IMDb > Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 4)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) -- A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Sidney Buchman (screenplay)
Lewis R. Foster (story)
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 October 1939 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Capra at his greatest! more
Plot:
A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 10 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(21 articles)
1999: A Look Back
 (From JoBlo. 23 November 2009, 6:36 AM, PST)

Top Ten Movies About U.S. Politics
 (From CinemaSpy. 3 November 2009, 9:45 PM, PST)

User Comments:
Capra & Stewart Make It Work Very Well more (182 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jean Arthur ... Clarissa Saunders

James Stewart ... Jefferson Smith

Claude Rains ... Senator Joseph Harrison Paine
Edward Arnold ... Jim Taylor
Guy Kibbee ... Governor Huber Hopper
Thomas Mitchell ... Diz Moore
Eugene Pallette ... Chick McGann
Beulah Bondi ... Ma Smith
H.B. Warner ... Senator Agnew - Senate Majority Leader
Harry Carey ... Henry - President of the Senate
Astrid Allwyn ... Susan Paine
Ruth Donnelly ... Emma Hopper
Grant Mitchell ... Senator MacPherson
Porter Hall ... Senator Martin Monroe
Larry Simms ... Hopper Boy (as Baby Dumpling)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (USA) (complete title)
more
Runtime:
129 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Certification:
Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #5370) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U | Australia:G

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The Boy Scouts of America did not allow their brand to be used from the film, so Jefferson Smith got changed from being a Boy Scout leader to being a "Boy Ranger" leader. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When the governor enters the Smith's home (with the band playing) we see, from the outside, Ma closing the door almost shut. When the scene shifts to inside the house, Ma is again closing the same door. more
Quotes:
Jefferson Smith: I guess this is just another lost cause, Mr. Paine. All you people don't know about lost causes. Mr. Paine does. He said once they were the only causes worth fighting for. And he fought for them once, for the only reason any man ever fights for them; because of just one plain simple rule: 'Love thy neighbor.'... And you know that you fight for the lost causes harder than for any other. Yes, you even die for them. more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Semper Fidelis more

FAQ

A Note Regarding Spoilers
Is "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" based on a novel?
What was the original ending?
more
28 out of 33 people found the following comment useful.
Capra & Stewart Make It Work Very Well, 27 September 2004
Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio

Frank Capra and James Stewart were nearly unsurpassed at the task of taking the kind of story that is optimistic but that borders on being trite, and making it into a satisfying, worthwhile movie. In "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington", they accomplish this with a little help from Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, and Edward Arnold. It's not quite on the level of "It's a Wonderful Life", but it is as good as almost anything else of its kind.

Stewart's performance is important right from the beginning - hardly anyone else could have been believable as the earnest unknown who suddenly becomes an important political figure. Even his wide-eyed appreciation for what he sees in Washington comes across believably. As the story gets more complicated and his character is developed further, Stewart is even better.

The secondary characters are also important, because the story itself is a rather stylized, though still worthwhile, statement about politics. The characters are more believable than are many of the plot developments. Rains contributes a lot as Stewart's troubled colleague, and Jean Arthur is a natural for this kind of role. Arnold plays his devious character well. Capra holds it all together with his craftsmanship, keeping the story on track and getting the most out of the situation.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (182 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
The Murder of Mr. Smith(Sr?) deadclock
Did anyone else cry? Dancing_Skeletons
Jefferson Smith: liberal or conservative gbromberg
I don't understand something... Angel_Buffy
Would like to see a colorized version of this film cadams-5
What State? christopher-s-barnes
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
They Won't Forget Strangers on a Train The Majestic Fury
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb top 250 movies IMDb Drama section
IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.