Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Was Controversial For Its Hard-Hitting Truth
Considered one of the greatest films of all time, 1939’s Mr. Smith Goes To Washington stars Jimmy Stewart as a new senator who tries to fight a politically corrupt system seeded with greed. It stirred up controversy upon its release, and many were disgusted by the movie. U.S. Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. dubbed it “one of the most disgraceful things I have ever seen done to our country,” while Senate Majority Leader Alben Barkley (D-Ky.) claimed the film “makes the Senate look like a bunch of crooks.” It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning for Best Original Story.
