One of my favorite movies of all time with one of my favorite actors, Jimmy Stewart was release on this day, October 17, 1939. Fifty years later it was haled as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the National Film Registry. If you haven't seen it - You really should!
Other honors
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON is a American political comedy-drama film, starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, about one man's effect on American politics.
It was directed by Frank Capra and written by Sidney Buchman, based on Lewis R. Foster's unpublished story.[3] Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was controversial when it was released, but also successful at the box office, and made Stewart a major movie star.[4] The film features a bevy of well-known supporting actors and actresses, among them Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee,Thomas Mitchell and Beulah Bondi.
Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, but winning only for Best Original Story.[5] In 1989, the Library of Congress added the movie to the United States National Film Registry, for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
| Award | Result | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Production | Nominated | Columbia Pictures (Frank Capra) Winner was David O. Selznick - Gone with the Wind |
| Best Director | Nominated | Frank Capra Winner was Victor Fleming - Gone with the Wind |
| Best Actor | Nominated | James Stewart Winner was Robert Donat - Goodbye, Mr. Chips |
| Best Writing, Screenplay | Nominated | Sidney Buchman Winner was Sidney Howard - Gone with the Wind |
| Best Writing, Original Story | Won | Lewis R. Foster |
| Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | Harry Carey Winner was Thomas Mitchell - Stagecoach |
| Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | Claude Rains Winner was Thomas Mitchell - Stagecoach |
| Best Art Direction | Nominated | Lionel Banks Winner was Lyle R. Wheeler - Gone with the Wind |
| Best Film Editing | Nominated | Gene Havlick, Al Clark Winner was Hal C. Kern, James E. Newcom - Gone with the Wind |
| Best Music, Scoring | Nominated | Dimitri Tiomkin Winner was Herbert Stothart - The Wizard of Oz |
| Best Sound Recording | Nominated | John P. Livadary Winner was Bernard B. Brown - When Tomorrow Comes |
Other honors
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was named as one of the best films of 1939 by the New York Times and Film Daily, and was nominated for Best Film by the National Board of Review.
- Jimmy Stewart won the 1939 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.
- In 1989, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."[25]
American Film Institute recognition
- 1998 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies #29
- 2003 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains:
- Jefferson Smith, Hero #11
- Senator Joseph Paine, Villain - Nominated
- 2006 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers #5
- 2007 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) #26
