Rating: Summary: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Review: Jimmy Stewart is really a phenomenal actor and I can't think of any movie he has been in that I haven't liked. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington may be the first in a genre of movies that depict a naïve, goodhearted person entering the evil arena of politics and facing the corruption and shenanigans that go on in our public councils.
The great thing about this movie is it delivers both humor through Mr. Smith's naivety about the ways of the world, while at the same time delivering a serious message about the lack of ethics and striving for the public good that many feel is lost in Washington, DC. The only drawback to this movie is it may go a little too far in creating caricatures of certain individuals, including Smith himself. That aside, this is an excellent movie.
Rating: Summary: The movie will not yield. Review: Frank Capra captures the heart of american patriotism without ever becoming preachy. Mr. Smith is equal parts civics lesson, romance, tense drama and at its heart: the perfect fish out of water comedy. Jimmy Stewart is fantastic as Jefferson Smith an honorory senator who accidentally stumbles on corruption. Stellar performances were turned in by Jean Arthur, Claude Raines, Edward Arnold and Thomas Mitchell, but it is Stewart who dominates this film. The phrase Capraesque gets bandied about with too much regularity these days when describing recent films. I would strongly reccomend Mr. Sith goes to Washington as Capra at his most Capraesque.
Rating: Summary: Classic in every sense of the word Review: I would have to agree with everyone else here, that there is no better performance in film history than Jimmy Stewart and Jeff Smith. He put his heart and soul into the role, and a masterpiece came out. I would like to correct magellen's review, in that Stewart did not win for his performance in Mr. Smith. He won the following year for his role as Mike Connor in "The Philadelphia Story". Many believe Stewart was given this as a payback for the Academy overlooking him for his "Mr. Smith" role. He was nominated for his performance in "Mr. Smith" and was given the New York Film Critics Award for Best Actor (1939). Great film!
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