Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939 film by Frank Capra

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a 1939 American political comedy-drama movie directed by Frank Capra. It stars Jean Arthur and James Stewart, and featuring Claude Rains, Harry Carey and Edward Arnold. The movie is about a newly appointed United States Senator who fights against a corrupt political system. It was written by Sidney Buchman, based on Lewis R. Foster's unpublished story "The Gentleman from Montana".[1]

The movie was controversial when it was first released, but successful at the box office, and it made Stewart a major star.[2] It was also loosely based on the life of Montana U.S. Senator Burton Wheeler.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, winning for Best Original Story.[3] It is thought to be one of the greatest movies of all time. It was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1989.

References

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  1. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - Notes". TCM. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  2. Brenner, Paul. "Overview" Archived 2012-10-23 at the Wayback Machine. Allmovie. Retrieved: June 26, 2009.
  3. Nugent, Frank (October 20, 1939) "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)" Archived 2012-11-02 at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times. Retrieved: June 26, 2009.