Smith's Hat

[Always the symbolist, Capra uses Mr. Smith’s hat twice to convey his assessment of Mr. Smith’s heart.]

When Smith first interacts with the character Susan Paine, it is obvious that Smith becomes extremely nervous and uneasy.

In the first series of shots, we focus on Smith’s hat to understand how Smith fumbles to find and explain his genuine but untutored emotions. As Smith and Susan Paine converse, the camera stays on his hat, which he fumbles and drops multiple times within the course of the conversation. Although it is obvious that these shots are meant to show how nervous Smith is, the sequence also works because the numerous shots makes it immensely humorous.

We return to the hat theme moments later. Conversing with Susan, Smith takes his hat off once they start a second conversation, but for some reason can not keep control of it. While he tries to place it on a shelf, the hat falls off.

[If “you are what you eat,” in a film, you are how the director dresses you, too; here, Mr. Smith is his hat.]

[after Jack Sheehan]

Capra's Eye

When I first popped Mr. Smith Goes to Washington into the DVD player, I
really did not have any idea of what aspect of Frank Capra’s film I would
be writing about. Would it be the editing, the acting, or story? In the
end it was how Capra worked with cinematographer Joseph Walker to create
meaning with placement of shots. Capra uses not only depth of field, but
also camera movement, camera placement, and lighting to portray his ideas.
The film’s story would not have had the same impact if not for Capra’s
careful consideration of camera placement. The following is what I noticed
while watching Mr Smith Goes to Washington a second time, looking
specifically at the direction of shots.

The film opens with a series of different medium shots focusing on
telephone conversations. So right away we are thrust into this fast paced
world of politics and Washington. From there we see mainly medium shots,
as the politicians decide who will replace the deceased senator. A
important shot comes when Taylor is pressuring the man who will choose a
replacement. The lighting is what makes this shot special in that we see
the man who will choose the replacement in a well lit space sitting down
and across from him standing up in the darkly lit left corner is the
corrupt Taylor. This starts off Capra’s use of the camera to portray the
theme of good versus evil(darkness vs light). We also see that Taylor is
more dominant in the frame because he is standing up, while the other man
is sitting down.

When Smith is finally introduced to the film we see him as vulnerable
using low angle shots. However what struck me the most with introduction of Smith's
character was the use of montage. This sequences caught me off guard,
simply because I’d never really seen the use of montage used in the older
American films(aside from some experimental Russian films). Although the
first time we see the use of overlapping images and shots going in and out
of focuses; its very short just to transition us into Washington.
The next montage happens right after the train ride into Washington, it
begins with just a subtle shot of the congressional dome. Capra chooses
not a wide shot, but just a medium shot of the dome from inside the train
station. Because the shot of the dome does not need to be grandiose, Jeff
just needs to catch a glimpse of it to be captivated. After this the
director shows Jeff going through all of Washington's national monuments
in another montage. This sequence is longer then the first montage, but
this time instead of just merely a transitional tool, it is used to
communicate what Jeff is seeing for the first time and how it is impacting
him.

This montage allows the audience to also feel invigorated by the imagery
of the Washington monuments(the obelisk, Lincoln memorial, the
White House). This is what now fuels Jeff, the history of our country
captured in these beautiful and pure monuments. However in the next scene
we see Smith overshadowed when he walks into the senate building. We first
see a wide shot of the hall from Smith’s POV and then an high angle 3/4
shot of Jeff looking up in awe. The noise and placement of shots, let us
experience how overwhelmed and powerless Jeff is by the senate.
After the senate scene, Smith is humiliated by the press and goes after
the reporters who falsely quoted him.

The next sequence actually caught me a little off guard, because Jeff
seems to be punching anyone reading the newspaper, but then realized these
were the members of the press. So we see another interesting montage
sequence of Jeff seeking revenge on those reporters who humiliated him.
What's interesting about this montage is how Capra ends it. The final
reporter Jeff takes out, there is a ECU of of the ceiling tiles and then a
shot that comes into focus of George Washington(a POV of the news reporter
on the floor). This is used to signify the famous Washington quote “I
shall not tell lie.” since the reporters falsely reported information.
I really appreciated the next scene, because of Capra’s unusual camera
placement . He uses just a close up of Jeff handling his hat behind his
back, as he is talking to the beautiful Susan Paine. We never see they’re
facial expressions, instead just Jeff fidgeting and dropping his hat to
show he has feelings for her. This was an ingenious idea by Capra and his
cinematographer, because instead of just opting for the same old boring
two shot, he shows Jeff’s emotions in a whole new cinematic way. So in
the next scene Jeff decides to start using his power as an senator and
write a bill, with the help of Saunders. What Capra does in the following
shots is place the actors in certain parts of the frame. Saunders his
seasoned secretary sits on a desk higher then Jeff as she explains the
long arduous process of getting a bill approved. Saunder is placed higher
in the frame to show she knows the system and all Jeff can do is sit and
listen.

So Jeff introduces the bill, and causes a commotion among the corrupt
senators who want to see a damn built where Smith wants his boys camp.


Saunders is now feeling depressed over what is happening with Jeff being manipulated.
Capra use’s just one panning shot in the next scene with saunders and her
friend at the bar. Capra just lets this scene play out with no cutting,
just one dolly shot of the two character talking. This is an important
scene because we see saunders overcome with guilt for what she has done to
Jeff and how Capra just lets the scene unfold focusing just on the acting.
Fed up with how things are going Saunders leaves Jeff to fend for
himself, Capra chooses to shoot wide down a dark empty hallway for this
scene. The shot is dark and lonely to emphasize the emotions of Saunders,
who runs off crying.

The next scene has Paine arguing over what to do about Jeff, the camera
pulls back as Paine’s right hand man walks toward the telephone. The
camera slowly goes out of focuses and ends up on Paine's man calling Taylor
who is behind this whole corrupt scheme. I really liked the use of depth
of field and movement, it was a good way to transition between paine’s
argument and his right hand making the call to reveal who is really in
charge. When Jeff finally learns of this corruption within the senate and
senator Paine involvement he is disheartened. The scene is similar to the
scene with Saunders drinking and being depressed, in that Capra just lets
the scene play out with no cuts or fancy camera moves. He just lets the
camera roll continuously and capture the emotions and drama of the scene.
Once Jeff learns of the dirty truth behind politics and all he believes
in, he leaves and goes to the lincoln memorial. Lincoln's face is dark and
covered in the shadows to symbolize the corruption of the American
political system. The camera pans over and follows Jeff into the darkness,
where he sits covered in the shadows a broken man. We now see Jeff in a CU
his face covered in the shadows, then Saunders comes into frame to comfort him. All we see are their silhouettes, not even their facial expressions. The darkness is signifying jeff hiding in the darkness after he has been betrayed by the man he trusted the most, its as if Jeff
has lost everything.



The light of the monument is behind them as they talk. Once Saunders has
convinced Jeff not to give up hope, the camera moves back into the light
where the lincoln statue is. This shows that Jeff has comeback from the
dark and is once again ready to fight for what he believes in.
The next scene is the major filibuster scene where against all odds Jeff
stands his ground on the senate ground and talks for almost 24 hours.
Capra uses the movement only to follow the action so a viewer is expecting
the movement. The camera placement is very noticeable especially during
Smith's filibuster. It starts out looking down at Smith, but by the end of
his speech, it is looking up at him, giving him authority. After this Jeff
faints from exhaustion and Paine overcome with guilt admits his corruption
in the senate.

To close I have to say this film really made me rethink cinematography
in earlier films, Because in most of the Hollywood films we have viewed
were lacking in the cinematography and direction. Capra and his
cinematographer really make sure his choices do something to capture the
underlying themes of the film. Capra has a good balance of what kind of
shots he used, such as his use of montage, camera movement, and shots
where he just lets the camera roll, focusing on the acting. Lighting also
plays a key role in conveying Capra’s ideas and he uses the motif of light
and dark so well. I’m happy that I decided to choose this film, Capra is
definitely a master of film.

Alexi Ward