Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

When the idealistic but naive Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) is appointed to fill a vacant seat in the United States Senate, the political bosses who chose him expect he’ll be easily manipulated. Jeff is at first honored by the opportunity and awe-struck by the grandeur of the nation’s capital, but soon decides on a modest goal: establishing a national boys’ camp on a small plot of land back home in his state.

But Jeff soon learns that the land he chose for the camp is at the center of a corrupt scheme involving powerful men in his state, including his own political mentor. When he refuses to back down, those men move to destroy him, and Jeff finds himself alone on the Senate floor, fighting both for his own reputation and the ideals upon which the US was founded.

From It’s A Wonderful Life director Frank Capra, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a classic underdog tale celebrating honesty and determination, featuring a timeless patriotic defense of our country’s democratic ideals. The film is not rated, but would likely be PG, and is family-friendly.

Runtime: 2 hours, 9 minutes
Rated PG
USCCB rating: A-II
97% on Rotten Tomatoes
IMDb Parents Guide
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