Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Essay - 830 Words

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a film about an average man’s journey and experience in Congress as Senator of Mississippi. 1, 2) This man is appointed by the state Governor, Governor Hopper, when one of the Senators from Mississippi unexpectedly dies. 3) Jefferson Smith is chosen as an alternative when the Governor, influenced by a politically corrupt man named Jim Taylor, and the public disagree on which man should be appointed He is also appointed because he can help to earn some of the young votes since Smith is young and runs the Boy Rangers 4) Joe Payne, the other Senator of Mississippi, and Smith begin to develop a good relationship as Smith has looked up to Payne for many years and as Payne and Smith’s father had a close†¦show more content†¦11) Taylor strong-arms Payne by threatening to soil Payne’s good name and to have him removed from office. [ 12) Taylor is a part of the state and owns a large part of Mississippi’s industries. 13) Smith puts up a noble fight against Payne and Taylor’s political machine by performing a day long filibuster that eventually forces Payne to tell the truth and announce his resignation. [did not directly answer #8] The film, â€Å"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,† presents the Senate in a little different fashion than that of the Senate today in real life. The first obvious difference is that the Senate in the movie is still elected by the state legislature, basically the Governor, meaning that the setting of the film would have to be sometime before 1911 and the passage of the 17th amendment Senate] The difference is that today Senators are directly elected by the popular vote of the people. There are many similarities in the film between the Senate of old and the Senate in present day. This is probably because it takes a lot to change the institutions of the Constitution. First is that there are still 100 Senators, two from each state, that the rules are still mostly the same. [The process on how a bill becomes a law is still the same as far as presented in the movie. Committees still play a very important part in the Senate and the Steering Committee still chooses when legislation is br ought up on the calendar. Also, the movie made mention of theShow MoreRelatedMr. Smith Goes : Washington Analysis1180 Words   |  5 PagesMr. Smith Goes to Washington Analysis In Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a modern David and Goliath story of a man taking on a system way more powerful than himself is evident in its themes of patriotism and standing up in the face of injustice. James Stewart’s portrayal of a naà ¯ve and patriotic junior senator serves as a vehicle with which Capra exposed a side of American politics that previously had been beyond the eyes of the everyman. With the help of incredible supporting actorsRead MoreEssay on Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington617 Words   |  3 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Frank Capra’s â€Å"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington† In Frank Capra’s 1939 people’s fable â€Å"Mr. Smith goes to Washington â€Å"Jefferson Smith, a young, idealistic, and naà ¯ve hero from a Midwestern state is thrust into public notoriety through a chance course of events. His journey will compel him to contemplate the veracity of the political foundation which supports American democracy and confront the corruption which seeks to erode it. 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This film is saying the American democracy can be easily corrupted. The film portrays that it takes strong, determined men with much integrity to stand up for what they know is right. 2. In today’s world there would be some mixed reactions to a senator like Jefferson Smith. Some people would disapprove of him because he is not the characteristic senator and has no political experience. They would think that he was young, and inexperienced,Read MoreCharacter Analysis Of Mr. Smith Goes To Washington995 Words   |  4 Pages Throughout the film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington the main character, Mr. Smith, shows his unfaltering patriotism and devotion toward being an honest man, promoting liberty and freedom. The politicians in the film seem to be the exact opposite of Mr. Smith because they forget that everything is about the people and doing what is right. Many politicians today share both the qualities of Mr. Smith as well as the other politicians, which could be improved. The story begins with a man named Sam FolleyRead MoreMovie Review of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington540 Words   |  2 Pagesï » ¿Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: Review Frank Capra, a renowned Hollywood director, directed Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, which was released in 1939. The film stars Jean Arthur and James (Jimmy) Stewart in the principal roles. James Stewart plays the title role of Mr. Smith as Jefferson Smith, a man chosen to take assume the role of senator after US Senator Sam Foley dies. Governor Hubert Happy Hopper selects Jefferson Smith to fill this role, pressure from his corrupt pseudo mob boss toRead MoreThe Grain of the Voice1312 Words   |  5 Pagesscreens. James Stewart: Mr Smith Goes to Washington (Frank Capra, 1939) In the early 1930s, many prominent stars with very recognizable voices surface in Hollywood, and one among these rising stars was James Stewart, whom was said to be made famous by Capra’s Mr Smith Goes to Washington. In Capra’s film, Stewart plays the character of Jefferson Smith, a kind-hearted and naà ¯ve young senator who finds himself trapped in the webs of dirty politics. As the story gradually unfolds, Smith finds his strengthRead MoreEssay about Film Review: Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1887 Words   |  8 Pages In Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a naà ¯ve Jefferson Smith sets off for Washington D.C. as a United States Senator, where he learns that politics is not as transparent as it may seem. Released in 1939, one of the most successful years for film, Mr. Smith became a smash hit, easily becoming the second largest blockbuster of that year. However, 1939 was also the year World War II had started, and coupled with the war’s association with the Great Depression, the hit film was bound to