Is it time to see "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" again... or for the first time?

Jimmy Stewart as Jefferson Smith

Recognize him? That's actor Jimmy Stewart who died in 1997. But you know him best as George Bailey of Bedford Falls in your Christmastime favorite, It's A Wonderful Life, filmed in 1946.

Here he is as Jefferson Smith, a naive man appointed to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate. The movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, dates to 1936.

As the synopsis of the movie is explained, "Naive and idealistic Jefferson Smith, leader of the Boy Rangers, is appointed on a lark by the spineless governor of his state. He is reunited with the state's senior senator--presidential hopeful and childhood hero, Senator Joseph Paine. In Washington, however, Smith discovers many of the shortcomings of the political process as his earnest goal of a national boys' camp leads to a conflict with the state political boss, Jim Taylor. Taylor first tries to corrupt Smith and then later attempts to destroy Smith through a scandal."

Of course it is high drama fiction, in b&w1936 style which is a treat in itself, but not so unrealistic to show the heart of a patriot fighting for a common good against a vested older congress that has other ideas.

Frank Capra directed both of these Jimmy Stewart movies and if you liked one, chances are, you will like the other. Watch Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, it is free here.

FYI: Re: our Congress, In my last blog post I said I have always taken to heart that the world belongs to the young to mold, change and evolve to become the better world destined to be theirs. We older and presumed wiser had our turn, but sometimes it seems, just don't know when to get out of the way. (Hmm... thinking term limits, but who among them would ever go for that?)

We do have some good things happening that did not exist back in Jefferson Smith's day--women, more diversity and young rising stars, but even with that, our leaders are growing older as a body. There is no one running for President on a major platform that is not on the other side of 70 and by the averages, some members are aging in place. 

The average age of our current Senate is 62.9 years, the oldest ever... and four are in their 80s with Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Grassley each 87. Even Popes are younger than that. The average age of our current Representative is 57.6 years. In 1981 the Senate average age was 61 (vs 62.9) and for Representatives it was 49 (vs 57.6). 

The average age of America is 20+ years younger than their representatives in Congress.

So much for that idea.