• Latest
African Queen (1951)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

June 8, 2021

Vermont Hunter Education Courses

March 15, 2023

Vermont Philharmonic and Green Mountain Youth Symphony Present “Awakenings: Music of Young Composers”

March 15, 2023

Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA) Joins in Month-Long March for Meals Celebration with Communities Nationwide

March 15, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Divorce, Italian Style (1961)

March 15, 2023

Following Successful Public Pressure Campaign to Lower the Cost of Eli Lilly’s Insulin, Sanders and Bush Introduce Bill to Finish the Job and Cap the Price at $20 Per Vial

March 15, 2023
Udderly Crazy 4-H Club Members Take Part In 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl

Udderly Crazy 4-H Club Members Take Part In 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl

March 7, 2023
Hunger Free Vermont Receives $36,090 Nourishing Neighbors Grant from Shaw’s Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbor Campaign

Hunger Free Vermont Receives $36,090 Nourishing Neighbors Grant from Shaw’s Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbor Campaign

March 7, 2023
African Queen (1951)

La Strada (“The Road”) – 1954

March 7, 2023

Scammers May Be Targeting Your Smart TV

March 7, 2023
Just Some Thoughts

My Spring Obsession

March 7, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972)

February 28, 2023

Lyndon Institute to Sponsor NEK Career and Apprenticeship Fair in April

February 28, 2023
  • Home
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
The World Online
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The World Online
No Result
View All Result

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

4 Stars

vt-world by vt-world
June 8, 2021
in Max's View
0
African Queen (1951)

“Liberty’s too precious a thing to be buried in books. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: ‘I’m free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn’t, I can, and my children will.’ Boys ought to grow up remembering that.”  —Sen. Jefferson Smith

In 1939, it was not clear that the American way was the best way.

The Great Depression led reasonable people to question capitalism. Soviet communism seemed like a tantalizing alternative to some. Fascism was on the march in Europe.

In this context, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” isn’t a childish civics lesson. It’s a passionate argument that 18th Century Enlightenment values are still relevant in the turbulent 20th Century.

This is a smarter and more vital movie than I was expecting.

The story begins with a senator dying just before an important vote. Jim Taylor – the richest and most powerful man in the state – has secretly bought up a bunch of cheap land on the river. Taylor’s senatorial stooge Joseph Paine (Claude Raines) has proposed a bill that will spend millions of federal dollars to build a dam, making Taylor even richer.

All Taylor needs is for the newly appointed junior senator to play ball and back the dam. Too bad for him that the new guy is an incorruptible boy scout. Our hero is Senator Jefferson Smith (played by a very young and skinny Jimmy Stewart).

The climax is a gripping battle between good and evil. Boss Taylor and Sen. Paine are about to expel Smith from congress based on false charges. Senator Smith is outnumbered 95 to 1. But he uses the filibuster to stand up for himself and shine a spotlight on the truth.

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” hardly feels dated at all. Director Frank Capra argues that there are two big problems in American politics. There are super rich guys who have way too much power behind the scenes. And these same super rich guys control the media and use the news to scandalize and destroy people who won’t submit to them.

The scene where Sen. Smith realizes that the reporters he trusted have made him look like a buffoon is priceless. Smith stares daggers up at the press booth and begins punching any reporter he can find.

Frank Capra’s argument about what makes American society great is well thought out and not obvious. America’s most essential core values are freedom and individuality, not democracy.

This is a hugely important distinction. Senator Smith was appointed, not elected. Six years earlier, German voters elected the Nazi Party in a free and fair election. In 2021, it is possible that a majority of citizens might vote to punish or expel Chinese-Americans. If you wrongly believe that democracy is more important than liberty, you might actually go along with it.

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is a great and important movie. Capra observes that voting is a choice; you can take it or leave it. But when you hear an American stand up and say something unusual and unpopular, you need to support her and defend her freedom of expression with all your might.

Previous Post

Turtles Must be Left in the Wild

Next Post

Mayor’s Report – May 2021

Next Post
Mayor’s Report – September 2019

Mayor’s Report – May 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This Week’s Ads

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
The World
403 US Route 302
Barre, VT 05641
Phone: (802) 479-2582

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

No Result
View All Result
  • Art Exhibits
  • Audit and Reader Surveys
  • Births
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Daily Horoscope
  • Fall Guide
  • Food & Recipe
  • Home
  • Obituaries
  • Ongoing Events
  • Pay Your Bill Here
  • Senior Living Edition
  • Showtimes
  • Submit Birth Announcement
  • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
  • Submit Engagement Announcement
  • Submit Listing to our Local Directory
  • Submit Sports News/Photo
  • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Testimonials
  • The World Coupons
  • Weather Forecast
  • World Deadlines
  • World Distribution Map
  • World Rate Card
  • World Rates and Ad Sizes
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • About Us
  • Vermont Lottery
  • Advertising Information
  • The World Staff
  • Advertising Inquiry
  • Submit Letter To The Editor
  • Local Directory
  • Poll Results
  • Local Deals
  • Classifieds
  • Submit An Article To The World
  • Events
  • The World – This Week’s Online Digital Edition
  • The World Auto & Sports

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In