Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
“Romance, drama, laughter and heartbreak... created out of the very heart and soil of America!”
After the death of a United States Senator, the idealistic Jefferson Smith is appointed as his replacement in Washington. The naive and earnest new senator soon finds himself battling political corruption.
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Cast
213 people
James Stewart
Jefferson Smith
Known for
Rear Window
Vertigo
Jean Arthur
Clarissa Saunders
Known for
You Can't Take It with You
Shane
Claude Rains
Joseph Paine
Known for
Casablanca
The Invisible Man
Edward Arnold
Jim Taylor
Known for
You Can't Take It with You
Meet John Doe
Guy Kibbee
Governor Hopper
Known for
42nd Street
Captain Blood
Thomas Mitchell
Diz Moore
Known for
It's a Wonderful Life
High Noon
Eugene Pallette
Chick McGann
Known for
The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Lady Eve
Beulah Bondi
Ma Smith
Known for
It's a Wonderful Life
Make Way for Tomorrow
H.B. Warner
Senate Majority Leader
Known for
It's a Wonderful Life
The King of Kings
Harry Carey
President of the Senate
Known for
Red River
Angel and the Badman
Astrid Allwyn
Susan Paine
Known for
Love Affair
Follow the Fleet
Ruth Donnelly
Emma Hopper
Known for
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
The Bells of St. Mary's
Frank Capra Director · Sidney Buchman Screenplay Lewis R. Foster Story
Worldwide gross $9.6M · Budget $1.5M · United States release October 19, 1939
Box office
Budget
$1,500,000
Worldwide gross
$9,600,000
Gross vs. budget
6.4×
Production
Columbia Pictures
Production · Studio
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English
Release dates
United States · October 17, 1939
Premiere · Washington, D.C.
United States · October 19, 1939
Theatrical
United States
June 1, 1949 · Theatrical
Argentina
February 23, 1940 · Theatrical
Australia
October 12, 2001 · Physical · DVD
Brazil
December 25, 1939 · Theatrical
February 24, 2006 · Physical · DVD/VHS
China
June 14, 2024 · Premiere · Shanghai International Film Festival
France
January 19, 1940 · Theatrical
November 14, 1945 · Theatrical
October 4, 2025 · Digital · France•tv
October 4, 2025 · TV · France•3
Germany
April 5, 1947 · Theatrical
Hungary
September 24, 1941 · Theatrical
Ireland
May 3, 1940 · Theatrical
Italy
April 5, 1947 · Theatrical
Japan
October 9, 1941 · Theatrical
Mexico
February 29, 1940 · Theatrical
Palestinian Territories
October 20, 1940 · Theatrical
Portugal
April 10, 1941 · Theatrical
Russia
October 8, 1947 · Theatrical
Spain
May 15, 1949 · Theatrical
Sweden
December 23, 1939 · Theatrical
United Kingdom
November 7, 1939 · Theatrical
XC
July 4, 1947 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.