98. Mr. Deeds Goes To Town (1936)

Directed By Frank Capra

Synopsis

Man from a small town inherits a 20 million dollar fortune. Goes to New York and is shocked by self-interest, gives all his money to the unemployed in a surprisingly communist move.

Review

Frank Capra graces us with his idealistic vision of rural america again in this film, like in Judge Priest there is a view of an ideal world of good natured people who want nothing more than live in harmony with their neighbours. This is however a vastly superior film. Unusually this is billed as a screwball comedy, and it is that, but it is much more importantly a piece of great social and political import.

More than a comedy Mr. Deeds is a film about the evils of materialism and self-serving interest and the society that not only allows but expects and foments that. Deeds is seen as insane by the world because he is willing to part with his money to help the needy. Deeds decides to give his 20 million dollars away by giving each unemployed post-depression farmer 10 acres of land, a horse and a cow and if the land is worked for 3 years to give them the land. This is really a surprising attitude for a 1930's American millionare to do. Deeds shows that socialism is the only sane alternative... I wonder what the film censors thought of that.

Deeds is untainted by greed and all of those that he meets are not untouched by his simple and good demeanour. The film is an utopia, but it is a good one, it is funny, smart, thoughful and has a great message. It is a sad state of affairs when people remade the film with Adam Sandler and the money goes to buy Corvettes for friends... Buy it at Amazon UK or US.

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

In casting the role of Longfellow Deeds, Cooper was director Capra's first, last and only choice. The film popularized the word "pixilated", which was used (in this case) to imply craziness, or the seeming illogical nature of Longfellow Deeds' actions in the film.

The film was written by Clarence Budington Kelland and Robert Riskin, and directed by Frank Capra. The film earned star Gary Cooper his first nomination for Best Actor, and was voted Best Picture of the year (1936) by the New York Film Critics and the National Board of Review.

The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Capra won an Academy Award for Directing.

A sequel called Mr. Deeds Goes to Washington was written. However Gary Cooper was unavailable. James Stewart was hired for the lead role and the title was changed to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Minor changes were also made to the script.

There are no clips of Mr. Deeds on the Internet SO here you go, what is probably the worst remake in the history of cinema: