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Movies / On DVD / Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

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Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)

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Reviews Counted: 28

Fresh: 27

Rotten:1

Average Rating: 8.3/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Two slimy fat-cat legislators recruit Jefferson Smith, an innocent and staunchly principled Montana scout leader, as the state's new Senator, hoping to exploit his naviete and community pride to... Two slimy fat-cat legislators recruit Jefferson Smith, an innocent and staunchly principled Montana scout leader, as the state's new Senator, hoping to exploit his naviete and community pride to bring home pork-barrel funds. Once he ascends to Capitol Hill, however, Mr. Smith finds nothing but deep-rooted corruption in Washington, D.C., and, absolutely refusing to submit to cynicism, he tirelessly takes the message of the American people right to their out-of-touch representatives. Based on Lewis R. Foster's novel THE GENTLEMAN FROM MONTANA. Academy Award Nominations: 11, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (James Stewart), Best Supporting Actor (Harry Carey). Academy Awards: Best Original Story (Lewis R. Foster). [More]

Starring: Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold

Starring: Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Thomas Mitchell, Beulah Bondi, Guy Kibbee, H.B. Warner, Harry Carey, Astrid Allwyn, Ruth Donnelly, Grant Mitchell, Porter Hall, Pierre Watkin, Charles Lane, William Demarest, Jack Carson, Maurice Costello, Russell Simpson, Stanley Andrews, Alan Bridge, Edmund Cobb, Fredrick Burton, Vera Lewis, Ann Doran, Lloyd Whitlock

Director: Frank Capra

Director: Frank Capra
Screenwriter: Sidney Buchman
Story: Lewis R. Foster
Producer: Frank Capra
Composer: Dimitri Tiomkin

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Dec 9, 2008

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Jean Arthur, James Stewart and Claude Rains star in Frank Capra's MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, theaward-winning 1939 classic about an idealistic, small town senator who heads to Washington and suddenly finds himself single-handedly battling ruthless politicans out to destroy him. When Frank Capradecided to film the novel "The Gentleman From Montana", he ran into an obstacle Director Rouben Mamoulian owned the rights to the story. Unwilling to sell, Mamoulian eventually traded the material toColumbia on the condition that he be allowed to direct Golden Boy. As Capra began working on the film, now called MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, it was suggested that Gary Copper, the star of Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, take the lead. Capra selected Jimmy Stewart instead and the film solidified Stewart's movie career, garnering him his first Academy Award(r) nomination. Receiving a total of eleven 1939 Oscar(r) nominations (including Best Picture and Best Director), and winning one (Best Motion Picture Story), MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON is considered one of Capra's, Stewart's and Columbia's finest films. It also marked the end of an era. It was Capra's final film for the studio.
  • Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    03/26/09
    Variety
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Capra's Depression era film is a classic, timeless statement about American ideals, featuring a bravura turn from Jimmy Stewart as a young idealistic Senator, fighting corruption in Washington D.C.

    Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
    01/20/09
    Emanuel Levy
    EmanuelLevy.Com

    Pick it apart, dissect it and even roll your eyes at the ridiculous ending. Still, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" will get to you, even if you're in your most cynical mood.

    Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
    02/25/07
    Phil Villarreal
    Arizona Daily Star

    Quintessential Capra - popular wish-fulfilment served up with such fast-talking comic panache that you don't have time to question its cornball idealism.

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    06/24/06
    Derek Adams
    Time Out

    Every citizen should be made to watch in exchange for the right to vote.

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    12/06/05
    Film Threat
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    07/02/05
    Emanuel Levy
    EmanuelLevy.Com

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    04/08/05
    Philip Martin
    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

    Resisting Capra's manipulation -- manipulation in service of what? -- may well place one in violation of the Patriot Act today. But surely I'm not the only one who resents it.

    comment Comment
    06/12/04
    Jake Euker
    F5 (Wichita, KS)

    Pure cornball idealism.

    Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
    05/28/04
    Dennis Schwartz
    Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    Simplistic and preachy, but effective due to the performances.

    comment Comment
    05/23/04
    Ken Hanke
    Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    03/03/04
    Lance Goldenberg
    Weekly Planet (Tampa, FL)

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    11/07/03
    Jon Niccum
    Lawrence Journal-World

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    08/22/03
    Carol Cling
    Las Vegas Review-Journal

    Jean Arthur está genial como a secretária Saunders, que explica como funciona o Senado americano – que, infelizmente, nos faz lembrar do cenário político brasileiro.

    comment Comment
    07/25/03
    Pablo Villaca
    Cinema em Cena

    Mr. Smith is one of the best shows of the year. More fun, even, than the Senate itself.

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    05/20/03
    Frank S. Nugent
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Stewart was the real deal, he was no sunshine patriot.

    Full Review Source: CinemaBlend.com | comment Comment
    12/21/02
    Joshua Tyler
    CinemaBlend.com

    Every citizen should be made to watch in exchange for the right to vote.

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    12/08/02
    Brad Laidman
    Film Threat

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    12/03/02
    Rob Vaux
    Flipside Movie Emporium

    Capra's classic of democracy, decency and faith still matters, 60 years later.

    Full Review Source: Netflix | comment Comment
    11/07/02
    James Rocchi
    Netflix

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    08/14/02
    Rob Blackwelder
    SPLICEDWire
     
     
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