#18: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
While it isn’t as famous as Frank Capra’s Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is arguably his best film. A favorite of mine, this James Stewart character named Jefferson Smith shows us how one’s ideals and politics are not often in sync. It demonstrated how corrupt politicians could be. In fact, when it was released it was decried as anti-American and was even banned by dictators around the world.
Although Mr. Smith came out in 1939, it is eerily poignant for present-day politics as well. This was also one of the first films entered into the National Film Registry, recognized for its important place in our cinematic history.