Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
For me this is Frank Capra's best film, as far as sheer entertainment goes. It may not make me an emotional wreck like his It's a Wonderful Life of seven years later but it is a better film.
James Stewart who incidentally stars in both, is outstanding as the idealistic young senator from the country who ends up battling the ruthless politicians and businessmen who sent him to Washington as their stooge in the first place when he realises he isn't his own man anymore and sets put to prove everyone wrong.
It's a film that's brilliantly cast. Jean Arthur, who top lines with Stewart, is wonderful as Stewart's brutally cynical but incredibly efficient secretary as is Claude Rains who plays a senator who is nothing more than a patsy for powerful business men out for their own gains whilst western character actor Harry Carey almost steals the spotlight from Stewart as the Senate president during the pivotal last half hour.
It's the drama that really propels the film along rather than outright comedy of which there is very little, neither is there any of Capra's usual sentimentality getting in the way of what is a quite gripping final third.
Capra's film is a superb look at corruption in American politics and one i've always loved.
Many thanks to Mr. Smit... er' Mr.Barlow, for grabbing me a copy from HMV of the soon out of print Premium Collection title.
As far as discs in this collection go it's stacked with extras including a commentary, several featurettes ranging from ten to twenty five minutes a piece and a near two hour look at Capra's work presented by Ron Howard in glorious HD.
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