Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #13

Synopsis: When the idealistic young Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) winds up appointed to the United States Senate, he gains the mentorship of Senator Joseph Paine (Claude Rains). However, Paine isn't as noble as his reputation would indicate, and he becomes involved in a scheme to discredit Smith, who wants to build a boys' campsite where a more lucrative project could go. Determined to stand up against Paine and his corrupt peers, Smith takes his case to the Senate floor.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Production: ITVS
  Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 12 nominations.
 
IMDB:
8.2
Metacritic:
73
Rotten Tomatoes:
83%
NOT RATED
Year:
1939
129 min
Website
2,336 Views


All heads turn to look out of the right side of the bus, and

the exterior of the CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY is seen as the bus

moves along.

SPIELER'S VOICE

--greatest library in the world.

Five million books and two and a

half-million maps, charts, and musical

compositions--

In the BUS, JEFFERSON, seen closely, is looking at the

building in an awed manner.

JEFFERSON:

You left out the most important thing!

That's where you see the Constitution

and the Declaration of Independence!

The SPIELER is seen getting pretty sore at this kind of thing.

SPIELER:

As the gentleman says--without anybody

asking him--that's where you see

those original, priceless documents--

the Constitution and Declaration of

Independence.

(To Jeff, sarcastically)

Much obliged, my friend. You're a

great help to me. Let's *go*, Henry!

The scene dissolves to a series of views (a TRAVEL MONTAGE)

of the Washington monuments as Jeff sees them--his amazement

and reverence on seeing the Supreme Court Building, the White

House, the Washington Monuments, Constitution Avenue, and so

on.

Then the LINCOLN MEMORIAL comes to view and JEFF is seen

walking up the steps--eyes fixed ahead wonderingly. Soon he

approaches the top steps and now his is on the floor of the

shrine. Suddenly he stops dead, and the full figure of LINCOLN

comes to view--the huge, overpowering figure, seated in that

great armchair. It is an almost breathing sculpture of the

great, humane man, looking out.

JEFFERSON, seen closely, is over-awed and reverent, looking

up at the face. With mechanical steps he comes forward,

against a background of enormous columns which shed a powerful

solemnity upon the scene. He comes forward slowly and stops,

and the words on the statue appear:

IN THIS TEMPLE:

AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE

FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION

THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM

LINCOLN:

IS ENSHRINED FOREVER

JEFFERSON has his heart in his mouth. His head turns slowly

to the left.

On the LEFT WALL, the Second Inaugural Address of Lincoln,

carved in the stone, appears, and JEFFERSON'S head turns

back to Lincoln. He quotes in a half-voice--looking up as

though he heard Lincoln say it:

JEFFERSON:

(softly)

'--with malice toward none, with

charity for all--with firmness in

the right as God gives us to see the

right...'

He breaks off and turns his head to the right.

Then at the RIGHT WALL, the Gettysburg Address, carved in

stone, appears, and JEFFERSON, turning back to the figure of

Lincoln, again recites:

JEFFERSON:

(softly)

'--that these dead shall not have

died in vain--that this nation, under

God, shall--'

LINCOLN'S FIGURE is seen at close range as Jefferson's voice

comes over.

JEFFERSON'S VOICE

'--have a new birth of freedom--and

that Government of the people, by

the people, for the people--shall

not perish from the earth...'

While Jefferson says these words and while we hold on the

face of the man who uttered them the scene dissolves slowly.

JEFF'S SENATE OUTER OFFICE is seen at dusk; the light is

murky. Saunders is pacing a groove in the carpet; Diz Moore

is still reclining on the sofa.

DIZ:

Getting on to dinner, isn't it, pal?

SAUNDERS:

(grimly)

I give that Trail Blazer five more

minutes to show up--

(turning on the desk

lamp viciously)

--*five more minutes*!

The phone rings.

SAUNDERS:

(indicating the ringing

phone)

Well--who d'you take this time--Paine,

Bill, Carl--or McGann?

DIZ:

Hey--you're into me for a buck

already. I say--McGann. Shoot the

whole dollar.

SAUNDERS:

Okay. For the dollar, I give you

McGann *and* Bill and Carl. I got

Paine.

(Picking up the phone)

Hello... Oh, yes.

Saunders does a 'gimme' gesture at Diz.

SAUNDERS:

No, not yet, Senator Paine--not hide

nor hair of the man. You mean to say

the boys haven't--?

DIZ:

Eight to five Little Boy Blue is

plastered.

SAUNDERS:

(into the phone)

Well, why don't they try the police--

get some blood hounds--or Indian

guides--

In a CORNER OF THE PAINE HOTEL APARTMENT, Paine is on the

telephone, and is smiling.

PAINE:

As a last resort, maybe... Now wait,

Saunders--you *can't* leave there!

The one place he knows in this city--

is the Senate office--and you stay

there and wait... it isn't *that*

late--

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes

Waldo Salt

Waldo Miller Salt was an American screenwriter who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses during the era of McCarthyism. He later won Academy Awards for Midnight Cowboy and Coming Home. more…

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