Mr. Smith Goes to Washington poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Thomas Mitchell ... see more see more... , Guy Kibbee , Beulah Bondi , Eugene Pallette , H.B. Warner , Harry Carey , Astrid Allwyn , Ruth Donnelly , Grant Mitchell , Porter Hall , Pierre Watkin , Charles Lane , William Demarest , Dick Elliott , Billy Watson , Johnny Russell , Harry Watson , Baby Dumpling , Erville Alderson , Stanley Andrews , Sam Ash , Frank Austin , Adrian Booth , Wade Boteler , Al Bridge , Harlan Briggs , Frederick Burton , Ken Carpenter , Jack Carson , Maurice Cass , Eddy Chandler , George Chandler , Dora Clement , Edmund Cobb , Dorothy Comingore , Nick Copeland , Anne Cornwall , Gino Corrado , Maurice Costello , Alec Craig , Beatrice Curtis , Vernon Dent , Clyde Dilson , Rev. Neal Dodd , Ann Doran , Helen Jerome Eddy , Jack Egan , Douglas Evans , Eddie Fetherstone , Mabel Forrest , Byron Foulger , Jack Gardner , Frances Gifford , Mary Gordon , Harry Hayden , Louis Jean Heydt , Fred Hoose , Olaf Hytten , John Ince , Frank Jaquet , H.V. Kaltenborn , Eddie Kane , Robert Emmett Keane , Donald Kerr , Milt Kibbee , Joseph King , Evelyn Knapp , Wright Kramer , Vera Lewis , Arthur Loft , Hank Mann , Margaret Mann , Philo McCullough , Matt McHugh , George McKay , Lafe [Lafayette] McKee , James M. McNamara , Robert Middlemass , James Millican , Charles R. Moore , Gene Morgan , William Newell , Alex Novinsky , Frank Puglia , Jack Richardson , Larry Simms , Russell Simpson , Walter Soderling , Wyndham Standing , Paul Stanton , Craig Stevens , Carl Stockdale , Dub Taylor , Ferris Taylor , Arthur Thalasso , Fred 'Snowflake' Toones , Laura Treadwell , Delmar Watson , Lloyd Whitlock , Dave Willock , William Arnold , George Cooper , Lloyd Ingraham , Dick Jones , Frank O'Connor , John Russell , Hal Cooke , Jack Cooper , Dulce Daye , June Gittelson , Ed Randolph , Victor Travers , Florence Wix , Count Stefanelli , Harry A. Bailey , Allan Cavan , Robert Walker

Frank Capra's classic comedy-drama established James Stewart as a lead actor in one of his finest (and most archetypal) roles. The film opens as a succession of reporters shout into telephones announc... read more read more...ing the death of Senator Samuel Foley. Senator Joseph Paine (Claude Rains), the state's senior senator, puts in a call to Governor Hubert "Happy" Hopper (Guy Kibbee) reporting the news. Hopper then calls powerful media magnate Jim Taylor (Edward Arnold), who controls the state -- along with the lawmakers. Taylor orders Hopper to appoint an interim senator to fill out Foley's term; Taylor has proposed a pork barrel bill to finance an unneeded dam at Willet Creek, so he warns Hopper he wants a senator who "can't ask any questions or talk out of turn." After having a number of his appointees rejected, at the suggestion of his children Hopper nominates local hero Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), leader of the state's Boy Rangers group. Smith is an innocent, wide-eyed idealist who quotes Jefferson and Lincoln and idolizes Paine, who had known his crusading editor father. In Washington, after a humiliating introduction to the press corps, Smith threatens to resign, but Paine encourages him to stay and work on a bill for a national boy's camp. With the help of his cynical secretary Clarissa Sanders (Jean Arthur), Smith prepares to introduce his boy's camp bill to the Senate. But when he proposes to build the camp on the Willets Creek site, Taylor and Paine force him to drop the measure. Smith discovers Taylor and Paine want the Willets Creek site for graft and he attempts to expose them, but Paine deflects Smith's charges by accusing Smith of stealing money from the boy rangers. Defeated, Smith is ready to depart Washington, but Saunders, whose patriotic zeal has been renewed by Smith, exhorts him to stay and fight. Smith returns to the Senate chamber and, while Taylor musters the media forces in his state to destroy him, Smith engages in a climactic filibuster to speak his piece: "I've got a few things I want to say to this body. I tried to say them once before and I got stopped colder than a mackerel. Well, I'd like to get them said this time, sir. And as a matter of fact, I'm not gonna leave this body until I do get them said." ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

92% liked it

43,409 ratings

Critics

97% liked it

30 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 10 min.

Directed by: Frank Capra

Release Date: October 19, 1939

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: February 22, 2000

Get It:

Stats: 2,887 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Mr. Smith Goes to Washington James Stewart Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Upload a Photo | View All Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (2,887)

  • fb1664868775
    October 18, 2011
    fb1664868775
    I could watch this movie a million times and still get chills when he won't yield. The only film I really feel like deserves a standing ovation when the credits roll.
  • jamers2011
    July 30, 2011
    jamers2011
    A classic film, among the all-time best. Perfect and timeless.

    The ending is one of my all-time favorite movie scenes. Powerful, almost depressing...you forget it's a movie. Jimmy Stewart gives an astounding performance, also one of my favorite performances in a movie.

    Nomi... read morenated for 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director Frank Capra, and Best Actor James Stewart.
  • rjayhutchinson
    November 20, 2010
    rjayhutchinson
    Still today we have problems with the lies rampant throughout our political system, but this film gives us hope. We can create a more perfect union by nominating and electing those who actually understand what this nation is all about. People like the eponymous Mr. Smith are who ... read morewe need to look to elect. He epitomizes what this nation should be all about--democracy, freedom from corruption, and freedom of the press. A fabulous film.
  • Tomassgringo
    November 9, 2010
    Tomassgringo
    The night before elections.... everyone should watch this movie and ask....am I voting for a Mr. Smith or Senator Paine. I was naive before watching this movie. I taught that a corrupt Washington D.C. was a recent event happening only during my life time, not realizing Congress... read more was almost as corrupt in 1939 as I see it now. EXCELLENT movie and still relevant 71 years later.
  • danperry17
    October 3, 2010
    danperry17
    A classic, as expected, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington tells of a relative simpleton who becomes a Senator. The Senate expects to be able to prey upon his naivete, caught up in his high-flown ideals as he is, but what they don't count on is his determination to stand up for what he... read more believes until he can (literallly) stand no more. Jimmy Stewart shines in what's commonly thought to be his defining role, and he does his best work in the famous scene the film spends its duration building up to: the filibuster.

    In this film, Frank Capra may have taught future filmakers how to tell a sweeping, populist epic. Fast cuts and montages carry much of the action, and as opposed to today's films, in which these are jarring or provide opportunities to slip out for more popcorn, when used correctly these devices can actually keep the story moving, and build intensity and emotional support for the protagonist.

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is not a perfect film, however. It's important to keep in mind that Jean Arthur (who played Saunders) was billed ahead of Stewart on the marquee. This is the only way I can explain away the sequence in which she gets drunk with fellow staffer Diz (Thomas Moore) - Capra had to give the people (the men in the audience) what they wanted, a perfect floozie moment for an otherwise strong - too strong for the time? - female lead.

    My second complaint about the film is that the ending is all too tidy. Without spoiling it completely, suffice to say that someone's conscience eventually gets the better of him, which makes him give in. As I make this complaint, though, I'm reminded of how I came to even know of this film (as a child): via the provocatively titled Simpsons episode Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington, in which she wins an essay contest and, upon arriving in the capital, stumbles on and exposes her senator's corrupt dealings. Story of my generation, though: we are, compared to movie audiences in 1939, incredibly cynical by comparison. We have witnessed the rise of patently evil tycoons and politicians, and we don't anticipate that they will ever go down quietly, lying and cheating and hiding till the bitter end. In 1939, I think this was a plausible ending - Mr. Smith appealed to a commonly understood sense of decency in pleading his case. The very fact that I make this complaint, 70 years later, may prove precisely what Mr. Smith argued: "How am I to go back home and tell these boys liberty and equality are all a load of hooey?" he asks. Unfortunately, even before my generation was raised on the Simpsons, the average citizen, due to repeat scandal and breech of trust in public office, has walked away believing exactly that. For this reason, Mr. Smith is a film relevant to its moment, and one that is certainly not without import to our own.
  • ajv2688
    September 20, 2010
    ajv2688
    Great actors, great director, and a great movie. Unfortunately there haven't been any men in the government like Mr. Smith since this movie. This is a must see movie for people who like political stories.
  • FrizzDrop
    September 9, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    The basis for any film about the guy who stood up to corruption, James Stewart proves his iconic status, memorable voice, and sheer presence and strength.
  • ythelastman89
    July 6, 2010
    ythelastman89
    Just a great movie, there's no way you can't appreciate the bravery this had in showing a corrupt US government. James Stewart always seems to find himself at home with Frank Capra, using the strengths he carried as an actor. No one else plays an earnest nice guy like him. Claude... read more Rains, Thomas Mitchell, etc. Supporting casts don't get any stronger than that. It's beautifully shot and has great direction from Frank Capra, it's a near perfect movie.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    July 2, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Heartbreaking and inspiring. I think Jimmy Stewart was excellently cast for this because he portrayed it just so well from a starry-eyed kid to a pushed-to-insanity man. The story was shrewd and flowed really well as I expected it to. It's a harsh and unfortunately, a fairly hone... read morest look at US politics and it's very clear why it's such an amazing classic.
  • garyX
    February 14, 2010
    garyX
    A fresh faced and idealistic young man is elected to the US senate, but when he finds that he is meant to be nothing more than a puppet of big business interests he tries to buck the system from within. The part Jimmy Stewart was born to play, he is perfect as the optimistic ever... read moreyman who is shocked by the reality of the political system. In this day and age of political spin, Frank Capra's trademark rose-tinting looks terribly naive, but characters such as Claude Rains' ex-idealist who learned to "play ball" and the cold hearted fatcat Edward Arnold, manipulating democracy for his own selfish ends still feel extremely familiar. This is one of those rooting for the little guy stories that makes you switch off your world weary cynicism and believe that the good guys can win, for a couple of hours anyway. Add some fantastic support from Jean Arthur and Thomas Mitchell (one of the many faces you will recognise from It's A Wonderful Life) as the wise-cracking, seen-it-all-before duo that are won over by Stewart's unshakable belief in the decency of the common man and you have one of the few films about the American political system that doesn't act as instant anaesthesia.

View All Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Reviews

Critic Reviews

Frank S. Nugent
May 20, 2003
Frank S. Nugent, New York Times

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

Nell Minow
December 26, 2010
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media

Wonderful classic movie for the family. Full Review

Gabe Leibowitz
April 18, 2010
Gabe Leibowitz, Film and Felt

Well, this one certainly feels fresh and relevant today, doesn't it? Full Review

Tim Brayton
November 16, 2009
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy

It competes only with It Happened One Night for the title of Capra's most entertaining film ever. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
January 20, 2009
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

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

Phil Villarreal
February 25, 2007
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star

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

Derek Adams
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

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

December 6, 2005
Film Threat

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

Jake Euker
June 12, 2004
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

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.

Dennis Schwartz
May 28, 2004
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Pure cornball idealism. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • To Kill A Mockingbird
    To Kill A Mockingbird (76%)
  • Swing Vote
    Swing Vote (57%)
  • A Face in the Crowd
    A Face in the Crowd (100%)
  • The Last Hurrah
    The Last Hurrah (100%)

More Movies like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Sen. Joseph Paine: Mr. President, will the Senator yield?
    • President of the Senate: Will the Senator yield?
    • Jefferson Smith: No, sir, I'm afraid not, no sir.
    • Jefferson Smith: You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well, I'm not licked. And I'm going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if this room gets filled with lies like these, and the Taylors and all their armies come marching into this place.
    • Jefferson Smith: I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too.
Submit a Fact | View All

Mr. Smith Goes to... : Watch Free on TV

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Trivia

  • ***What Movie is this Tagline from? "Capra's Greatest Hit --- The Screen At Its Most Inspired!"***  Answer »
  • Which director was at the helm of the following films: Arsenic and Old Lace; It's a Wonderful Life; Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; and It Happened One Night?  Answer »
  • In "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington", idealist Jimmy Stewart is outnumbered by the business-as-usual politicians. Who directed the movie?  Answer »
  • Goodbye, Mr. Chips upset Gone with the Wind and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in what Academy Award category in 1939?  Answer »
More Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

NicoA18 Skin by NicoA18
14 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins