1939 is considered by many to be the finest year of American movie-making. The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Good-bye Mr. Chips and John Wayne in Stagecoach.
And Frank Capra made a little politcal movie called Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. The film was designed to ask the question: What would happen if a small-town nobody with high-ideals and an unquenchable love of American ideals, were suddenly dropped into the big-business, big-talking intimidation of the United States Congress? Would the ideologue find his way? Would he learn that somewhere on the road from MORALS to ETHICS to CIVICS...the terrain MUST get ROCKY and MUDDIED? Would the idealogue become corrupted and learn to hang in the big show? Or, would he become disgusted and go home? Or, would his ideals win the day?
There's an old saying..."the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Keep this in mind as you watch this film. Besides the questions posed above, you will be responsible to speak intelligently on how the movie relates to the following questions:
1. Is Mr. Smith doing the right thing? Or is he just being parochial and provincial?
2. Can morals and ethics exist in as corrupt a system as American government? [Consider: In other words, is there credence to the notion that some athletes believe (yes, this means you Lance Armstrong) that competing in a professional sport (see: MLB) demands the use of some kind of "edge." No matter how corrupt that edge may be (see: PEDs).]
3. Could a Mr. Smith type person excel in today's Washington?
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