Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - film review

After the demise of a US senator, Jefferson Smith, the head of the Boy Rangers, is chosen as his successor.  The appointment was made by a coterie of corrupt politicians and businessmen who believe that Smith, a young idealist with no political experience, will be easily duped into doing their bidding.   Smith is supported by Senator Joe Paine, an old friend of his father who apparently has an unblemished reputation.  On his arrival in Washington, Smith’s first act is to draft a bill for a law that would allow the government to buy a parcel of land for a national boys’ camp.  Smith is astounded when he learns that Paine is secretly supporting a businessman named Taylor in a lucrative plan to have a dam built on this site.  When Smith tries to expose this fraudulent scheme, Paine intervenes and brings a serious charge of malfeasance against him...

Corruption in politics?  Professional politicians, the standard bearers of democracy, milking the system for all it is worth? Surely not!  Frank Capra’s attack on the grubbier side of democracy is as relevant today as ever it was and remains one of his most highly regarded films.  This was the last film that Capra made during his highly productive twelve year period at Columbia Pictures, the studio where he built his reputation.  It was also the film that made James Stewart a major Hollywood star, and no wonder.  Stewart’s performance in this film is one of his greatest – one that is so arresting, so charged with moral authority and passion that you wonder why he never took up a career in politics.  (Maybe he was just too damned honest.)

Whilst this is unquestionably James Stewart’s film, we should not overlook the contributions from his co-stars – Jean Arthur and Claude Rains – and many of the supporting cast (notably Edward Arnold and Harry Carey).  Arthur is impressive as a kind of hard-bitten Barbara Stanwyck, playing a sour cynic who is miraculously converted by Mr Smith’s trenchant optimism, whilst Rains is absolutely convincing as the career politician who has sacrificed integrity for expediency and appears inwardly to regret it.  

When it was first released, Mr Smith Goes to Washington was (predictably) condemned as anti-American by politicians and certain sections of the media.  Critical reaction was generally far more positive, with some reviewers citing this as Capra’s best film to date.  The film was nominated for 11 Oscars (including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor), but only won one award, in the Best Original Story category.  Today, this is regarded as a landmark American film. It is arguably the best introduction to the American legislative system to come out of a Hollywood film studio to date.

In common with many of Capra’s films, Mr Smith Goes to Washington paints a pretty dark picture of contemporary America, but one which offers a glimmer of hope.  Capra was essentially an optimist who believed that, whilst there may be bad people who were doing their best to ruin the country for their own gain, there were others who had not been corrupted and who would restore the light that others had extinguished.  It is hard to watch a Frank Capra film and not be profoundly moved by the simple, heart-warming message at its heart.  Ultimately, good will prevail, but only if Mr Joe Ordinary is prepared to take a stand and fight for what he knows to be right.  Don’t leave it to the politicians.

© James Travers 2009

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