In 1937, Columbia Pictures optioned Lewis R. Foster's original screen story, "the Gentleman from Montana." The studio's ace director Frank Capra, read a one page synopsis and passed on the project. Columbia then sent the story to Rouben Mamoulian, who agreed to make the film. Upon hearing this, Capra reread the synopsis, changed his mind, and offered Mamoulian Golden Boy for the property.
On August 10, 1938, Columbia announced the project as Mr. Deeds Goes to Washington with Gary Cooper reprising his Longfellow Deeds character. Months later, Samuel Goldwyn, with whom Cooper had an exclusive contract, decided not to loan out the actor to Columbia. Capra recast the film with his star of You Can't Take It With You, James Stewart.
The film was renamed Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on January 26, 1939. Production began on April 3. While some location work was done in Washington, the majority of the film was done at Columbia's Gower Street studio. The major set piece was an exact replica of the Senate Floor, built by art director Lionel Banks at a cost of $100,000. It was here, over the course of four weeks, that Stewart performed the climactic filibuster scene. To give his voice the proper hoarseness, Stewart had his throat painted repeatedly with a mercury solution. Production was completed on July 7, 1939.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington had its world premiere in the nation's capital on October 19, 1939. Every senator and representative was invited to the screening, as well as the Washington Press Club. Depicted as drunks and theives, they denounced the film as un-American. More controversial was the offer by several sister studios to buy the negative and destroy it, fearful that the Axis powers would use the film for propaganda reasons. Studio president Harry Cohn refused and proceeded to distribute the film across the country.
Although critics and audiences loved Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, it was an extremely expensive film to make ($1.5 million), and only broke even on its intial run. But Harry Cohn didn't make the film for profit, he made it for prestige. And that's what Capra gave him. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington recieved eleven Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Claude Rains, Harry Carey), Best Music, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, and Best Screenplay (original story) --- winning in the latter category. A timeless populist masterpiece, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is, was and always will be "one of the best shows of the year."
Mr rating: 4 stars
On August 10, 1938, Columbia announced the project as Mr. Deeds Goes to Washington with Gary Cooper reprising his Longfellow Deeds character. Months later, Samuel Goldwyn, with whom Cooper had an exclusive contract, decided not to loan out the actor to Columbia. Capra recast the film with his star of You Can't Take It With You, James Stewart.
The film was renamed Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on January 26, 1939. Production began on April 3. While some location work was done in Washington, the majority of the film was done at Columbia's Gower Street studio. The major set piece was an exact replica of the Senate Floor, built by art director Lionel Banks at a cost of $100,000. It was here, over the course of four weeks, that Stewart performed the climactic filibuster scene. To give his voice the proper hoarseness, Stewart had his throat painted repeatedly with a mercury solution. Production was completed on July 7, 1939.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington had its world premiere in the nation's capital on October 19, 1939. Every senator and representative was invited to the screening, as well as the Washington Press Club. Depicted as drunks and theives, they denounced the film as un-American. More controversial was the offer by several sister studios to buy the negative and destroy it, fearful that the Axis powers would use the film for propaganda reasons. Studio president Harry Cohn refused and proceeded to distribute the film across the country.
Although critics and audiences loved Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, it was an extremely expensive film to make ($1.5 million), and only broke even on its intial run. But Harry Cohn didn't make the film for profit, he made it for prestige. And that's what Capra gave him. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington recieved eleven Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Claude Rains, Harry Carey), Best Music, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, and Best Screenplay (original story) --- winning in the latter category. A timeless populist masterpiece, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is, was and always will be "one of the best shows of the year."
Mr rating: 4 stars