Mr Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
Director: Frank Capra
Screenwriter: Sidney Buchman
Starring: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Thomas Mitchell, Edward Arnold, Claude Rains, Harry Carey

In difficult times, it’s hard to find a guiding light – but it’s there. Perhaps we ignore it out of choice, to revel in the ease of feeling down-and-out. But hope, whether we like it not, makes a route to us. It could be from a sentence, an embrace, or a dream – its fudgy warmth is never far. Hope often comes from those around us, who speak on the promise of tomorrow. Every now and then, we find someone so outspoken in their optimism, it’s hard to believe we ever felt so downtrodden before. And for many people, both past and present, Mr Jefferson Smith has been that person.

‘Capraesque’ describes the stylistic presence of Frank Capra’s signature optimism, his preference for the underdog and the success of courage. However, Mr Smith Goes To Washington (1939) marked a change for the director. Amidst the rumblings of a new world war, Capra abandoned his sense of playful messaging, the kind you could find in You Can’t Take It With You! (1938). His syrupy optimism for the every man was overshadowed by a new approach – the exposing of the staunch desecration of American politics.

This change, which would later be reinforced in Capra’s iconic film It’s A Wonderful Life (1946), gave Mr Smith Goes To Washington a contradictory air – it was both a love letter to American decency, and a note of condemnation as regards the corruption deeply rooted in the country’s most powerful chambers.

When first screened, its “darker, more pessimistic tone” garnered a vicious reception from both Washington’s press and politicians. Branded as pro-communist and damaging to the United States of America’s prestige in Europe, the film was brushed off as an egregiously incorrect take on the US’ democratic system. However, when Germany occupied France in the early 1940s, this was one of the last films to ring out in its theatres. Whilst America initially saw Mr Jefferson Smith as a symbol of ill-will, the world saw him as a symbol of unending hope.

 

 

Mr Smith Goes To Washington’s story is frantic with the upheavals of the political world. After a senator unexpectedly passes away, the governor of the state selects Jefferson Smith (played by James Stewart), the head of the Boy Rangers, to replace him. Smith is a young idealist, mentored by Senator Joseph Paine (Claude Rains). Smith quickly learns that political life is not what it seems and, after meeting wry political secretary Clarissa Saunders (Jean Arthur) and press member Diz Moore (Thomas Mitchell), bad publicity about Smith spreads like wildfire. Worse still, the bill he hopes to pass concerning a national Boy Rangers camp, exposes both Paine and political boss Jim Taylor (Edward Arnold) as corrupt. So, when Smith’s character is attacked and defamed in retaliation, how will his spirit and hope survive?

Frank Capra’s 1939 political satire is a story for and about the little people, the unspoken minority, the quiet heroes. His film raises them high on a plinth, a megaphone to their lips so they can proudly speak their truth. Mr Smith Goes To Washington seeks to inspire, to burn bright in our souls, rather than in our cynical minds.

With the Herculean efforts of our everyman hero, we see the exposure of political corruption and meet it with heartaching tears, laughter and hope. A powerful sense of indignation stirs within us, making us feel that we can step outdoors and change the very ground beneath our feet. And why? Because Capra wants this film to prove that you, the ordinary person, can.

Above all other themes, the throughline of Mr Smith Goes To Washington is simple: America’s political history and its prioritisation of liberty is beautiful. When Jefferson Smith first arrives in Washington, rather than heading to the world of modern-day politics, he tours the past. In a lovingly-composed montage, the statues, the flag and its stars, and the graves of the country’s soldiers, stand to our attention, demanding our respect. Although Jefferson Smith is an exceedingly tall man, he is dwarfed in these frames by the country’s mountainous history.

Capra doesn’t want his audience to be woeful at America’s neglect of its past – he wants to stir us from our seats, to rally us in protest. He doesn’t do this cuttingly, instead elegantly baking it into the plot. For instance, the structure of Mr Smith Goes To Washington is cyclical; it begins and ends with a disconnect between the people and the government. Similarly, he juxtaposes the Boy Ranger’s busy hands with the robotic routine of the printing press, to signify the corruption of the press. All of this simmers away within us, whilst an undetected outcry brews below.

The role of Jefferson Smith combines everything James Stewart is known for: the all-round American man, the bumbling romantic and the passionate shouter. As Jefferson Smith, he goes through a transformation from timid sideliner to an unstoppable David, ready to challenge the immovable Goliaths.

At first, we’re drawn to his obvious naivety, wanting to shield him from inevitable truths. Stewart further draws us in with his poetic delivery of monologues, devoted to the greatness of America’s soil. They draw his signature sympathetic romance from his eyes, adding a soft nuance to his character. But, as he is forced to voice his ethics, he becomes an untamed and unbridled spirit.

With spit flying and fringe dangling down across his face, flames burst forth from his desperate being. “No I will not yield!” he yells, as his wrought expression pangs in our chest. The filibuster is the true test of both Smith’s spirit and Stewart’s acting prowess, and both prevail in extraordinary fashion. With barely enough energy to stand up-right, with a voice so hoarse we can hardly hear him, he preaches. Stewart’s performance in the film’s final scene is enough to rouse the most pessimistic from their knees. Ultimately, his efforts create the most memorable and strongest performance of one of the great Hollywood careers.

Where Stewart commands the focus with his passion, Jean Arthur commands it with her slowly-softening grit. As Saunders, she is tough and wry; she undercuts Stewart’s enthusiasm well, her dryness playing for great comedic effect. And, in a refreshingly modern approach, she leads the intelligence tactics of Smith’s filibuster from behind the scenes. But her emotive side is eventually drawn-out by Smith’s poetry; as her apathy cracks upon her face, we fall for Smith as she does. Thus, her apathetic rejection of emotion turns into something far warmer, as does our affection for her.

Patriotic anthems such as “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Columbia, The Gem of The Ocean” gift the film a layer of historical wealth, reminding us of America’s mighty foundations. Celebratory themes such as “Auld Lang Syne” accompany Mr Smith’s ascendancy to the role of Senator, a constant reminder of the expectations placed upon him. This is contrasted by much simpler stringed pieces, reminding us of Jefferson Smith’s humble beginnings and naivety. They help to pull focus towards his more vulnerable moments, encouraging us to attach our hands to his.

Screenwriter Sidney Buchman’s script is as ardently crafted as the amendments America was written upon. When power is required, the characters’ tongues strike like lightning; when desperate sentiment is raised, the audience will feel it like a tight hug. Threads of wry humour are included too, adding flicks of playful intellect to the film. For Stewart, it bolsters his immense capacity for emotional depth. With monologues containing lines such as “liberty’s too precious a thing to be buried in books… men should hold it up in front of them every single day,” it is impossible not to be swept away by their magnitude.

As per usual for director Frank Capra, the background players in his political odyssey bring its moral tale to life. As Diz Moore, Thomas Mitchell’s drunken charms enhance the film’s understated comedy. His complete nonchalance towards fake news serves as an excellent vehicle for Capra’s critiques of American society; its normalisation helps to churn brewing outrage in our stomachs. Similarly, Claude Rains delivers one the film’s most shocking and memorable moments as Senator Paine. After a gunshot rings out in the senate, a distressed Paine stumbles into the Senate, declaring he is unfit to live and to serve as Senator. This singular instance not only creates a powerful tonal shift but lives on as Capra’s reminder of the consequences of corruption.

Capra’s passion, however addictive, does clearly run too far ahead of itself at times. The film’s pacing does its best to mimic the hectic life of Jefferson Smith; it ramps up as he is whisked away to Washington, slowing down as we head towards the filibuster. It perfectly synchronises with Jefferson’s life but brushes over crucial details of the plot and the characters involved.

Edward Arnold’s portrayal of the political boss Jim Taylor is reminiscent of Mr Potter from It’s A Wonderful Life; as representatives of corrupted robber-barons, they provide an excellent dichotomy to Capra’s optimistic individualists. Arnold’s performance is perhaps even more nuanced, feeling less pantomime-like in comparison. However, his distinct villainism is washed out by the first act’s fast pacing. It fails to fully solidify him as memorable, in place of the mammoth focus given to Stewart’s character and his ideals.

Mr Smith Goes To Washington certainly has a fairy tale-like quality to it; the battered knight, Mr Smith, leading his battle for righteousness against the Paines and Taylors, the wicked and scheming kings. But, if you look a little deeper, it’s a very real call to arms. Just as Jefferson Smith believed Washington’s statue of Abraham Lincoln was waiting for someone to restore justice, Capra was waiting too. Waiting for an audience to behold his outrage, his burning desire for change – waiting for me and you. Jefferson Smith’s last line of the film is “somebody’ll listen to me.” Isn’t it about time that we did?

Score: 23/24