Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5820 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-02-26
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Black & White, Dubbed, Full Screen, PAL
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Hindi, Portuguese, Turkish, Danish, Bulgarian, Swedish, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Arabic, Finnish, Czech, Greek
• Dubbed in: German, Italian, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 125 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
In Frank Capra's bright, funny and beautifully paced satire Mr Smith Goes to Washington political heavyweights decide that Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), an obscure scoutmaster in a small town, would be the perfect dupe to fill a vacant US Senate chair. Surely this naïve bumpkin can be easily controlled by the senior senator (Claude Rains) from his state, a respectable yet corrupted career politician. Capra fills the film with Smith's wide-eyed wonder at the glories of Washington, all of which ring false for his cynical secretary (Jean Arthur) who doesn't believe for a minute this rube could be for real. But he is. Capra was repeating the formula of a previous film, Mr Deeds Goes to Town, but this one is even sharper. Stewart and Arthur are brilliant, and the former cowboy-star Harry Carey lends a warm presence to the role of the vice-president. Mr Smith Goes to Washington is Capra's ode to the power of innocence--an idea so potent that present-day audiences may find themselves wishing for a new Mr Smith in the halls of power. The 1939 US Congress was none too thrilled about the film's depiction of their august body, denouncing it as a caricature; but even today, Capra's jibes about vested interests and political machines look as accurate as ever. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com

Video Description
DVD Special Features:

Featurette: Frank Capra Jr. Remembers
Theatrical Trailer
Feature Length Commentary by Frank Capra Jr.
Vintage Advertising Gallery
Filmographies
Multiple Language Choice: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish.
Multiple Subtitle Choice: English, French, German, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Hindi, Turkish, Danish, Arabic, Bulgarian, Swedish, Finnish, Icelandic, Dutch, Norwegian, Portugese, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish, Italian.

Synopsis
Two slimy fat-cat legislators recruit Jefferson Smith, an innocent and staunchly principled Montana scout leader, as the state's new Senator, hoping to exploit his naviete and community pride to bring home pork-barrel funds. Once he ascends to Capitol Hill, however, Mr. Smith finds nothing but deep-rooted corruption in Washington, D.C., and, absolutely refusing to submit to cynicism, he tirelessly takes the message of the American people right to their out-of-touch representatives. Based on Lewis R. Foster's novel "The Gentleman From Montana." Academy Award Nominations: 11, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (James Stewart), Best Supporting Actor (Harry Carey). Academy Awards: Best Original Story (Lewis R. Foster).

Customer Reviews

One of my all time favourite fims !
This is James Stewart at his absolute best. Frank Capra was a brilliant director and this is right up there with all his other classic movies. The story of the young, naive country boy heading off to the big city and initially making a fool of himself is brilliantly done. The interaction between Stewart and his co-star, the wonderful Jean Arthur, is a joy to watch. The finale with Stewart on his feet talking non-stop in the Senate is must see cinema. I would love to be able to go and see this on a big screen to fully appreciate just how good this movie is.

Classic Capra, one of Hollywood's triumphs
James Stewart plays a decent, honest guy who is pressed into service as a replacement for a dead politician. He is, it is assumed, a gullible nonentity who will dance to whatever tune the political machine demands. Stewart, of course, soon loses his naivety and stands up for himself and the people he represents.

Frank Capra's compelling attack on corruption and the abuse of political power was based on a novel, 'The Gentleman from Montana', and was made at a time (1939) when democracy and freedom of expression were under attack in Europe. Capra was clearly impressed by the symbolism of Washington - numerous scenes in the film portray the statues, memorials, the Capitol, images of revolution, independence and the myths / legends of 1776, the signing of the constitution, even a child quoting Lincoln's 'Gettysburg Address' and its allusion to emancipation.

But Capra was also aware that Washington is a compromise city with a counterfeit history - the US capital was moved from Philadelphia, and Washington (little more than a swamp) was chosen as the site for the new capital as a compromise to appease northern and southern political blocs. Capra, throughout the film, plays with this contrast between image and substance, between the solidity of the institutions and the fragility of the liberties they are supposed to uphold.

Capra has ideals and values - decency, honesty, humanity, politeness, compassion, truth, respect. He doesn't analyse these as cold philosophical or political themes - he dramatises them for the ordinary people who flocked to see his films. The portrayal can be sentimental, simple, simplistic even, aimed at emotional rather than cerebral appeal, but his ideals and values are no less genuine and no less valid for that. There are nuggets of sentimentality in "Mr.Smith goes to Washington", but there is a whole motherload of honesty and passion in the film too.

There is an outstanding cast - Stewart oozes honesty and sincerity, Claude Rains brings real presence to his role, Thomas Mitchell is charm and humour personified, Harry Carey captures attention in what is only a minor, if pivotal, role, and Edward Arnold is a glorious bad guy, absolutely convinced and convincing in his self-righteousness. Capra cared about his actors and this is as obvious here as in any other of his films. And, having said that, the stand out performance is by Jean Arthur as the hard-bitten Washington functionary who comes to believe again - she is wonderful, bringing to the screen a dynamic female presence in an era when women were too often only there for glamour and love interest. Capra contrasts her sophisticated political understanding and constitutional knowledge with the all male, all white assembly packed with men who seem reluctant (if not unable) to form their own opinions.

Capra blends comedy and drama to emphasise how corrupt the political machine had become and to expose the role of the media in papering over that corruption. His film attracted much popular acclaim - but was denounced by the Washington establishment (and by Jo Kennedy) as unpatriotic. Not, of course, that he changed much. The political machines have an even tighter hold on Washington, the multinationals a global straitjacket on the media.

A superbly filmed production, beautifully transferred (in black and white) to DVD. You get some interesting extras - a 10 minute interview with Capra's son (himself a film director and therefore able to combine professional knowledge of film-making with intimate knowledge of his father and memories of the times), and a highly informative commentary by him on the film. Excellent value, and one of Hollywood's all time great movies.

Could make you believe in politicians again!
James Stewart at his best in this tale of what happens when a genuinely good man gets to Washington as a senator and starts to see the things he believes in fall apart around him. Great supporting performances but Stewart is the reason to see this film - he's mesmorising.