Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

In my opinion, a far superior work compared to that other Capra populist film `Mr. Smith Goes To Washington' (even Jean Arthur seems fresher her in a role that is a virtual remake of the aforementioned film). We like the story because we can identify with parvenus such as Mr. Deeds and this pulls us through all the way to the predictable, yet delightful and satisfying conclusion that takes place in that good ol' American institution, the courtroom. Just what the doctor ordered to battle a case of cynicism.

Fmovies: In the past, I have sometimes found myself able to enjoy Capra's populism and sometimes unable. I go back and forth on the philosophy, as well as the director's sentimentalism. The day I watched Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, I just wasn't buying it. Gary Cooper plays a bumpkin who inherits $20 million from an uncle he didn't even know. He's spirited off to New York City, where the media are chomping at the bit to find out more about him. Reporter Jean Arthur pretends to be another stranger in the city and befriends Cooper, secretly writing newspaper articles about how dumb he is behind his back (a plot line that the Coen Brothers adopted for The Hudsucker Proxy). The movie is never particularly bad. I enjoyed it at some points. But I can't say I was ever really interested in it. And it devolves into my single least favorite classic movie cliché, a courtroom sequence where the audience laughs uproariously at every revelation. Cooper, of whom I'm not a big fan, gives one of his better performances, and Arthur, of whom I am a big fan, is, as always, wonderful. The film got a bunch of Oscar nominations, but Arthur was sadly left out.

Gary Cooper plays the title character here perfectly, even though the character lacks credibility in terms of how he is so astute about some things and yet so naïve about others. Jean Arthur also has an interesting character - one for whom we are not sure when and when not she is pretending. The romance between these two characters is simple formulaic and predictable, but the messages that the film has help to pull it through. It is a slight satire on the media, the justice system, and generally the way in which we function as individual human beings. The film also ends on a high note, with many laughs towards the end of the courtroom sequences. It is a bit fanciful, and arguably Stander is added in just for laughs, plus there are a few other minor imperfections. However 'minor' is the key word here: it is overall enjoyable and well made stuff either way.

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town fmovies. Unvrivalled in the history of cinema and having just watched it again for the umpteenth time, I thought a short review on IMDb was necessary. I have watched the film regularly for the last twenty years and never tire of its humour, its tenderness, its wit, its romance, its general actors' performance and the originality of its subject matter. Never have tears and laughs been so much intermingled in the same film..I was gushing tears in the scene where Deeds hands a poem which Babe reads in the fog on her doorstep ... a few minutes later Deeds goes running off home, tripping up over a dustbin in the process and I was howling with laughter ... likewise the long passage in the courtroom when Deeds finally decides to "speak up" has me in fits of laughter over its finesse and wit. The final scene, where Deeds comes back to the almost empty courtroom to "collect" Babe who had been sitting by herself there once again started off my waterworks as he picks her up and tenderly embraces her all over the place. Indeed that final "kiss" is one of the photos featured on France's 3rd TV channel's "Cinéma-Club" on most Sunday nights.

They are truly indeed a BEAUTIFUL couple in all senses of the world. I will not go through the story of the film again as this has been more than amply related by others but suffice it to say I have never seen any other film made with quite this calibre and actors' performance. Ineed this is the type of film that could only be made once ! Each character is extremely well developed and each actor/actress has exactly the physique of the character they play - an absolutely perfect match, one of those "one-off" films where everything combines to make for the spectator's perfect pleasure.

What a shame that in the twenty first century we cannot produce films of this calibre using story line, actors' performance and plot alone - to obtain thrills from present-day audiences, large quantities of excessive noise, flashing lights and especially computer-generated imagery are necessary .... all this at the expense of plot and of the humour and witty lines. But, with modern technology being a double-edged knife, we should nevertheless thank God for it's enabling us to henceforth be able to appreciate these "golden oldies" for years to come !

Thank you Library of Congress for restoring this wonderful film. Initially, I expected this Frank Capra flick to overwhelm me with sentimentality and false, overly contrived setups. Well, yes and yes with two huge buts: Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. The acting is so good, so right in tone, humor, pace -- it makes everything believable (even the silly court scene at the end). It's a feel-good movie that still has a bitter-sweet message. Jean Arthur's acting is beyond anything I've recently seen -- every emotion is perfectly telegraphed with just the right intonation. Gary Cooper (who was nominated for best actor) sprinkles his complex role with the necessary amount of macho pixie dust. Highly recommended. Can't wait to see Mr. Smith goes to Washington.

Frank Capra (Oscar-winning for directing) created one of the earlier Hollywood masterpieces with "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town". The film follows a good-hearted small-town Vermont man (Oscar-nominee Gary Cooper) who inherits a fortune from a relative he never knew. Now he must go to New York and take over his late uncle's estate, but he must also contend with a whole host of opportunistic bigwigs who want to take advantage of Cooper's kindness. Cooper is not as slow-witted as he appears though as he seems to outsmart all those around him. When reporter Jean Arthur comes along, Cooper falls hard for her and lets his guard down and forgetting himself, he may lose a part of himself that is priceless. Frank Capra dominated the 1930s and 1940s with life-affirming productions that were just simple human stories that would always strike emotional nerves for the audience. "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" is no exception. The remake should cause many to check this one out. This one stands up much higher than Adam Sandler's under-achiever. 5 stars out of 5.