"Mr Smith Goes to Washington"

Paper Summary:

The paper reviews the film "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) and its educational value. The paper examines whether the depiction of congress in the film is an accurate one. The paper concludes that although the film was accurate in some ways (eg. passing a bill), it does not give an accurate portrayal of congress today.

From the Paper:

"The way the outsider is treated in the film is dramatically necessary but far too cynical for any institution pretending to even a degree of populism. The time frame for the film is compressed so that events seem to take place quite rapidly, but still the condescending treatment given to this one Senator would be highly unlikely from a body that needs every member. The political machine idea also gives more power to political parties than they actually have, though they have become staples in Congress as a way of organizing actions and maintaining order."

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