This movie is so well known that it's title has become a cliche used to describe any relatively inexperienced person recently elected to national office. Political reporters regularly use this as the frame of reference for filibusters - assuming that people have seen the filibuster from the movie. In reality, many have seen clips of the filibuster but not the actual movie and that's a shame. It is a wonderful look at the capital as it used to be which, sadly, is not that different from how it is now, except the news moves much, much faster. There is corruption involving moneyed interests, cronyism, scapegoating and all the greatest hits. Unlike life, however, the movie was directed by Frank Capra so you know it will all turn out OK in the end.
Synopsis:
The movie centers around Mr. Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart) who is appointed to
the Senate after the junior Senator from an un-named western state dies. He's chosen because he's a local hero who is
seen as too green to object to some of the slimier deals that already exist
between the head of the State's political machine (Edward Arnold),
the State's bumbling Governor, and the other Senator from the State (Claude Rains). The very wise secretary of the
dead Senator (the sublime Jean Arthur) is ordered to babysit Jeff Smith and be
sure he doesn't get into any trouble - or uncover any trouble for the
public. Instead she becomes so disgusted
with her job and feels so sorry for this sap that she put him wise
as only the hard charging broad from a movie in the 30s could do. Jeff decides to fight and stand up for the
people (hardly a surprise given his resume).
His fight culminates in the famous filibuster scene - can you imagine
someone putting a filibuster scene in a movie today!
Review:
Mr. Smith was nominated for 11 Oscars - only two fewer nominations than Gone With the Wind received. Though it won only for screenplay - it's important to keep in mind that 1939 is widely regarded as the best year in history for movies so competition was steep. Besides which, Jimmy Stewart frankly admitted in his life that he believed the Oscar he won for Supporting Actor for The Philadelphia Story was given to him at least in part because he did not win in 1939. Furthermore, the reason he did not win in 1939 was not the powerhouse that was Gone With the Wind, it was the performance by Robert Donat in Goodbye Mr. Chips in which he didn't portray Mr. Chips he really seemed to become Mr. Chips. All of this is to say that this is probably the best performance of Jimmy Stewart's career and that is saying something. He even had a method actor moment on this film choosing to stay up all night and take something to sound more horse when doing the filibuster scene.
Just as important is the performance by Jean Arthur. She was one of many tough, sometimes tough-talking women who were real stars of the movies they were in in the 30s and early 40s. These women were not simply the girl waiting to be rescued by the hero. These were true partners on screen even if it all ended in very traditional marriages. These were, to use the vernacular, broads and Jean Arthur was one of the best. She joined Katherine Hepburn, Rosalind Russell, Irene Dunne and to some extent Ginger Rogers. This is a great vehicle for that kind of woman. Think of some of the great political roles for women that now exist on TV, in VEEP and House of Cards there are at last women of this strength level on screen again, but this was the 1930s!! Her character Saunders knows so much more than Jimmy Stewart does about Washington it's not clear they are on the same planet. Yet she isn't hard, from the beginning her humanity shows through and her vulnerability. That's hard to do but she does it with aplomb and she too was nominated for an Oscar. The other smaller parts are well done as well - particularly Claude Rains playing the senior senator who long ago gave up his ideals in order to get re-elected. His interactions with Stewart's Jefferson Smith bring those ideals back to him in a very uncomfortable way.
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