"Mr. Deeds Goes to Town"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the film "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town"(1936) directed by Frank Capra and uses it as an example of the type of film that become Capra's trademark, the funny story of an unintentional hero who tries to address the nation's social problems. It provides a filmography of Capra's career and looks at how Capra, more than most directors of his period, was in charge of the content and the look of his movies and was, in short, their auteur. Through a review of the film, it examines how Capra was a master at persuading the audience to identify with his heroes and their emotions.

From the Paper:

"This does not mean Capra simply made the same film several times. The focus of each movie is different: helping people most affected by the Depression, cleaning up corrupt politics, and fighting Fascism. But the messages are also delivered in a form unlike any other director's; a combination of comedy, sentiment, and idealism that was nearly unique. This approach was so much Capra's own that it was known by the name of "Capracorn" among those who were unsympathetic with sentiment--some said sentimentality--applied to political ideas and romance (Willis 45). His thematic unity is evident in comparisons of Deeds miserably refusing to defend himself at his hearing, in Jeff Smith breaking down in the Senate, and in John Doe being pelted with tomatoes by followers who have turned against him. "

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