Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Sidney Buchman (screenplay)
Lewis R. Foster (story)
(more)

Release Date:

19 October 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Capra at his greatest!

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.

Plot Keywords:

Senator | Corruption | Political Corruption | Camp | Governor

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Jean Arthur	...	Clarissa Saunders
James Stewart	...	Jefferson Smith
Claude Rains	...	Senator Joseph Harrison Paine
Edward Arnold	...	Jim Taylor
Guy Kibbee	...	Governor Hubert Hopper
Thomas Mitchell	...	Diz Moore
Eugene Pallette	...	Chick McGann
Beulah Bondi	...	Ma Smith
H.B. Warner	...	Senate Majority Leader - Agnew
Harry Carey	...	President of the Senate - Henry
Astrid Allwyn	...	Susan Paine
Ruth Donnelly	...	Mrs. Emma Hopper
Grant Mitchell	...	Senator MacPherson
Porter Hall	...	Senator Martin Monroe
Pierre Watkin	...	Senate Minority Leader, Barnes
Charles Lane	...	Nosey
William Demarest	...	Carl Griffith
Dick Elliott	...	Bill Cook
Billy Watson	...	Peter Hopper
Delmar Watson	...	Jimmie Hopper
Johnny Russell	...	Otis Hopper (as John Russell)
Harry Watson	...	Hopper Boy
Garry Watson	...	Hopper Boy (as Gary Watson)
Larry Simms	...	Hopper Boy (as Baby Dumpling)
H.V. Kaltenborn	...	Himself - Radio Broadcaster / Trailer Narrator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Erville Alderson	...	Handwriting Expert (uncredited)
Harry Anderson	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Stanley Andrews	...	Senator Hodges (uncredited)
William Arnold	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Sam Ash	...	Senator Lancaster (uncredited)
Edwin August	...	Senator (uncredited)
Frank Austin	...	Inventor at Smith's Office Door (uncredited)
Harry A. Bailey	...	Senator Hammett (uncredited)
Tommy Baker	...	Boy Ranger (uncredited)
Kathryn Bates	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Senate Clerk (uncredited)
Wilson Benge	...	Hopper's Butler (uncredited)
Wade Boteler	...	Family Man (uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley	...	Arthur Kim (uncredited)
Lynton Brent	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Ed Brewer	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Al Bridge	...	Senator Dwight (uncredited)
Harlan Briggs	...	Mr. Edwards - Howling Citizen (uncredited)
Tommy Bupp	...	Boy Cheering for Smith in Meeting (uncredited)
Frederick Burton	...	Senator Dearhorn (uncredited)
Georgia Caine	...	Third Radio Speaker (uncredited)
Ken Carpenter	...	Announcer (uncredited)
Jack Carson	...	Sweeney Farrell - Newsman (uncredited)
Burr Caruth	...	Townsend (uncredited)
Maurice Cass	...	Handwriting Expert (uncredited)
Allan Cavan	...	Ragner - Newsman (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George Chandler	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Davison Clark	...	Committeeman (uncredited)
Dora Clement	...	Mrs. McGann (uncredited)
Shirley Coates	...	Assistant Bartender (uncredited)
Edmund Cobb	...	Senator Gower (uncredited)
Eddie Coke	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Dorothy Comingore	...	Woman at Station (uncredited)
Chester Conklin	...	Man in Press Section of Senate Gallery (uncredited)
Hal Cooke	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George Cooper	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Georgie Cooper	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Nick Copeland	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Anne Cornwall	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Barber (uncredited)
Maurice Costello	...	Diggs - Newsman (uncredited)
Alec Craig	...	Speaker (uncredited)
Beatrice Curtis	...	Paine's Secretary (uncredited)
Lew Davis	...	Senate Clerk (uncredited)
Dulcie Day	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Wally Dean	...	Paine's Friend (uncredited)
Vernon Dent	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Harry Depp	...	Hat Salesman / Secretary (uncredited)
Joe Devlin	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Clyde Dilson	...	Reporter (uncredited)
John Dilson	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Neal Dodd	...	Senate Chaplain (uncredited)
Ann Doran	...	Paine's Secretary (uncredited)
Lester Dorr	...	Taylor's Stooge (uncredited)
Robert Dudley	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Edward Earle	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Helen Jerome Eddy	...	Paine's Secretary (uncredited)
Jack Egan	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Douglas Evans	...	Francis Scott Key (uncredited)
Eddie Fetherston	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Mabel Forrest	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Hopper's Secretary (uncredited)
Gladys Gale	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
Jack Gardner	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Frances Gifford	...	Hopper Girl (uncredited)
June Gittelson	...	Woman at Station (uncredited)
Mary Gordon	...	Woman (uncredited)
Jesse Graves	...	Black Committeeman (uncredited)
Lorna Gray	...	Woman at Station (uncredited)
Roger Haliday	...	Senate Guard (uncredited)
Wilfred Hari	...	House Boy (uncredited)
Harry Hayden	...	First Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Henry Hebert	...	Senator (uncredited)
Louis Jean Heydt	...	Soapbox Speaker (uncredited)
Fred Hoose	...	Senator (uncredited)
Philip Hurlic	...	Boy Ranger (uncredited)
Olaf Hytten	...	Butler (uncredited)
John Ince	...	Senator Fernwick (uncredited)
Lloyd Ingraham	...	Committeeman (uncredited)
Frank Jaquet	...	Senator Byron (uncredited)
John Lester Johnson	...	Butler (uncredited)
Dickie Jones	...	Pageboy Richard Jones (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Editor (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Joe King	...	Summers Newsman (uncredited)
Evalyn Knapp	...	Reporter Asking 'What Do You Think of the Girls in This Town?' (uncredited)
Wright Kramer	...	Senator Carlton (uncredited)
Paul Kruger	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Billy Lechner	...	Boy Ranger (uncredited)
P.H. Levy	...	Rabbi (uncredited)
Vera Lewis	...	Mrs. Edwards (uncredited)
George Lloyd	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Arthur Loft	...	Chief Clerk (uncredited)
Jane Loofbourrow	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
Jackie Lowe	...	Boy Ranger (uncredited)
Jack Low	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Jimmie Lucas	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Wilfred Lucas	...	Pompous Man (uncredited)
Stanley Mack	...	Senator (uncredited)
Mary MacLaren	...	Head Sister (uncredited)
Hank Mann	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Margaret Mann	...	Nun with Cheering Orphan Boys (uncredited)
Eric Mayne	...	Man in Senate Building (uncredited)
Philo McCullough	...	Senator Albert (uncredited)
Ralph McCullough	...	Assistant Bartender (uncredited)
Matt McHugh	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George McKay	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lafe McKee	...	Civil War Veteran at Lincoln Memorial (uncredited)
Sammy McKim	...	Boy Ranger (uncredited)
James McNamara	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Robert Middlemass	...	Second Radio Announcer (uncredited)
James Millican	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Shoe Salesman (uncredited)
Charles R. Moore	...	Porter (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Man in Senate Building (uncredited)
Gene Morgan	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Robert Morgan	...	Senate Clerk (uncredited)
William Newell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ray Nichols	...	Boy Ranger (uncredited)
Field Norton	...	Pompous Man (uncredited)
Alex Novinsky	...	Foreign Diplomat (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Senator Alfred (uncredited)
Frank Otto	...	Fisk (uncredited)
Joe Palma	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Blanche Payson	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
Frank Puglia	...	Handwriting Expert (uncredited)
Ed Randolph	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Charles Regan	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Jack Rice	...	Lang (uncredited)
Jack Richardson	...	Senator Manchester (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore	...	Senator (uncredited)
Walter Sande	...	Newspaperman with Pipe (uncredited)
Russell Simpson	...	Kenneth Allen (uncredited)
Walter Soderling	...	Senator Pickett (uncredited)
Harry Stafford	...	Senator Atwater (uncredited)
Wyndham Standing	...	Senator Ashman (uncredited)
Paul Stanton	...	Flood - Newsman (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Committeeman (uncredited)
Count Stefenelli	...	Foreign Diplomat (uncredited)
Robert Sterling	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Craig Stevens	...	Senate Reporter (uncredited)
Landers Stevens	...	Committeeman (uncredited)
Carl Stockdale	...	Senator Burdette (uncredited)
Harry Strang	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Ben Taggart	...	Pompous Man (uncredited)
Emma Tansey	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
Dub Taylor	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ferris Taylor	...	Senator Carlisle (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Arthur Thalasso	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Edward Thomas	...	Butler (uncredited)
Frank M. Thomas	...	Hendricks (uncredited)
Layne Tom Jr.	...	Boy Ranger (uncredited)
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones	...	Porter (uncredited)
Victor Travers	...	Senator Grainger (uncredited)
Laura Treadwell	...	Mrs. Taylor (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Frederick Vroom	...	Paine's Friend (uncredited)
Bess Wade	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
Max Waizmann	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Robert Walker	...	Senator Holland (uncredited)
Myonne Walsh	...	Jane Hopper (uncredited)
John Ward	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lloyd Whitlock	...	Schultz - Newsman (uncredited)
Dave Willock	...	Senate Guard (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
Eleanor Wood	...	Committeewoman (uncredited)
William Worthington	...	Committeeman (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Capra

Writing credits
Sidney Buchman		(screenplay)
Lewis R. Foster		(story)
Myles Connolly		contributor to screenplay construction and dialogue (uncredited)

Produced by
Frank Capra	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Joseph Walker		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Al Clark
Gene Havlick

Art Direction by
Lionel Banks

Costume Design by
Robert Kalloch		(gowns) (as Kalloch)

Makeup Department
Faye Hanlin	....	hair (uncredited)
Helen Hunt	....	hair (uncredited)
William Knight	....	make-up (uncredited)
Fred B. Phillips	....	make-up (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur S. Black Jr.	....	assistant director (as Arthur S. Black)
Rex Bailey	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Richard McWhorter	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Charles Vidor	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Walter Holscher	....	set designer (uncredited)
George Montgomery	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Cary Odell	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Jack Wrenn	....	prop master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Edward Bernds	....	sound engineer (uncredited)
John P. Livadary	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Fred Jackman Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Slavko Vorkapich	....	montage effects
John Hoffman	....	montage effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
George Hager	....	head electrician (uncredited)
William Jolley	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
George F. Kelley	....	second operative camera (uncredited)
Al Layter	....	assistant electrician (uncredited)
Irving Lippman	....	photographer: production stills (uncredited)
Irving Lippman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
James Lloyd	....	head grip (uncredited)
Enzo A. Martinelli	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Adolph L. Schafer	....	special portrait art (uncredited)
Victor Scheurich	....	first operative camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Forrest T. Butler	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Ray Howell	....	head of wardrobe (uncredited)
Roselle Novello	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)

Music Department
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director (as M.W. Stoloff)
R.H. Bassett	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Ben Oakland	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
James D. Preston	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Joseph Sistrom	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Harold Winston	....	dialogue director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Television (????) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• British Film Institute (BFI)  with appreciation to (2002 restoration: Library of Congress)
• Chase Productions  sound recording courtesy of (2002 restoration: Library of Congress)
• Columbia Pictures  sound recording courtesy of (2002 restoration: Library of Congress)
• Library of Congress, Motion Picture Conservation Center  restored by (2002 restoration)
• National Film Archive, The  with appreciation to (2002 restoration: Library of Congress)
• Sunset Gower Studios  sound stages

Also Known As:

Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

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

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In 1941 Columbia was sued by Louis Ullman and Norman Houston, both of whom claimed that this film was plagiarized from their respective written works. Screenwriter Lewis R. Foster testified that he wrote the story specifically for Gary Cooper, and director Frank Capra testified that he had seen only the synopsis of Foster's story and had intended to use it as a sequel to Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936). Columbia won the case.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Senator Paine snaps at the end, he refers to Jim Taylor as "Willie Taylor". Since Kapra was under extreme budget controls it was deemed too expensive to re-shoot the scene. Most people never notice.

Quotes:

Jefferson Smith: [His voice very hoarse] Just get up off the ground, that's all I ask. Get up there with that lady that's up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something. And you won't just see scenery; you'll see the whole parade of what Man's carved out for himself...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dharma & Greg: Mr. Montgomery Goes to Washington (#1.8)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Red River Valley

Want to Get Your View Across? Why Not Filibuster?

The media and those in Washington, D.C. cringed in 1939 when Frank Capra (Oscar-nominated for directing) come out with "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". Capra, fresh off amazing successes like "Lady for a Day", "It Happened One Night", "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town", "Lost Horizon" and "You Can't Take It With You", used his power to slap some bigwigs in the face with a powerful medium---the motion picture. The result was an immediate backlash by publications and politicians, but cheers from critics and the audience. As with society, the critics and the masses won out as the movie is a masterpiece in every way. A U.S. Senate vacancy leads to a dilemma. Who should be put in office? Everyone believes the apparently naive and gullible James Stewart (Oscar-nominated) is the logical choice because he will be easy to manipulate and he won't rock the boat. Stewart, the leader of the Boy Rangers (a local camp association for youngsters), gets blind-sided by many high-ranking officials who have alterior motives (Oscar nominees Harry Carey and Claude Rains in particular) when his idea for a national boys' camp goes by the wayside. Thus the only thing left for Stewart is to beat those in charge by beating them at their own game---creating a filibuster (a never-ending governmental argument for his cause). Stewart is solid as always here and the supporters (love interest/reporter Jean Arthur and drunk newspaper man Thomas Mitchell included with the aforementioned players) are all terrific throughout. The Oscar-winning screenplay is deceptively intelligent and Capra just had the uncanny ability to mix comedy, drama and interpersonal characterizations together to make consistently wonderful American film experiences. 5 stars out of 5.