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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:27

Fresh:26

Rotten:1

Average Rating:8.2/10

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]

Reviews for Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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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
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

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
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
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

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
04/08/05
Philip Martin
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 1 Comment
06/12/04
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

Pure cornball idealism.

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

Simplistic and preachy, but effective due to the performances.

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

No review available.

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

No review available.

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

No review available.

comment Comment
08/22/03
Carol Cling
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
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
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
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
Brad Laidman
Film Threat

No review available.

comment Comment
12/03/02
Rob Vaux
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
James Rocchi
Netflix

No review available.

comment Comment
08/14/02
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire

No review available.

comment Comment
08/08/02
Cory Cheney
Cory Cheney
Urban Tulsa Weekly
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
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June 22, 2007: AFI Announces Top 100 Movies of All Time ... Again
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