A director's aesthetic is established throughout their career. Alfred Hitchcock was the master of suspense and innovative camera angles, Billy Wilder truly understood all human emotion, David Lean was the king of epic pictures and John Ford knew how much a setting can impact a picture in every way. But unlike every other mainstream director, it is only necessary to watch one picture to comprehend the themes that drive Frank Capra--it's all about the American Dream.
Capra directed over 50 major motion pictures over the course of his 39 year long career and most of them focused on simple American ideals. Working hard, never forgetting the necessity of humor in life, and putting family first were major themes found in all of his films. What may sound redundant--the same themes over and over again is anything but in the Capra filmography.
Both tales of growth in popularity and the importance of never forgetting one's true self, Mr. Deeds Goes To Town(1936) and Meet John Doe(1941) but in true Capra fashion have very different means of getting to their happy endings. You Can't Take It With You(1938) and It's A Wonderful Life(1940), considered two of Capra's greatest films boast the importance of family and yet, again, do this in opposing ways. Yet when it comes to choosing the primary example of Capra's work one mustn't look further than 1939.
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington in addition to being Capra's best film is the epicenter of every theme Capra projected throughout his career. Jimmy Stewart plays Jefferson Smith, an idealistic young Senator who is picked to serve as proxy but thwarts those plans of the political machine. Abundant in Mr. Smith, is the importance of truth, family, honesty, hard work, love, justice and patriotism--everything that exemplifies the American Dream.
Although one film cannot define a director's career it does not take more than one viewing of Mr. Smith Goes To Washington to understand the purpose of Capra--to make good movies and entertain the American people.
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