Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

Starring:Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, George Bancroft, Lionel Stander, Douglass Dumbrille, Raymond Walburn, H.B. Warner, Ruth Donnelly, Walter Catlett, John Wray, Ethel Palmer, Stanley Andrews, Cecil Cunningham, Bert Stevens, Pauline Wagner, Hal Budlong, Jack Mower, Janet Eastman, Harry C. Bradley, Gustav von Seyffertitz
Director: Frank Capra
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Political heavyweights decide that Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), an obscure scoutmaster in a small town, would be the perfect dupe to fill a vacant U.S. Senate chair. Surely this naive bumpkin can be easily controlled by the senior senator (Claude Rains) from his state, a respectable and corrupted career politician. Director Frank Capra fills the movie with Smith's wide-eyed wonder at the glories of Washington, all of which ring false for his cynical secretary (Jean Arthur), who doesn't believe for a minute this rube could be for real. But he is. Capra was repeating the formula of a previous film, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, but this one is even sharper; Stewart and Arthur are brilliant, and the former cowboy star Harry Carey lends a warm presence to the role of the vice president. Bright, funny, and beautifully paced, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is Capra's ode to the power of innocence--an idea so potent that present-day audiences may find themselves wishing for a new Mr. Smith in Congress. The 1939 Congress was none too thrilled about the film's depiction of their august body, denouncing it as a caricature; but even today, Capra's jibes about vested interests and political machines look as accurate as ever. --Robert Horton

It Happened One Night Director Frank Capra (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) took home every Oscar in the book (well, okay, all the major ones) for this seminal 1934 comedy starring Clark Gable as a hard-bitten reporter who stays close to a runaway heiress (Claudette Colbert) rather than lose a good story. Funny and sexy, the film is full of memorable scenes often referred to in other films, such as the "walls of Jericho" (a mere bedcover hung on a line down the middle of a room so opposite-sex roommates can get undressed), and Colbert's famous flash of thigh to stop a speeding car in its tracks. Capra's brisk, urbane brand of wit was a perfect complement to his populist faith in the common man (in this case, Gable's character), and that inspired combination makes this film both a spirited entertainment and an uplifting experience. --Tom Keogh

You Can't Take It With You
Frank Capra's 1938 populist spin on the George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart play about a family of happy eccentrics is a great deal of fun, though it significantly rewrites the original work and doesn't represent Capra (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) at his best. Jean Arthur plays a member of the blissful Vanderhof household who falls in love with a rich man's son (James Stewart) and brings him into her nutty home. Lionel Barrymore, who played such a bad guy eight years later in Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, is the wonderful Grandpa Vanderhof, who addresses God during the dinner prayer as "sir" and speaks plainly and beautifully of why it's good to be alive. Capra took this opportunity to rail against big business and champion the common man, but the overall tone of the film--typical for the director's comedies--is buoyant and snappy. --Tom Keogh

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town is Frank Capra's classic screwball comedy about a village innocent who inherits $20 million, only to discover it's more trouble than it's worth. The screwball in question is Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper), a small-town greeting-card poet and tuba player transplanted to the big city to administer his newly inherited wealth, where fast-pattering, wised-up cynics, sneering society denizens, and corrupt lawyers lord it over the ingenuous and straightforward. Deeds's idiosyncrasies are amply magnified in the tabloids by journalist "Babe" Bennett (Jean Arthur), dating Deeds as a cover, only to discover she's the sap when she falls irresistibly for him. But the damage has been done, when Babe's column is used by a pack of corrupt lawyers, Cedar, Cedar, Cedar & Budington, to prove Deeds mentally unfit. The miracle of this unforgettable comedy is how it embraces dark material, calling into question some common assumptions about capitalism while maintaining an approachable atmosphere of light comedy, and deceptively so. You'll be so pixilated by its charm, you won't rest until you've doodled your way to a rhyme for "Budington." --Jim Gay

More Stills from The Premiere Frank Capra Collection (click for larger image)

Product Description

Designated the "Number One Director in Hollywood" by Time Magazine in 1938 and voted by Entertainment Weekly (April 19th issue, 1996) as one of the greatest directors of all time, Capra has received numerous industry awards and accolades over the course of his successful career including three Best Director Oscars®.

The Premiere Frank Capra Collection is a 6-disc collectible box set featuring five of Frank Capra's best films. The digitally re-mastered set includes Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, You Can't Take it With You, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, It Happened One Night and American Madness. The DVD box set includes a bonus disc packed with all-new interviews, archival footage, plus Frank Capra's American Dream documentary hosted by Ron Howard and produced by Capra's eldest son, Frank Capra, Jr. (An Eye for an Eye, Marooned). This Premiere Collection also features commentaries for each film, along with a 96- page collectible Movie Scrapbook.

Customer Reviews:

All I can say is "WOW!.......2007-06-01

It was a happy day for me when I learned that this collection was being isssued and when it arrived from Amazon my first act was to cancel all my appointments, take the phone off the hook and settle down with a bowl and popcorn and discover just what made Frank Capra one of the leading directors of his day and indeed for all time. I was not disappointed. Along with favorites like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "You Can't Take it with You" were "It Happened One Night" (which I had not seen in years and did not recall how good it was) and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town." Also included in this set is a fabulous collection of films documenting just how Frank Capra was able to produce his fabulous collection of films. It is rare that great classics of American cinema get the attention and treatment that they deserve, but this is one of those rare instances of the material being treated in the appropriate manner.

It really would be silly for me to try to capture the magic and craftsmanship that went into making these fabulous films. Capra had a particular talent for being to tap into the fundamental aspects of what it meant to be an American in the 1930s and 1940s and this talent is on full display in this collection. They contain some marvelous performances, particularly by Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Claudette Caulbert and in particular Jean Arthur. While Capra's autobiography does contain it share of myths, the chapters that detail the efforts it took to get these performances down on film is probably worth consulting for the insights it provides.

If I were to fault it for one or two things it would be the omission of two classics in the Capra canon. These are "Meet John Doe" which really is crying out for a restoration and a proper release on DVD and "It's a Wonderful Life." These movies are probably excellent examples of Capra's creativity, but as this fine collection proves, they are by no means the only ones.

I hope that other directors are in line for similar treatments in the future. However it is doubtful if future efforts will surpass this one for its overall excellence.

Outstanding value DVD set.......2007-05-30

This DVD collection is obviously going to be popular with sure fire entertainments such as "You Can't take it with You" and "Mr Smith goes to Washington" but the package goes much further by providing lengthy interviews with Capra's son about each of the films, a detailed documentary about Capra himself, expert commentaries with each film and a detailed booklet. This is outstanding value.

All of the films are excellent and Amazon themselves provide worthwhile summaries. Here are a few observations:

- "Mr Deeds goes to Town" is my least favourite and probably most guilty of what is called "Capra corn". Gary Cooper was often a mannered actor and for me he overdoes his "Aw shucks" country bumpkin. Jean Arthur compensates enormously, making believable that this worldly "babe" could fall for Mr Deeds. She helps Cooper enormously to pull off his performance.
- "American Madness", made in 1932 before Capra really hit the bigtime, benefits from a shorter running time with a fast pace created by the editing. At the height of the Depression, a story about a run on a bank was timely and the note of optimism sounded by the resolution was refreshing. Walter Huston is outstanding as the head of the bank and the serene Kay Johnson, a poised and beautiful presence in any film, plays his wife. The film has one great set and Capra moves his camera around it, including some powerful overhead shots. His crowd scenes are outstanding as always.
- Jean Arthur was a wonderful actress and if her parts in each film are quite similar, it doesn't matter. With her husky inimitable voice and warm smile, she is memorable.
- Clark Gable is very funny in "It happened One Night", a very underrated comedian.
- "Mr Smith goes to Washington" has similarities to "Mr Deeds" but is superior in every way. The documentaries tell that in fact, it was originally conceived as a sequel. James Stewart is much more convincing than Gary Cooper and the yarn has far more tension then the earlier film. It is much less dated. The film was very popular on its release except in Washington where the depiction of political corruption was considered "un-American".

All of the prints are good, although "It happened One Night" suffers from grainy scenes. The films benefit from Capra's attention to detail, particularly the character actors which populated his films. The documentaries tell us that actors lived to appear in a Capra film because they knew that even the smallest part would be treated with loving attention. The most amusing story about this is the casting of Harry Cary in "Mr Smith" as the Speaker in the Senate. On paper, the part was minor but there are numerous telling close ups as he reflects the audience reaction to what is happening. It is a very important role.

The documentary about Capra himself tells of his beginnings as an Italian immigrant. Undoubtedly, his own rise from humble beginnings influenced his view of America as the land of opportunity and his depiction of the power of the people. He lived the "American Dream". Even if you are uncomfortable with the idealism expounded in most of the films (Capra corn), each film tells a good story and provides great entertainment.

Capra is quietly cool........2007-04-06

Mr. Capra is an excellent, pro-American director. He believes in the USA.....his movies prove it. In today's world it is nice to watch movies that have strong Christian, moral pro-USA values. I have liked every Capra movie I have ever seen. He was cutting edge as a movie director.

Great films, great quality.......2007-02-03

I bought the Premiere Frank Capra Collection for my brother's birthday. He's a big Capra fan, but he was concerned that the film quality would not be good, given the low price. He was quite pleased to discover the quality was excellent.

Historic Films.......2007-01-19

Great review of film history in this amazing collection of Capra films. Surprisingly, many have a message that remains relevant to today's problems.

Average customer rating:

The original Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Truly a classic movie
TERRIFIC FILM THAT HOLDS EVERYBODYS' INTEREST & INCLUDES SOME SURPRISES!
Good Deeds
Mr. Deeds

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Starring: Gary Cooper , Jean Arthur , George Bancroft , Lionel Stander , and Douglass Dumbrille
Director: Frank Capra
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Meet John Doe
You Can't Take It With You (1938) (Sub)
It Happened One Night
The More the Merrier

ASIN: B000031EGT
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Amazon.com

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town is Frank Capra's classic screwball comedy about a village innocent who inherits $20 million, only to discover it's more trouble than it's worth. The screwball in question is Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper), a small-town greeting-card poet and tuba player transplanted to the big city to administer his newly inherited wealth, where fast-pattering, wised-up cynics, sneering society denizens, and corrupt lawyers lord it over the ingenuous and straightforward. Deeds's idiosyncrasies are amply magnified in the tabloids by journalist "Babe" Bennett (Jean Arthur), dating Deeds as a cover, only to discover she's the sap when she falls irresistibly for him. But the damage has been done, when Babe's column is used by a pack of corrupt lawyers, Cedar, Cedar, Cedar & Budington, to prove Deeds mentally unfit. The miracle of this unforgettable comedy is how it embraces dark material, calling into question some common assumptions about capitalism while maintaining an approachable atmosphere of light comedy, and deceptively so. You'll be so pixilated by its charm, you won't rest until you've doodled your way to a rhyme for "Budington." --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews:

The original Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.......2007-06-20

Quintessential Capra charmer is one of Cooper's most appealing comic forays, as his plain-talking homespun reflection of rural America out-foxes all those smug and greedy city-slickers. Arthur is also terrific as Babe Bennett, the hard-nosed lady journalist who first ridicules, then falls for Longfellow, much to her own surprise. One of the screen's authentic classics, this is pixilated comedy at its very best. Beware the Adam Sandler remake.

Truly a classic movie.......2007-01-11

A must see movie for those that like the classics. Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur are outstanding. People are not taught morals like this everyday anymore.

TERRIFIC FILM THAT HOLDS EVERYBODYS' INTEREST & INCLUDES SOME SURPRISES!.......2006-08-30

IN A NUTSHELL: A 1936 ROMANTIC COMEDY THAT IS STILL RELEVANT
TODAY

Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur are incredibly effective and believable as quite an odd couple in this serio-comic treatment of idealism versus cynicism in the form of the small town iconoclast versus the big city. Together, the pair are the embodiment of the Capra depiction of the grand virtues of the simple country folk pitted against the unnatural and decadent evils of the modern city.

However, in this story, like most of Capra's there is a way out for all of us in this film, and a way for us individually to empathize with the characters and the plight of society as a whole as it staggered through the 'Great Depression'.

MR. DEEDS & THE GREAT DEPRESSION:

Just when one might be thinking okay, I have been watching this film for an hour and I know how it is going to turn out, Mr. Deeds takes a hard turn to the LEFT! In this seemingly extraneous subplot, lies the true meaning of this film, as we discover that Mr. Deeds is much more than just another 'boy meets girl' film with a few bumps thrown in on the way to the altar. That's because Deeds is a better man than that and can't be so easily defeated. Of course, this is a parody of 1936 society which had been in a real depression for 7 years already.

Yes, Mr. Deeds does draw a great deal of empathy from modern viewers as he plays the knight in shining armor from a by-gone era, looking for his damsel in distress in New York City. Rather than just brooding over it, Longfellow Deeds does something drastic about, drastic enough for his sanity to come into question. In this questioning of Deeds' sanity, Babe Bennett [Jean Arthur] is given the opportunity, which see puts to good use, to earn back Longfellow Deeds' trust and so illustrate that perhaps none of us is beyond redemption. Now isn't that a promising idea?

--*THE PRINCIPAL CAST

Gary Cooper - Longfellow Deeds
Jean Arthur - Babe Bennett
George Bancroft - MacWade
Lionel Stander - Cornelius Cobb
Douglas Dumbrille - John Cedar
Raymond Walburn - Walter
H.B. Warner - Judge Walker

--*MAJOR AWARDS

Best Actor (nom) Gary Cooper 1936 Academy
Best Director (win) Frank Capra 1936 Academy
Best Picture (nom) 1936 Academy
Best Screenplay (nom) Robert Riskin 1936 Academy
Best Sound (nom) John P. Livadary 1936 Academy
10 Best Films (win) 1936 Film Daily
Best Picture (win) 1936 National Board of Review
Best Picture (win) 1936 New York Film Critics Circle
10 Best Films (win) 1936 New York Times

BOTTOM LINE: WE NEED MR. DEEDS ON DVD!

Great surprisingly modern 1936 serio-romantic comedy that boasts a wonderful cast under the brillant oscar winning direction of Frank Capra. In the end, this is a story of hope for all of us just as in 'Lost Horizon'.

Good Deeds.......2006-06-23

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town is the story of Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper), a man who inherits a fortune from his dead uncle. When he arrives in New York, he begins to reform though the people there expect him to follow their orders blindly. He falls in love with a reporter disguised as a damsel in distress (Jean Arthur) who uses him for a story. Deeds does many great things, but the people who want to use him deem him crazy in order to usurp his power.

Cooper is wonderful in these wide-eyed innocent types of roles. He is tall and wears his strength well, which makes his sweetness all the more appealing. It is hard not to fall in love with his character and to wish that there really were people like him in the world.

This film was re-made starring Adam Sandler and called Mr. Deeds. That version is actually very good and puts some modern comedy into an already great story. It also stays true to this film featuring much of the same plot and names. Sandler does a great job at mimicking Cooper's innocence and honesty, though the original should not be forgotten.

Mr. Deeds.......2005-10-09

Gary Cooper plays Longfellow Deeds, the greeting card poet from Mandrake Falls, Vermont, who inherits 20 million dollars from his uncle, comes to NYC, and becomes the laughingstock of the big city. When he decides to give all the money away to out-of-work farmers (it's Depression time, remember), he is declared insane by lawyers who want some of the pie for themselves, citing his tuba playing, walking in the rain, chasing fire engines, etc. as examples.

Jean Arthur is the newspaper woman who uses him at first to make a bigger sap out of him to sell papers, but soon she finds herself in love with him and decides to help him out. The movie ends with a famous courtroom scene where Cooper refuses to defend himself until it's almost too late - but of course Arthur comes to his rescue and Coop turns the tables.

Like most Capra pictures it goes on too long, and in this one we really feel it. The Capra "corn" is piled on thick, with such scenes as the one at Grant's Tomb almost obligatory in a Capra picture. Cooper and Arthur perform wonderfully, though, and the supporting cast is at its best, too.

Strange note (to me, anyway): Where here Deeds says nothing in his defense at the end, Jimmy Stewart in the similarly sounding MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, also by Capra (1939), goes on talking for 24 hours in his filibuster on the floor of Congress. From one extreme to the other!

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