Mr. Smith Goes To Washington -

Critics at the time labeled it "anti-American" and "Communist," fearing it provided propaganda for Axis powers during the early stages of World War II .

Many real-life legislators and D.C. journalists were infuriated by the "unflattering" portrayal of Congress, with some calling for the film to be banned. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Upon arriving in D.C., Smith is initially in awe of the capital’s monuments but quickly becomes disillusioned when he proposes a national boys' camp on land already slated for a fraudulent dam project. To protect their graft, the corrupt politicians frame Smith for the very crime they are committing. Encouraged by his savvy secretary, (Jean Arthur), Smith refuses to resign and instead launches a grueling 24-hour filibuster on the Senate floor to prove his innocence and expose the corruption. Controversy and Reception Critics at the time labeled it "anti-American" and

The film was eventually banned in several fascist countries, including Nazi-occupied France and Spain, because it championed democratic resistance. Upon arriving in D

While the public loved the film, it sparked immediate outrage within the Washington establishment: