Date:1939
Director: Frank Capra
Actors/ Characters: Jean Arthur/ Saunders, James Stewart/ Jefferson Smith, Claude Rains/ Senator Joseph Paine, Edward Arnold/ Jim Taylor, Guy Kibbee/ Governor Hopper
Summary: A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down.
Review
Mr Smith Goes to Washington is the third Capra film I've seen and honestly I love his directorial style so much. I also adore old classic Hollywood films and this one fits the bill (excuse that incredible pun!). I think it's amazing how poignant this film is and how relatable it is still in today's society when it was released over 70 yeas ago, the fact that it has stood the test of time is a testament to how strong Capra is as a filmmaker.
First and foremost this film is a love letter to America as a nation. Mr Smith stands as a symbol of all the good in America and the optimistic ideals of the founding fathers. He is young, idealistic and hopeful for the future of his country and its government. Being a Hamilton fan, I could help but draw comparisons to how the founding fathers were represented in the musical and how Mr Smith is depicted in this film. The fact that our main protagonist is named Jefferson is, again, a clear nod to the founding father Jefferson which cements the notion that Mr Smith mirrors the original founders of America. There were also consistent allusions to American politicians such as Lincoln, Washington and Jefferson which helped to heightened the message that Capra was trying to portray with Mr Smith's character.
The liberalist ideologies that run throughout the film further display a love of America. Liberty is at the very heart of America as a nation and Mr Smith's struggle against government corruption and deceit mirror the struggle between the original revolutionaries of the country. Government and politicians are represented negatively in the film and illustrate a threat to freedom. The dam that Paine, Taylor and Foley desire to build symbolises entrapment and the dampening of freedom whereas the boy's camp that Jefferson wants to create reflects ideals of free will and liberalism. The binary opposition between liberalism and government further mirrors the endeavours of America's founding fathers.
The mise-en-scene and imagery used in the film creates a very propoganda like feel to the text. The montage as Jefferson arrives in Washington and goes to see all the sites and history of the city is a scene dedicated to paying tribute to the declaration of independence and the founding of America. Overall, this film oozes with national pride for America but because of the feel good narrative and the lovability of Jefferson as a protagonist it was hard not to feel the patriotism alongside him.