Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939
A naive scoutmaster is appointed to the U.S. Senate because the party bosses think he'll be easy to control. When Jefferson Smith discovers a corrupt land deal and refuses to keep quiet, the powerful men he once admired turn the whole machine against him.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
A plain-hearted man who reveres the Capitol and the Founders refuses to surrender to corruption. It honors America's ideals while staying clear-eyed about the men who betray them.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
Senators lie and take part in graft, and Jeff's mentor Senator Paine betrays him before repenting at the end. Thugs rough up boys delivering newspapers and there's heavy period smoking, so it's a good chance to talk about telling the truth when it costs you.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why did Senator Paine go along with the crooked plan? Was he a villain?
- What gave Jeff the strength to keep talking?
- What did the Lincoln Memorial mean to Jeff?
- Which moment in the Senate chamber stuck with you most?
Content advisory
Common Sense Media 8+: lots of period smoking and some drinking; punches and boys roughed up by thugs; no profanity.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 4K Blu-ray (Columbia Classics: Volume 1)
4K · June 16, 2020
Edition link coming soon.
Listing on Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.