Film Analysis: Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

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Recommended: Manipulating sound in films

Mr. Smith goes to Washington

Main Actors: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Thomas Mitchell, and Harry Carey, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee

The Director: Frank Capra

There are many ways that this movie relates to the political process. At the very start of the movie a senator dies. We therefore learn the process in which it takes to replace a senator. The next form of political process that was taught in the movie was when the young boy while escorting Mr. Smith to his seat explained the process of his first meeting in the senate and when he was allowed to speak his mind or present a new bill. The movie also explains how a bill becomes a law and the use of a filibuster and why it may be used.

The main Conflict in the movie is the corrupt …show more content…

Smith competed with the corrupt press benefiting Jim Taylor. The scenes showed the hustle and bustle of the boy rangers and just how hard they worked to keep up with the machines working for Jim Taylor.

Editing: The best editing done in the movie in my opinion was the lighting that they put the capitol in when Mr. Smith first arrived at Washington. They made the capitol look very official and intimidating, which contrasted with Mr. Smith’s innocent nature therefore foreshadowing the conflict the two will have in the future

Sound: I think that the times Sound most influenced the movie was when during the senate meetings when Mr. Smith was speaking and you either heard the inspiring shouts of guidance from Saunders, or the discouraging grumbles or outbursts from the other senate members who disagreed with Mr. Smith, or even the angry shouts from the boys in the senate meeting who were under the impression that Mr. Smith was steeling from them with his summer camp. These noises directly affect Mr. Smith and his self-esteem and confidence, and Mr. Smith is such a relatable character that you can’t help but feel remorse or hope depending on the sounds heard in the senate …show more content…

Smith’s Filibuster. James Stewart portrayed the longing for justice and law within Mr. Smith without a flaw. You could see the longing in his eyes for someone to agree and stand along with him in his fight for justice. And his voice was calling desperately for anyone who would listen to his message and believe him. But best of all his defiance stance that told everyone that with him or not he was going to fight till his last breath for what he knew was right. It was truly inspiring

I watched the filibuster again without sound and I found the acting to have been enhanced which I did not believe to be possible. I had more of an appreciation for Mr. Smiths body movements. They way he started out strong and tall but bearing the weight of everyone against him including the man he once looked up to, Senator Joseph Paine, all began to take its toll and he began to slouch more and more. By the end of the filibuster he was literally throwing himself onto other’s desks for support and would look the men in the eyes in hopes of someway getting the message through to them that he was

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