First, sorry for going so long between posts. I just caught up in everything with the end of the school year.
Last night, for the first time ever, I had the immense pleasure of watching "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." I adored it. The whole film is really so well put together: from Capra's awe-inspiring shots of the Capitol and various other Washington monuments to Jimmy Stewart's impassioned, moving performance, the film is a masterpiece on every level. As most classic movie fans, I've always had a soft spot for Jimmy Stewart and his common man heroes with his distinctive drawl. To this day, I'm still the only one of my family who actually enjoys watching "It's a Wonderful Life" every Christmas when it comes on TV. But Jefferson Smith was a whole new level of Jimmy Stewart for me. Of course I knew he could act, his desperation at the bar in "Wonderful Life" or countless scenes in "Vertigo" provide excellence evidence of that fact. But somehow this was different....Watching Jeff Smith traverse through the perils of Washington and cheering him on through his filibuster was the most caught-up I've felt watching a film in a long time. I actually found myself on the edge of my seat cheering for him.
However, this film didn't merely reveal the true depths of Jimmy Stewart's acting ability causing me to fall just a little bit more in love with Jimmy Stewart. No, I found, refreshingly, that this film was of particular relevance today and that Mr. Smith, with his politics, his homespun values, and his all-around likability reminded me an awful lot of President Barack Obama. Just this past week I'd started reading Obama's "The Audacity of Hope," and the ideas that Obama lays down in that book, his continual references and obvious admiration for Lincoln, are almost exact to the ideas espoused by Jefferson Smith. (And with a first name like Jefferson, where else could he go but into politics?) The connection between these two men struck me from the very beginning of the film. Merely in Jeff Smith's championing of moral rectitude and his adherence to values, as well as his deep patriotism, and his belief in the good of his country and the necessity of appreciating what's in front of you and working together to achieve a better world, I saw so many ties to the ideas Barack discusses in his book and what he pushed on the campaign trail. Jeff's belief in the common man and the great outdoors fits quite well with Obama's grassroots campaign and his call for change and the return of the government to the people.
What really sealed the deal for me was Jeff's love of Lincoln and his continual return to the Lincoln Monument as a source of inspiration and strength. Indeed, it is Lincoln's words, inscribed on the monument, that help persuade Jeff to go back and fight for his reputation and what he believes in. Gaining prominence as an Illinois Senator, Barack Obama certainly already had some ties to President Lincoln. In his book, he goes even further -- regularly calling out Lincoln's actions as an example for how all politicians should behave and citing Lincoln's actions as a good model for a solution to many problems facing our bitterly partisan nation today. Calling on the common man, seen in Jeff Smith's Boy Camp and Lincoln's log cabin, Obama points out the necessity of working together for a solution...reiterating the idea that a "house divided cannot stand." From his writings, it is increasingly clear that Barack Obama seeks inspiration and guidance in Lincoln much the same way that Jeff Smith does.
Now, while Barack Obama has faced no opposition and smear to his reputation quite so great as the treachery perpetrated against Jeff Smith, he has still been subject to many naysayers and a conservative population that chastises his every move. And while no exhausting filibuster has been required, Obama has faced his opponents valiantly, continuing to stand up for what he believes in to help improve our country.
Perhaps it is merely the current state of things in the world or the specific figure of Barack Obama himself, but through these connections, I found Capra's film to be incredibly timeless--directly addressing issues we still grapple with today. However, with one exception--normally watching a film like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" would frustrate me and leave me wondering as to why there were no politicians as idealistic and morally upright as Jefferson Smith....Thanks to Barack Obama I don't have to wonder anymore.
Until next time, Here's Looking at You Kid!
-Reel Classic Dame
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