Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
“Romance, drama, laughter and heartbreak... created out of the very heart and soil of America!”
Synopsis
After the death of a United States Senator, the idealistic Jefferson Smith is appointed as his replacement in Washington. The naive and earnest new senator soon finds himself battling political corruption.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON: MODERN TRAILEROfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2020-06-17
Top Cast
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James Stewart
Jefferson Smith
Jean Arthur
Clarissa Saunders
Claude Rains
Joseph Paine
Edward Arnold
Jim Taylor
Guy Kibbee
Governor Hopper
Thomas Mitchell
Diz Moore
Eugene Pallette
Chick McGann
Beulah Bondi
Ma Smith
H.B. Warner
Senate Majority Leader
Harry Carey
President of the Senate
Astrid Allwyn
Susan Paine
Ruth Donnelly
Emma Hopper
Grant Mitchell
Senator MacPherson
Porter Hall
Senator Monroe
Pierre Watkin
Senator Barnes
Charles Lane
Nosey
William Demarest
Bill Griffith
Dick Elliott
Carl Cook
Release History & Theatrical Window
Shanghai International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 19, 1939
Wide Cinema Exhibition
October 12, 2001
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$9.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
6.4x
+$8.1M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Frank Capra
- Screenplay & Story
- Sidney Buchman
- Original Score
- Dimitri Tiomkin
- Original Title
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 10m
- Production Budget
- $1.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $9.6M
- Production Studios
- Columbia Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Frank Capra
Sidney Buchman, Lewis R. Foster
Dimitri Tiomkin
Joseph Walker
Gene Havlick, Al Clark
Department Leadership Roster
Sidney Buchman
Screenplay
Dimitri Tiomkin
Original Music Composer
Frank Capra
Director
Gene Havlick
Editor
Joseph Walker
Director of Photography
Al Clark
Editor
Robert Kalloch
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
General — Suitable for all audiences.
FSK 0 — Approved without age restriction.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Universal — Suitable for all audiences.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington about?
After the death of a United States Senator, the idealistic Jefferson Smith is appointed as his replacement in Washington. The naive and earnest new senator soon finds himself battling political corruption.
Who directed Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was directed by Frank Capra.
Who stars in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?
The principal cast of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington includes James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee.
When was Mr. Smith Goes to Washington released and how long is it?
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 2h 10m.
What was the box office and production budget of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington had a reported production budget of $1.5M and grossed $9.6M at the worldwide box office (6.4 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was composed by Dimitri Tiomkin.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington holds official age classifications: AU: G (General — Suitable for all audiences.); DE: 0 (FSK 0 — Approved without age restriction.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: U (Universal — Suitable for all audiences.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).