Mr. Smith Goes to Washington / Meet John Doe

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, 1939, Sony Repertory, 129 min. Dir. Frank Capra. Naïve, straight-shooting idealist Mr. Smith (James Stewart) is elected to Congress then used and eventually framed by his corrupt mentor Claude Rains and fatcat Edward Arnold. A still incredibly topical slice of Americana with unflinching insights into how easily a free enterprise system can be debased and exploited by ruthless profiteers. Smith pleading his case before a cold-hearted unbelieving Congress sends chills down the spine and remains one of the most moving sequences in the history of cinema. Jean Arthur is the worldly cynic who has her heart melted when she realizes Smith is the real thing. With Thomas Mitchell.

MEET JOHN DOE, 1941, 122 min. Dir. Frank Capra. Gary Cooper is a hobo who gets recruited by corrupt politician Edward Arnold to lead a “common man” movement, in which he soon learns he’s being used to manipulate the pliable masses for unsavory purposes.