"They created a lot of grand palaces here, but they forgot to create noblemen to put in them".
Has simplicity of story ever been so grand as it is here? Director Frank Capra manages to turn a simple tale of a rural man coming into big money, into a charismatic uplifting lesson to generations past and present. There are no sheep around here for the makers to extract wool from to pull over our eyes, they don't need too, for it is just a plain and honest story to gladden even the hardest of hearts. It's a journey that tickles you pink and then stops you in your tracks with a swift turn of events, it then gives you tension, frustrating pain in the ass tension, and then? Well it's into the delightful realm of Capra.
The direction is flawless, I honestly can't find anything wrong here even if it was my wish to do so, the acting is actually to die for. Gary Cooper is simply brilliant in the title role, he takes you with him on his journey from the easy going rural chap at the start of the film-to the quite emotive and strong man coming alive for the finale. Cooper was a class act when playing men with high moral fibre, such is the case here, he layers Deeds with conviction, witness a tonal shift in the film that brings his world crashing down, the grief on Cooper's face has the viewer ready to fight the world for him. Then there's the entire court room sequences as he sits there acting only with expressions, it's special I tell you.
Jean Arthur has a back story to the film that makes me admire her all the more, she was only chose quite late on in casting by Capra after he caught her in a small low budget production, and she suffered violently with nerves on each shoot, but the results are incredible as she dominates the camera in every scene she is in, with her delivery, her voice that makes me ache in a good way, this lady covers herself in glory. The supporting cast are also first class, the writing is top dollar, the film is actually perfect across the board, so with that I'm stunned that more golden baldy statues from the Academy didn't come this films way.
I was going to watch Mr Smith Goes To Washington after this, but I spent another hour re-watching my favourite scenes from this film. It's a well regarded film in classic movie buff circles, and rightly so, for it's a peerless entry on Capra's CV, and also cements the statement that Gary Cooper deserves his legendary status. 10/10
Has simplicity of story ever been so grand as it is here? Director Frank Capra manages to turn a simple tale of a rural man coming into big money, into a charismatic uplifting lesson to generations past and present. There are no sheep around here for the makers to extract wool from to pull over our eyes, they don't need too, for it is just a plain and honest story to gladden even the hardest of hearts. It's a journey that tickles you pink and then stops you in your tracks with a swift turn of events, it then gives you tension, frustrating pain in the ass tension, and then? Well it's into the delightful realm of Capra.
The direction is flawless, I honestly can't find anything wrong here even if it was my wish to do so, the acting is actually to die for. Gary Cooper is simply brilliant in the title role, he takes you with him on his journey from the easy going rural chap at the start of the film-to the quite emotive and strong man coming alive for the finale. Cooper was a class act when playing men with high moral fibre, such is the case here, he layers Deeds with conviction, witness a tonal shift in the film that brings his world crashing down, the grief on Cooper's face has the viewer ready to fight the world for him. Then there's the entire court room sequences as he sits there acting only with expressions, it's special I tell you.
Jean Arthur has a back story to the film that makes me admire her all the more, she was only chose quite late on in casting by Capra after he caught her in a small low budget production, and she suffered violently with nerves on each shoot, but the results are incredible as she dominates the camera in every scene she is in, with her delivery, her voice that makes me ache in a good way, this lady covers herself in glory. The supporting cast are also first class, the writing is top dollar, the film is actually perfect across the board, so with that I'm stunned that more golden baldy statues from the Academy didn't come this films way.
I was going to watch Mr Smith Goes To Washington after this, but I spent another hour re-watching my favourite scenes from this film. It's a well regarded film in classic movie buff circles, and rightly so, for it's a peerless entry on Capra's CV, and also cements the statement that Gary Cooper deserves his legendary status. 10/10