You must watch..."Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"

In honor of Presidents’ Day, here’s a classic everyone should watch again.  It’s hard not to watch this film without feeling pretty patriotic, I mean, the film has an extended montage of DC landmarks, particularly the Lincoln Memorial.  But beyond that, what makes "Mr. Smith" so good?

Well, I think the protagonist, Jeff. Smith, is pretty great.  While a tad bumbling at first, he is probably one of the most eloquent, kind, and idealistic characters I have ever seen in a film, especially in contrast with all the jaded backroom DC types who surround him.  I found him very refreshing, I can’t remember the last time I saw a protagonist like Jeff Smith in a modern film…I’m sure a lot of writers think it’s “cheesy” to write a character like this, but in a sea of cynical and snarky characters, writing a Mr. Smith, might make you stand out…think about it.

Of course, Mr. Smith isn’t the only stand out character.  The wise cracking Saunders is also delightful to watch, especially when she goes back and forth with Jeff.  I loved all the snappy dialogue in her scenes and I think all the political banter in the film would be enjoyed by today’s lovers of Aaron Sorkin.

Probably my favorite thing about "Mr. Smith," though, is how passionately Jeff pursues his goal to create a National Boys Camp, which eventually becomes a crusade to clear his name and take down a corrupt media syndicate that is essentially controlling the politicians from his state.  I think showing a passionate protagonist is hard for a lot of baby writers, especially depending on the genre you’re writing.  I always thought it was so easy in action/adventure movies…your protagonist needs to get the special object, save the love interest, collect all the clues...so, they go on a quest!  But when your protagonist wants something more mundane, it can be dull to watch them pursue it.  

Take "Mr. Smith," how exciting can a guy standing in a room talking to a bunch of other guys be?  Well, “Mr. Smith” does it, and every moment is extremely compelling because the stakes are so high and the rules behind what he’s doing are so well defined.  Jeff's about to be kicked out of the Senate, disgraced forever, if he wants to be heard he has to filibuster, in other words, he has to stand on his feet and talk for as long as he can.  I can’t help thinking it’s like Speed and Jimmy Stewart’s driving the bus, unable to go less than 50 or he’ll explode…in other words, scenes of a guy talking his head off become just as exciting as any action/adventure film.

You've probably seen this famous scene already in some Oscar montage...it comes near the end of the movie (if you haven't seen the movie yet, watch the whole thing first and enjoy it in context) otherwise, watch it again here and relive the magic of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."