Director Frank Capra (“It Happened One Night” 1934) put together an enduring movie classic in “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.” It is a rags-to-riches story of small town resident Longfellow Deeds who inherits twenty million dollars from his uncle and must move to New York City to collect it. The screenplay by Robert Riskin has everything: Drama, comedy, romance, and other thrills, chills, and spills.
Gary Cooper is perfect in the title role, with his down-to-earth, every-man persona. This is one of his “champion of the common man” roles, such as in “Meet John Doe” (1941) and “The Pride of the Yankees” (1942). Jean Arthur is slightly devious here as the reporter who slowly works her way into Deeds’ confidence. She would go on to co-star in two other Capra hits: “You Can’t Take It with You” (1938) and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), both with James Stewart.
Co-stars include George Bancroft, Lionel Stander (later famous as majordomo Max on ABC’s “Hart to Hart” 1979-1984), Douglas Dumbrille, H. B. Warner, Raymond Walburn, Ruth Donnelly, Walter Catlett, John Wray, Emma Dunn, Charles Lane, Mayo Methot, and Gustav von Seyffertitz. “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” was a hit at the box office for producer Frank Capra and Columbia Pictures. Frank Capra won the film’s only Oscar for Best Director. Years later Columbia Pictures, as a division of Sony Pictures, would issue a remake called “Mr. Deeds” (2002) starring Adam Sandler.
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
cinema
My Review
Director Frank Capra (“It Happened One Night” 1934) put together an enduring movie classic in “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.” It is a rags-to-riches story of small town resident Longfellow Deeds who inherits twenty million dollars from his uncle and must move to New York City to collect it. The screenplay by Robert Riskin has everything: Drama, comedy, romance, and other thrills, chills, and spills.
Gary Cooper is perfect in the title role, with his down-to-earth, every-man persona. This is one of his “champion of the common man” roles, such as in “Meet John Doe” (1941) and “The Pride of the Yankees” (1942). Jean Arthur is slightly devious here as the reporter who slowly works her way into Deeds’ confidence. She would go on to co-star in two other Capra hits: “You Can’t Take It with You” (1938) and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), both with James Stewart.
Co-stars include George Bancroft, Lionel Stander (later famous as majordomo Max on ABC’s “Hart to Hart” 1979-1984), Douglas Dumbrille, H. B. Warner, Raymond Walburn, Ruth Donnelly, Walter Catlett, John Wray, Emma Dunn, Charles Lane, Mayo Methot, and Gustav von Seyffertitz. “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” was a hit at the box office for producer Frank Capra and Columbia Pictures. Frank Capra won the film’s only Oscar for Best Director. Years later Columbia Pictures, as a division of Sony Pictures, would issue a remake called “Mr. Deeds” (2002) starring Adam Sandler.