Mr.Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur

Mr.Deeds Goes to Town is a romantic comedy film made in 1936, directed by Frank Capra and starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. It is light-hearted and funny whilst dealing with broader, serious themes of social justice, innocence and corruption in public affairs, and the ability of the little man to make a difference in public life.

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Capra's first choice for the Babe Bennett role was Carole Lombard and Jean Arthur was brought in when Lombard pulled out three days before production. It was the first of three films which Jean Arthur would make for Frank Capra and it helped to make her a major Hollywood star. The movie opened in New York to luke warm reviews but was well received by the paying public and was one of the ten highest grossing movies of that year. The New York Film Critics and the National Board of Review named it the "Best Picture of 1936". The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor and won one - Best Director for Frank Capra. It was Capra's second Oscar, after he received the Best Director Award for 'It Happened One Night' in 1934. Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper) inherits the $20 million estate of his multi-millionaire uncle, but is convinced that the money will do him no good and tries to give it aways. The lawyers immediately take him to court, claiming he is insane, but, helped by a cynical reporter, Babe Bennett (Jean Arthur), his idealism triumphs in the end. The movie was one of the first of the 'screwball' genre and is filled with bright comic moments such as Deeds playing the tuba to clear his mind, or feeding donuts to horses. It is a hymn to the simple old-style country life and nicely explores the theme of innocence and corruption, and the ability of the common man to make a difference in a democracy.