Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is director Frank Capra’s memorable tribute to the ideals of American democracy. The film features James Stewart as Jefferson Smith, the “common man” who as a young, inexperienced U.S. Senator finds himself defending the common good.  When the death of a sitting senator creates a vacancy, the corrupt and powerful Jim Taylor goes along with the governor’s selection of Jeff Smith to fill the appointment. Taylor’s men figure that Smith will be so naive and idealistic that he will not realize their corrupt ways. Clarissa Saunders, the savvy and worldly-wise secretary to Smith’s predecessor, also believes Smith to be oblivious to the realities of politics in Washington and is initially skeptical of his idealistic patriotism. When Smith realizes that he is just filling a chair in the Senate, he persuades Saunders to help him introduce a bill that would turn the Willet Creek property in his state into a National Boys Camp. What he doesn't realize is that behind the scenes, Taylor and Paine (Smith's partner in the Senate), are plotting to line their pockets by having a dam built in the very area that Smith wants to build a National Boys Camp.The Taylor machine pulls out all the stops to prevent this, even forging documents to falsely show Smith as the owner of the Willet Creek property and thus discrediting him to his congressional colleagues. Senator Payne moves to have Smith expelled from the Senate. With the help of Saunders, who has begun to appreciate Smith’s true patriotism and honesty, Smith conducts a filibuster. In the end, the cause of truth prevails, thanks to the friendship and  example of Saunders in standing up for justice.

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