10 Classic Films That Actually Live Up To Their Legendary Status
6. Mr Smith Goes To Washington
If ever a tale existed that applied to the infinite complexities of modern politics, it is Mr Smith Goes To Washington.
The story of a straight politician that takes on those that put him there for their own gain is as much about the lobbying of big business as it is about Mr Smith himself. It's remarkable how the film has never become outdated because of its content, instead, it has remained such a relevant metaphor for politics in general and the people that are involved.
It has always implied that those that get into it with the best intentions are soon whipped into line by lobbying and peer pressure, whilst those who have been there can't tell the difference anymore between right and wrong.
Jimmy Stewart's filibuster sequence is one of the most iconic last stands in all of film history and forces all around him to witness that he is willing to fight for his belief that he will be proven right.
In this era of division and partisanship, Mr Smith Goes To Washington proves that not much has changed since 1939. Few have ever got Washington DC as right as the mighty Frank Capra did here.