Like "Citizen Kane", this classic film is very much showing its age. And even though it was produced only three years before "Casablanca", it seems decades apart. While Michael Curtiz's camera in "Casablanca" is often moving, as are the characters, Frank Capra's setups and blocking are static and theatrical.
Jimmy Stewart, the Tom Hanks of that era, is consistent as usual. But Jean Arthur's Clarissa Saunders is like a cardboard cutout compared to Ingrid Bergman's fluidity, especially when she's trying to play someone who's inebriated.
Worthwhile as a fine moment in film history, "Mr. Smith" nevertheless bombs when played to younger audiences in 2005, who have come to expect a heck of a lot more from their film experiences.
Jimmy Stewart, the Tom Hanks of that era, is consistent as usual. But Jean Arthur's Clarissa Saunders is like a cardboard cutout compared to Ingrid Bergman's fluidity, especially when she's trying to play someone who's inebriated.
Worthwhile as a fine moment in film history, "Mr. Smith" nevertheless bombs when played to younger audiences in 2005, who have come to expect a heck of a lot more from their film experiences.