Mr Smith Goes To Washington Essay

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was written by Frank Capra in 1939. The film conveys a classic political message about the corruption of politics during the gilded age. A young Midwestern man named Smith is voted into a Senate seat where he tried to pass a bill for a boy’s camp. Incidentally the location of the camp was in the same location the other Senator from his state, Senator Paine, wanted to build a dam. The issue over the land caused an argument to ensue between the two Senators. The argument took place within the Senate and took multiple days to resolve. Capra illustrated in the beginning of the movie the dedication and motivation a young politician can have. Mr. Smith was eager to write his bill and complete the long process for the bill to eventually be passed. Capra was demonstrating the checks and balances that are in place within the United States Government to ensure that one branch does not have more power than the others. Once Mr. Smith’s bill was introduced to the Senate he and Mr. Paine did not see eye-to-eye. …show more content…
Paine was a long time Senator for the state who was controlled by a political boss Mr. Taylor. Mr. Taylor worked only for himself by directing who the people voted for. He was able to guide reelection because he provided jobs, worked with the social services, and was a man “for the people.” Capra exemplified the control that a political boss has over his state when Mr. Taylor called all of the newspapers and radio stations telling them not to print a word of what Mr. Smith said in the Senate and to only portray him as a liar. If Mr. Smith was portrayed as a liar, Mr. Taylor would still be able to control Mr. Paine and the decision on Section 40 about the rights to build the dam. Mr. Taylor would not allow Mr. Smith to win because this would result in a loss of control for himself as the political boss and he would lose the profit he was to make with the completion of the