A senator suddenly dies and a replacement needs to be named. The other senator for the state, Joseph Paine (Claude Rains), along with Jim Taylor (Edward Arnold), his corrupt businessman backer, decide to name a truly surprising candidate, one Jefferson Smith (James Stewart). He's meant to be nothing more than a seat warmer so that Paine and Taylor can push through a new piece of legislation concerning a dam, meant to make them filthy rich. Unfortunately Mr. Smith is something they've rarely seen and are utterly incapable of understanding: a good and honest man. And a boy scout to boot.

The film is corny and filled with pathos. Phrases like "the American dream", "truth and honesty", "reliability", and so many like those, get thrown around all the time. Politicians are nothing more than hungry jackal fat cats, aiming to filch the hard-earned pennies of the good American people. True way of life is to be found outside, on the prairies where grass leans on the wind. On the mountains reflected against the noon sun. I could feel my spleen turning red, white and blue as I watched this film.

And yet, despite all that, the film is magnificent. Perhaps it's because 'It's a Wonderful Life', another film from director Frank Capra, also stars Stewart, but for some reason or other this film reminds me of Christmas. Because Christmas is also corny and filled with pathos. It is. But it's also the best time of the year. When it's okay to be a bit sentimental. Or a lot sentimental. When it's okay to remind ourselves of the values we all hold dear, but which we usually don't talk about because it's seen as embarrassing.

Hopefully people still watch this film. Because even though it's old, and corny, and sentimental, and even a bit silly, it's values, themes and lessons are as relevant today as they were back then. Perhaps even more so.

Through a series of fortunate, and unfortunate, events, an unsophisticated local hero, Jefferson Smith, is appointed a US Senator. The people pulling the strings in his party and State figure that he will be compliant and malleable and basically stay out of the way of their plans, some of which aren't entirely ethical, or legal. However, a well-intentioned deed sets off a dramatic chain of events, a series of events that will see him at odds with his colleagues, with the shadowy, bullying powerbrokers and with the entire Senate.

Brilliant movie from Frank Capra. While Capra also gave us such great movies as It's A Wonderful Life, Meet John Doe and It Happened One Night, this is his greatest work. A superb indictment of politics and how democracy has been undermined and corrupted, told with the trademark Capra brand of wholesomeness and practical idealism. Considering how politics has even further degenerated since 1939, even more relevant today than when it was released in 1939.

Clever, engaging plot that doesn't waiver for a second. Not an ounce of deadwood in the movie - every scene is perfect and important. Some great twists and turns and some great tension towards the end as Smith struggles to preserve his name and ideals. Wonderful themes and morals too, as you would expect from Frank Capra.

Add in some excellent performances, especially from James Stewart in the lead role and Jean Arthur as Ms Saunders. Both received Oscar nominations, as did Harry Carey for playing the President of the Senate.

In all, Mr Smith Goes To Washington was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, but won only one, for best original screenplay. Unfortunately for it, the 1940 Oscars belonged to a juggernaut known as Gone With The Wind...

Critics of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" will call it cheesy, saccharine, and over-the-top in its character portrayals. Truth be told, I really can't call those critiques "wrong". But the thing is, this is such an endearing, aspirational film that I'm always able to look past the cheese-factor and enjoy the performances and overall message.

For a very basic overview, 'Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" tells the story of Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), a wide-eyed, aww-shucks, country boy rube who gets nominated for a U. S. Senate seat in large part to be a straight-ticket voter for the political machine of Senator Joseph Paine (Claude Rains). Once in Washington, however, both get a rude awakening: Smith discovers the graft in politics, while Paine begins to realize--to his horror--that Smith isn't just going to "tow the party line".

This movie remains an all-time classic for me because of the earnestness of its message. It isn't quite as perfect as Capra's more famous "It's A Wonderful Life", but I do see similarities between the two pictures. Here, the story strikes such a simple--yet highly emotional--chord. Though deep down I think we all realize that corruption and compromise are likely unavoidable aspects of politics, we like to cling to ideals of honesty and supreme integrity. That is precisely the journey that Smith takes viewers on. This isn't "politics as it is", but rather "politics as we want it to be", and I think there is equal room for both in politically-minded films.

Of course, casting Stewart is the cherry on top of all this. I'm not sure there has been a better individual born to play the Jefferson Smith role. His stuttering, stammering, "golly gee whiz" routine is perfect, yet when the chips are down he delivers a filibuster monologue almost guaranteed to have you in tears. Rains is fine as the corrupt Senator and Jean Arthur has a nice sidekick supporting role, but "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" is memorable because of Stewart. I very much liken his performance here to that of Henry Fonda's in "12 Angry Men". It's what we all wish we could be like--but know we'll probably never quite get there.

The only reason I can't give this a full 10 stars? It was made in 1939--or back when Hollywood didn't really know how to properly end movies other than an emotional flourish and a fade to black. With a less-rushed, more nuanced endgame, this one could have ascended even higher.

Overall, though, I consider this to be one of my favorite political films of all time. Make all the gritty, tough governmental thrillers you want (I love some of those too!), but I hold steady that a more aspirational, positive-minded effort like this isn't out-of-date or irrelevant simply because of that nature.