As with all of Capra’s films, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington sets forth his populist ideals of the championing of the everyman. However, the film goes even further to make the story applicable to anyone at anytime. Even now over 75 years later, the film’s themes still feel relevant. So what does Capra do to make the film appear to be timeless?
Sure there are some aspects of the film that are dated, but the overall message that it entails, the championing of the everyman, overcoming political corruption, are still valid today. In order to do this, Capra keeps nearly every aspect of the political scene in the film vague. The state from which Senator Paine and Jefferson Smith come from is never mentioned. Political parties are never mentioned either. Thus people watching the film could see as though whichever party they supported was the underdog, the Jefferson Smith. This also allows the film to appear timeless because by not aligning with a party it does not tie itself to particular party ideologies of a certain era. The issue centralizes on the appropriations bill that the Senate is trying to pass, but it isn’t even the entire bill that causes fraught just the line-item in the bill that would support the fat cats at the top. This signifies that the sole fight in politics is not between the two parties but rather between the corrupt and those with integrity.
The only real politicians that the film alludes to are the Founding Fathers’ and Abraham Lincoln. This is not to implicate political leanings but rather to show the basis of which the country was founded and the integrity that was intended.
What makes Capra’s films so relevant today is that he managed to put forth a political message without actually indicating any real political issues. He makes the battle of Washington not between parties but between honesty and corruption.
Sources:
https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/571-in-mr-smith-goes-to-washington-frank-capra-stood-u/
https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/576-the-politics-press-star-and-legacy-of-mr-smith-goe/
http://wamu.org/programs/metro_connection/14/10/17/remembering_when_mr_smith_came_to_washington_75_years_ago