Review of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) by Rosemarie S — 28 Sep 2009

In 1939, it was inconceivable to the American public and its own government that there was corruption in government in America. This movie showed the all too human form of a still young form of government, and reminded it and us that democracy is a value still worth fighting for and still apart of what makes our government.

It was very controversial at the time. Now, in 2009, corruption is something America is used to from its politicians, and the idea that we are more corrupted republic than ample democracy is an accepted idea.

This film is timeless and classic because it has reminded me that corruption is never acceptable and the values or forefathers and mothers died for are worth all the trouble it may get. Jimmy Stewart is the young idealist battling against the corrupted mutated political machine as represented by Claude Rains, and manages to win over Jean Arthur and Thomas Mitchell against the odds to fight for democracy from Congress's floor.

I for one, think that there is too much distance between the people who run our government and us the constituents, and even though we have a President willing to listen and do more for the American constituent, we still have machine operators demonizing every move and using the press that should always remain free to manipulate and lie to the American public so long as the machine operators have a hold in funding the press.

Every warm-blooded American needs to see this movie. If anyone doesn't know about this movie it is because the machine has suppressed it throughout the years. I know, you can't ressurect a movement on facebook, and Lord knows the machine has made a majority of the American population lazy and gullible, but what you can do is see this movie and think hard on what it means today.