Year of release
1936
1936
Directed by
Frank Capra
Frank Capra
Written by
Robert Ruskin (script)
Clarence Budington Kelland (story)
Robert Ruskin (script)
Clarence Budington Kelland (story)
Starring
Gary Cooper
Jean Arthur
George Bancroft
Douglass Dumbrille
Gary Cooper
Jean Arthur
George Bancroft
Douglass Dumbrille
Mr Deeds Goes to Town
Oscar Wins: Best Director – Frank Capra (The 1937 Academy Awards)
Oscar Nominations: Best Picture / Best Actor (Gary Cooper) / Best Sound / Best Screenplay
Plot - Longfellow Deeds (Cooper), a simple-hearted fellow from a small town who writes greeting card poems and plays the tuba, inherits a $20 million fortune from his late uncle and moves to New York. While there he has to contend with numerous people trying to take advantage of him and his windfall, including newsreporter Louis 'Babe' Bennett (Arthur) who he begins to fall in love with. When he decides to give all of his money away he is accused of being insane and must fight it in court.
Another Frank Capra flick, another sweet delight. Like many of his films it pits small town charm and sensibilities against the big city and it's greedy, cynical nature. With its release date of 1936 it would have fallen smack dab in the middle of the Great Depression and certainly feels very influenced by that. The moment were Longfellow Deeds decides to give all his money away to farmers who are struggling (to put it mildly) comes across as a statement of sorts that Capra is behind those men, and perhaps also acts as a call to those who are financially secure to spread the wealth and help out those who need it.
I've seen it said that Capra only made the same film over and over again. While I wouldn't 100% agree with this, and certainly wouldn't criticise him for it, I can understand why others might. For me this was very reminiscent of Capra's Mr Smith Goes to Washington. Both feature a smart guy from a small town coming to the big city (Washington and New York respectively) were the locals think they're a bit of a fool and a country bumpkin, when really they are just a bit eccentric and naïve. A cynical Jean Arthur plays along with a charade before actually falling for their small town charms and contagious optimism, and in the end our hero delivers a rousing speech and is triumphant in a grand, official setting (Senate and court).
Film Trivia - Capra and Columbia had plans for a sequel titled “Mr Deeds Goes to Washington” based on the story “The Gentleman from Wyoming” by Lewis Foster. That didn't materialise but instead became 1939's Mr Smith Goes to Washington starring Jean Arthur and James Stewart.
Oh and a favourite little element of this film for me (and indeed Sullivan's Travels as well) is the use of spinning newspaper headlines for exposition. It's such a classic trait of older films and I just love it, finding it so quaint and charming. A lot better than constant close-ups of text messages at least. I have to say however I think I would rate this film slightly behind a few of the other Capra films I've seen so far – Mr Smith Goes to Washington probably no.1, with It Happened One Night and then It's a Wonderful Life. This would be tight with You Can't Take it With You for 4th. It's tough for me to say though why I rate it slightly lower, maybe because it doesn't have quite as much charm or warmth (which feels daft too say) or maybe it's because it just doesn't have James Stewart.
Film trivia - Jean Arthur was so nervous performing in her first 'big' picture that she would be sick before takes, and run off set crying afterwards. She was so unsure of herself that she was unable to watch the completed film until 1972 at the USA Film Festival in Dallas alongside Capra.
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JayDee's Movie Musings (Reviews - Frailty / Total Recall / Lone Ranger / Nightcrawler / Whiplash / Imitation Game / Birdman / Avengers: Age of Ultron / Mad Max: Fury Road)