20 Awesome Movies That You Haven’t Seen… And Should!
20. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Frank Capra, 1939)
Stewart, often referred to as Jimmy Stewart, went on to become a titan of American film matched only by the likes of John Wayne and Humphrey Bogart.
Capra was already a well-known director when this film was released, but his star would continue to rise in America in the future.
In the story, Stewart plays an inexperienced politician handpicked by his state’s governor to fill the vacant seat of a US Senator who recently died. The governor struggles to decide between a political crony, Jim Taylor, and a reform candidate, Henry Hill. Unable to decide, the governor chooses Jefferson Smith following a coin toss in which the coin lands on its end on a newspaper. The coin happens to land on the cover story of Smith’s accomplishments in the local community.
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The film exposes the corruption and cronyism that many believe delays progress and action in the American government. When the film was released it received criticism from American politicians who claimed it was anti-American and pro-Communist because it portrayed the American government as deeply corrupt.
As time has passed, the film has gained respect as one of America’s greatest films. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning one, and highly regarded by the American Film Institute.
