1st Tuesday presents the classic “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”

This 1939 comedy/drama, directed by the famed producer/director Frank Capra and staring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, is presented free July 7 at 7:00 pm by the First Tuesday Social Justice Film at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff, 3839 W. Kiest Blvd., Dallas, TX G – 2 hours, 9 min. Refreshments are provided. Audience discussion follows.

The movie revolves around an influential man trying to gain even more wealth whose his plans go off track when the senator dies and a naïve, politically inexperienced Jefferson Smith (Stewart), leader of the Boy Rangers is appointed to finish the term. https://youtu.be/cl5v9fpIy-o

“The wonderfully-acted, absorbing and human film was popular at the box-office and critically successful too. However, the film caused some controversy and pressure was brought to bear to hinder its release (two months after the outbreak of WWII in Europe), due to the fact that Capra's film was propagandistic, depicted political corruption, and appeared to paint an anti-democratic picture of the US government and its inner workings.

"But the film also called for faith in traditional American values of patriotism and faith in the people, and provided an educational lesson in how bills are passed through Congress,” according to http://www.filmsite.org,

The film won the following Academy Awards: Best Writing Original Story – Lewis R. Foster ; Best Picture - Columbia; Best Actor - Stewart; Best Supporting Actor – Claude Raines; Best Supporting Actor – Harry Carey; and Best Director – Capra. Other nominations were Best Writing, Screenplay; Best Art Direction; Best Sound, Recording; Best Film Editing; Best Music, Scoring.

This presentation is co-sponsored by the UUCOC’s Social Justice Ministry and the Dallas Peace Center. For more information about the film series, visit http://www.firsttuesdayfilms.org/index.shtml or http://www.facebook.com/firsttuesdayfilms.
Upcoming films:
Aug. 4 Rhapsody in August
Sept. 1 Great Invisible
Oct. 6 Cutie & The Boxer