Drugstore.com Coupons
Everyone expects Smith will fully follow the consul of his state's senior senator, Paine (Claude Rains). But Smith, while incorruptible, learns quickly, and soon realizes that Paine, Taylor, and frog-voiced Eugene Pallette are crooks. He battles them with a Senate filibuster, supported only by his adorable secretary, Jean Arthur, and her alcoholic reporter would-be boyfriend, Thomas Mitchell.
How others will see it. It's a great cast, right down to the middling supporting roles. The screenplay crackles, and the drama is engrossing. That makes Mr. Smith Goes to Washington a must-see for classic movie fans. Would-be political scientists, however, should be cautioned. Politicians such as Paine never, at the very moment of triumph, admit their sins and beg the Senate to expel them.
How I felt about it. Not once during the film is any state or party mentioned. This, of course, is done to avoid offence. Neither party and no state wants to be referred to as dominated by the "Taylor machine." Perhaps this is necessary, since the movie discusses fictional political corruption, although it implies that similar corruption may be taking place, contemporary with 1939.
The problem is that the corruption, and its resolution, are simplified for the sake of a dramatic storyline. First of all, a U.S. Senator has more than a single secretary. Both then and today, he has a large and bustling staff, whose major purpose is to ensure his re-election. The staff desires this as well, since a change in senator means a change in staff.
Thus, the staff is in on the corruption. And said corruption does not come from a single, cynical kingpin, such as the arrogant party boss Taylor. In its usual form, it comes from lobbyists with selfish, specialist interests. They bribe the senators, in the form of campaign contributions, to vote for what the lobbyists want, whether or not it is in the general interest. And, by and large, these lobbyists are successful.
But it also means that lobbyists have more carrots than sticks. It wouldn't be possible, much less likely, that a vast conspiracy to set up a rogue senator could be accomplished. Trumped up scandals exist, of course, from Monica Lewinsky to the non-wearing of flag pins. These scandals are invariably flamed by the opposite party to win elections. If a senator changed parties, which does happen now and then, he will be attacked by his former party. But in such an event, he will be supported by his new party. Which means that Jefferson Smith would never have to filibuster alone against the wishes of all the other senators. Some would be certain to support his cause, because it would be in their interests to break the stranglehold of a political machine of an opposing party.
Thus, armed with knowledge of national politics, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington appears almost ludicrous. Smith's only political ally is Harry Carey, the President of the Senate, who gives Smith the wink and nod treatment throughout his filibuster. The completely corrupted Taylor machine controls the home state absolutely, and is in total contrast with our hero, whose innocence, integrity, and pluck are equally absolute. Jeff Smith gets his inspiration from a big statue of Lincoln and (just about) the world's sexiest unwed secretary, not that he would take advantage of his power or her interest to as much as ask her out on a date.
Nevertheless, one has to admire Frank Capra's endless passion for the heroic little guy in his battle against the system. These theme runs throughout Capra's best films. And no one, not even Capra's former favorite X, was better at playing the earnest All American hero than James Stewart.