Mr Smith Goes To Washington Essay

The film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington covers the story of a man named Jefferson Smith, and through it portrays and depicts the ins and outs of government, particularly the Senate. After Senator Foley dies, Smith is temporarily put in his place. Throughout this movie, viewers are able to see just how manipulated Congress can be, as well as how valuable morals often win. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington accurately portrays the inner workings of political machines, the rules and procedures in the Senate, and the typical stereotypes and personalities of people in Congress. A political machine is a group that controls politics. It oftentimes has an authoritative boss that organizes and gives orders. They can also receive rewards for their efforts,
This is displayed when Smith filibusters for his bill for the Boys Camp and to make his point about the corrupt political machine. He stuck to his “All-American” morals, unlike Taylor and the machine, and, in the end, he won. I think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington does an accurate job of portraying the legislative process, as well as the relationships between members of government. Although I believe it may have been overdramatized for filmmaking purposes, I do believe that many politicians are corrupt and push through whatever stands in the way of money and personal success. I also feel like the stereotypes were mostly accurate, including Taylor and Paine’s “villain” personalities. However, I think that Clarissa Saunders may have exceeded her stereotype in a positive way. Typically, secretaries are portrayed as minor airheads who do not get much work done. However, in this movie, Saunders played a significant role in helping Smith fight against Paine and Taylor. This was satisfying to see, as characters breaking free from their expected stereotypes was not a typical idea back then. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a movie about the corrupt ideas and actions of the political machine. However, it is also about breaking free of that and standing up for the morals you believe in. When one does this, justice usually comes. Those with good values will win in the end, as did Saunders and