Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - 1939 - starring Jimmy Stewart

Jimmy Stewart Captures Americana Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) premiered months after America went to war. Producer/director Frank Capra's classic comedy-drama establishes James Stewart as a leading actor with this film, the fifth film he has made in 1939. He is again teamed with his co-star Jean Arthur from 1938s Best Picture winner, Capra's You Can't Take It With You. Stewart's character represents the powerful forces of American freedom, democracy and morality over oppression and evil in his emotional portrait of a naive, idealist, patriotic young politician who, after being sent to Washington as a junior senator, matures in wisdom, fights political corruption within his state's political machine, and guarded American values as a moral hero.