has to deal with the aftermath of their visits, one night he's left with a major problem to solve.High Noon
1952-06-09Will Kane, the sheriff of a small town in New Mexico, learns a notorious outlaw he put in jail has been freed, and will be arriving on the noon train. Knowing the outlaw and his gang are coming to kill him, Kane is determined to stand his ground, so he attempts to gather a posse from among the local townspeople.Rome, Open City
1945-10-08In WWII-era Rome, underground resistance leader Manfredi attempts to evade the Gestapo by enlisting the help of Pina, the fiancée of a fellow member of the resistance, and Don Pietro, the priest due to oversee her marriage. But it’s not long before the Nazis and the local police find him.Once Upon a Time in A...
1984-05-23A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.Seven Samurai
1954-04-26A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.