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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939

Frank Capra

James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold ...

7.8

12,782

Drama Naive and idealistic Jefferson Smith, leader of the Boy Rangers, is appointed on a lark by the spineless governor of his state. He is reunited with the state's senior senator--presidential hopeful and childhood hero, Senator Joseph Paine. In Washington, however, Smith discovers many of the shortcomings of the political process as his earnest goal of a national boys' camp leads to a conflict with the state political boss, Jim Taylor. ... [+]

	Author	Review
United States	Variety	"'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' is typically Capra, punchy, human and absorbing-a drama that combines timeliness with current topical interest and a patriotic flavor blended masterfully into the composite whole"	POS
United States	Frank S. Nugent The New York Times	"[Capra's] comedy has become (...) not merely a brilliant jest, but a stirring and even inspiring testament to liberty and freedom, to simplicity and honesty and to the innate dignity of just the average man."	POS
United States	Don Druker Chicago Reader	"Capra's films in the 30s (...) reconciled the irreconcilable; bridged the rural/urban divide; showed love, decency, and neighborliness ascendant"	POS
United Kingdom	David Parkinson Empire	"No one else can balance the ups and downs of wistful sentiment and corny humour the way Capra can (...) [It] has lost none of its relevance 60 years on (…) Rating: ★★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	The Washington Post	"This film has been around for almost 60 years and remains the top Washington-related movie."	POS
United States	Time	"This new Capra fable is as whimsical, the Capra directing as slick, the script as fast and funny as in 'Mr. Deeds Goes to Town'. The acting of the brilliant cast is sometimes superb"	POS
United States	Max O'Connell IndieWire	"It’s an important film in this day and age as well (...) The film’s depiction of political corruption isn’t alarmist so much as it’s weary and sad-eyed"	POS
United Kingdom	Nigel Floyd Time Out	"Quintessential Capra (...) Scriptwriter Sidney Buchman's crackling dialogue is also lent sharp-tongued conviction by Rains"	POS

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