Review of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) by Ryan M — 05 Mar 2010
Frank Capra is well known for his feel-good movie "It's A Wonderful Life" that may be so sweet that you can get diabetes from it, but it's an inventively told story that isn't too pushy with its message.
"It Happened One Night" didn't really have a message but it was very good entertainment. Unfortunately, "Mr Smith Goes To Washington", that revered Jimmy Stewart movie of a lawyer from the country who travels to Washington, only to receive a rude awakening in political corruption which infests the system, rams an idealistic message of sticking to your principles so far down your throat it will know what you had for breakfast, last month.
It may have been the earliest movie to expose the corruption within the American Justice system, but it is so optimistic in the belief that one person can make a whole heap of change that it borders on being naive and ridiculous.
The acting is top notch and the dialogue is good too, but the preachy messages are thrown far too often in our faces to call it a classic. Inspiring? Perhaps. Bordering on propaganda? Definitely.
This review of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) was written by Ryan M on 05 Mar 2010.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington has generally received very positive reviews.
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