Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - full transcript

[♪♪♪]

"Senator Samuel Foley dead."

Died here at Saint Vincent's.

"At the bedside was political
sidekick Senator Joseph Paine."

Long distance?

Joseph Paine speaking. I want
the governor's residence, Jackson City.

Hello? Oh, Joe!

Oh, no!
Couldn't have happened at a worse time.

Call Jim Taylor. Tell him
I'm on a plane for home.

Yes, Joe, yes. Right away.

What is it?



Sam Foley's dead.
Great saints!

Of all times,
Foley had to go and die on us.

Who are you calling?
Taylor, my dear.

What's up, Happy?
Sam Foley died tonight.

That's too bad.

Well, don't get excited.
Is Paine coming?

Yes, Jim. Yes, Jim.

Yes, Jim.

He'd drop dead
if you ever said no.

No, my dear, this is no time for jokes.

I've got to appoint a new senator.
The governor will see all committees.

Tell him I won't wait any longer.
Yes, Mr. Edwards.

Probably got Taylor in there,
telling him what to do.

HOPPER:
Tell them to wait.
I'll see them immediately.



I've got to see those citizens,
I can't put them off.

They'll want something to say about
who takes Foley's place.

Ten to one they've got a man.
Relax, Happy.

Stop having kittens.

Go and tell Jim Taylor and Joe Paine,

I give them one minute
to make up their minds.

You go tell Jim Taylor.

I will tell him.

It's high time I told Jim Taylor
a thing or two.

If you and Joe gab any longer
about this appointment,

I'll see those committees.
You'll see them when we're finished.

Yes, Jim. But hurry, will you?
Yes, we'll hurry. We'll hurry.

That's telling him, Happy, old boy.

Jim, with this Willet Creek Dam
coming up,

the man who takes Foley's place

can't ask any questions
or talk out of turn.

Got to be absolutely sure.
That's why I say Horace Miller.

He'll take orders all right.

Suppose we don't try to go through
with this dam.

Suppose we postpone it
until next session of Congress.

Or drop it altogether.
That'd be a crime, Joe.

After all the work we put in on it?

Getting it buried in this Deficiency Bill
as nicely as you please.

Having it approved.
It's rolling along.

Like taking candy from a baby.

Is it worth the risk of a scandal,
with a new man in the Senate?

Worth the risk?

What's the matter with you?

Where you're concerned,
I wouldn't take the slightest risk,

especially with your great reputation
in the Senate.

Here, look.

Look at the campaign
I started for you
in all my papers.

A little obscure,
isn't it?

I don't know. Maybe.

[CHUCKLES]

But after all,
you're the logical man
from the West

for the national ticket.

At the convention,
anything can happen.

Jim, if what you say is possible,

why not do as I say
and drop things like this dam?

We can't do it, Joe.

We've been quietly
buying all the land
around that dam

and holding it in dummy names.

If we drop it now,
it'll bring about an investigation.

It'll show that we're going to sell it
to the state

under phony names.

The smartest thing for us to do

is to push this dam through

and get it over with.

All right, appoint Miller.
If you're sure he'll take orders.

Don't worry. He'll take orders.

Come on.

HOPPER:
Just a minute.
Just one more minute!

We've got your man.

Horace Miller.
Horace Miller?

A born stooge!

Horace will perform like a trained seal.

What did I tell you?

If I throw a party man like Miller...

For reasons I can't go into,
it's got to be him.

Do you understand?
Now make out your ticket.

Come on.

But I've got to see those
angry committees first.

Work for harmony. Harmony!

In considering candidates
who might have the high qualifications

of U.S. senator,

one name shone out like a beacon,

the Honorable Horace Miller.

[CROWD PROTESTING]

A party man. He's Taylor's stooge!
Please!

New Citizens Committee
won't stand for this!

So they named
their own candidate, eh?

Who?

You won't like him.
Come on, who?

Henry Hill.
Henry Hill, that crackpot?

You should've killed that so fast...

I couldn't.

Those men were...
Never mind.

You forget about them.

That bunch is out
for blood. If I...

I said forget about them.

Horace Miller goes to the Senate,
and that settles it.

I won't send Horace Miller.

You won't?
No, I won't.

I won't let you callously
wreck my whole political future.

Your political future?

I bought it for you as a present.

I can grab it back so fast
it'll make your head swim.

You've got a nerve to sit and worry
about your future

when we're in a spot
like this.

The man is Miller.

Hello, Dad.

[CHILDREN CHATTERING]

What's the matter?
Is it getting you down?

Is what getting me down?
You're in a deuce of a pickle.

Looks like Henry Hill or else.

It's Horace Miller or else.
Peter!

I wouldn't appoint a twerp like Miller,
Taylor or no Taylor.

May I ask
what Taylor has to do with this?

He's still running the show, ain't he?

I won't have conversation of this sort
carried on at dinner.

Why don't you listen to them
for a change?

No doubt they can make
this appointment for me with ease.

That's easy. Jefferson Smith.
I beg your pardon?

Jefferson Smith.
He's the only senator to have.

He ought to be President.

I like Jeff Smith.
Me too.

You too?
Now everybody's been heard from.

Forgive my ignorance, but I don't know
him from a hole in the ground.

Gosh, head of the Boy Rangers!
Oh, a boy?

No, Dad. Jeff's a man. Jeff Smith.

Biggest expert we got in wild game...

Right now he's the greatest hero
we ever had.

It's all over the headlines.

Didn't you see about the forest fire
all around Sweetwater?

I did. What about it?

Jeff put that out himself.
Himself?

If you really want a senator...
I do not want a senator.

I do not want any more nonsense.
He's the greatest American we got.

He can tell you
what George Washington said, by heart.

And Stuff has the swellest stuff in it.
What "stuff"?

Boys' Stuff. The name of Jeff's paper.
He prints it. Look, here's one.

It's great. Everybody reads it.

All the kids in the state.
A million of them. Let me read...

I'm in no mood
to listen to childish prattle.

CHILDREN: Prattle?
You're all wet.

You couldn't do better.

Better than what?
Jeff for senator.

Emma, if you please!
Want to get out of a pickle, don't you?

Always looking for votes, aren't you?

Here's 50,000 kids, two folks each,
and they vote.

If you want to do some good
in this state...

If you're ever going to stand up
like a man...

That settles it!

I won't be belittled by my own children
in my own home.

All my nerves are strained
to the breaking point!

EMMA: Oh, Shubert.
Henry Hill...

Horace Miller...

Miller? Hill?

Hill? Miller?

Heads, Hill.

Tails, Miller.

[COIN DROPS]

That's good enough for me.

[MARCHING MUSIC
PLAYING LOUDLY]

Good evening.
Oh.

Is Jefferson Smith at home?

Won't you step in?

A Boy Ranger to the U.S. Senate?
Listen.

The simpleton of all times.
A big-eyed patriot.

Knows Lincoln
and Washington by heart.

Stands at attention
in the governor's presence.

Collects stray boys and cats.

He does what?

You know, a perfect man.

Never in politics in his life.

Wouldn't know what it's all about
in 2 years, let alone 2 months.

The important thing,

this was the genius of the stroke,

it means votes.

The hero of 50,000 boys
and 100,000 parents.

Look over those congratulations
pouring in.

I tell you, gentlemen...

You made this appointment
without asking me.

When lightning strikes...

You didn't ask me.
Oh, Jim!

Now wait a minute, Jim.

Happy may have
hit on something here.

There, you see?

Do you really think you can
handle him in Washington?

Do you think it's all right?

I think it's all right.

A young patriot,

recites Lincoln and Jefferson,

turned loose in our nation's capitol.

Yeah, I think it's all right.

Chick.

Turn the ballyhoo boys loose.
It's the greatest appointment ever made.
Give a banquet and declare a holiday.

A star-spangled banquet!
Wow.

[THE "STAR-SPANGLED BANNER"
PLAYING]

[AUDIENCE CHEERING
AND APPLAUDING]

HOPPER:
And how did your governor
confer that honor?

Did he give it to some wealthy
citizen, merely to curry favor?

CROWD: No!
HOPPER: No!

Did he give it to some
unworthy political hireling?

CROWD:
No!

HOPPER:
No! What did he do?

He went down

among the people.

And there he found...

a nugget.

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

It is in that spirit
that we're here tonight

to acclaim and wish Godspeed
to Senator...

Jefferson Smith.

[CROWD APPLAUDING
AND BAND PLAYING]

Thank you.

Uh...

I can't help feeling

that there's been a big mistake
somehow.

[CROWD LAUGHING]

Of course, I never could see

why we needed two senators
from this state

when we have a man like
Joseph Harrison Paine

representing us.

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

He doesn't remember me.

He knew my father very well.

Clayton Smith.

They...

went to school together.
They were very good friends.

[JEFF MUMBLING]

Just to sit here with him

is a very great honor for me

because I remember Dad
used to tell me that

Joe Paine was the finest man
he ever knew.

[CROWD APPLAUDING
AND CHEERING]

Go on, get up. Take a bow!

I don't think I'll be much help to you
down there in Washington, senator.

[CROWD LAUGHING]

I'll do my best.

Although with all my might,

I can promise you one thing:

I'll do nothing to disgrace
the office of

United States Senate.

[CROWD CHEERING
AND MARCHING BAND PLAYING]

[BLOWS WHISTLE]

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

[BLOWS WHISTLE]

Senator Jefferson Smith,

the Boy Rangers are very proud

to take this opportun...

Occasion!

We are happy to take this opportunity...

To present...
To resent this

small token
of our affection and esteem

to the best...
Friend.

Friend!

Aww. Heck. It's a briefcase, Jeff.

We all pitched in.

BOY:
For to carry your laws
when you get to Washington.

[CROWD SINGING
"AULD LANG SYNE"]

♪ Should auld acquaintance
be forgot ♪

♪ And never brought to mind ♪

[TALKING INDISTINCTLY]

♪ Should auld acquaintance
be forgot ♪

♪ And days of auld lang syne ♪

♪ For auld lang syne,
my dear ♪

♪ For auld lang syne ♪♪

It isn't much,
but if you insist, here's this week's.

Boys' Stuff.
Why, printer's ink runs in your veins.

You're just like your father.

Thank you, sir.
Even to the hat.

Same old dreamer too.

One look at you and I can see him,

back at his roll-top desk,
hat and all, getting out his paper.

Always kept his hat on
so as to be ready to do battle.

Clayton Smith, editor and publisher.

And champion of lost causes.

Dad used to say the only causes
worth fighting for were the lost causes.

You don't have to tell me.

We were a team, the two of us.

Struggling editor
and the struggling lawyer.

The twin champions of lost causes,
they called us.

Ma's told me about it a thousand times.

His last fight was his best, Jeff.

He and his little four-page paper

against that mining syndicate.

All to defend the right of one
small miner who stuck to his claim.

They tried everything.

Bribery,

intimidation.

And then...

[MUTTERS]

Ma found him slumped over his desk
that morning.

Shot in the back.

I was there.

I can see him.

At that old roll-top desk.

Still with his hat on.

[♪♪♪]

Still with his hat on.

I know.

I suppose, Mr. Paine,

when a fellow bucks up
against a big organization like that,

one man by himself
can't get very far, can he?

No.

Washington, huh?

Yes, senator, for the fifth time.
Washington.

I'd better see about my pigeons.

The porter has them.

Just a second.
I'd better make sure.

Joe, my head's like a balloon.

Two whole days! I never knew
there was so much American history.

They're all right.

That's fine. That ends that crisis.

Come along, senator.

Hello, Father! Ha-ha-ha.

WOMAN 1: I saw!
WOMAN 2: He's mine!

Oh, let me get to him.
Let me get to him.

Susan, this is...

I don't care to meet him
till I get my money.

A dollar each, please,
for the milk fund.

That's $5.
Yes.

You've got $5, haven't you?

Can't seem to find anything
except keys.

Jeff, this is my daughter Susan
and her friends.

Not the new senator?
He's marvelous.

What have you got there, senator?
They're pigeons.

To carry messages back to Ma.
It's just for fun.

The one that makes it home
in the best time
I'll enter in the Nationals.

MAN 1: Joe!
MAN 2: Hello, Chick.

Hello, Joe.
Carl, how are you?

Glad to see you, Bill.

Jeff, come here.

Meet Cook and Griffith,
from State Headquarters.

Great pleasure.
You'll do the old state proud.

Welcome. The wildlife here is
different from what you're used to.
They wear high heels.

[MEN LAUGHING]

We must see a lot of you

and your little feathered friends.
Thank you very much.

Come on, Father.
Oh, yeah.

Uh, uh, Chick.

I've got him. We'll be along.

Good luck, senator.

WOMAN:
Goodbye.

Things sure happen fast
around here.

You'll have to get yourself
out of low gear.

Let's get these bags and livestock.

Okay, Chick.

Look, there it is!

Who? What?

The Capitol dome.

Yes, sir, big as life.

Been there a long time now.

Yes, sir.

This way, senator.

We thought we'd
meet him in short pants

with hatchets.

Taxi.

[BLOWS WHISTLE]

What's he bringing pigeons for?
What for?

Suppose there's a storm.
The lines are down.

How you going to get messages
back to Ma?

This way, senator.

Where is he?

Senator?

I told that Cookie to...

Let's find him. Senator!

Senator Smith?

Positively not in the station.
What happened?

Did you look in the...?
Yeah.

I'll brain that guy.

Call Paine. Call Saunders.

Call the Marines. Call somebody!

Saunders? McGann.

Has Smith showed up
at his office there yet?

What do you mean, the slip?
What's so funny?

Nothing.
Why don't you try a butterfly net?

If he does show up, Paine's waiting
at the hotel with newspapermen.

Let him know right away.
Understand?

I'll hang a light in the belfry.
One if by land and two if by sea.

Diz? What do you think?
DIZ: Yeah.

Daniel Boone's lost.
No.

Lost in the wilds of Washington.

If your boyfriend's going to blaze trails,
I'm going to the press club.

He might want us to
put on short pants and go hiking.

You wouldn't want to miss the exercise.

When I think of exercise, I lie down
until the feeling leaves me.

Wouldn't it be funny if he was lost?
The Boy Ranger?

Oh, he'll show up.
He must have a compass with him.

Where would I go
if I were a Boy Ranger?

Boy, am I tired. I'm all in!

Call all the hospitals.
And get me a bed while you're at it!

Boss, will you hold this a minute?

Thank you, sir.

Here! Come back here!

[♪♪♪]

[RINGING]

[♪♪♪]

BOY:
- that from these honored dead
we take

increased devotion that
that cause for which they

gave the last full measure
of devotion,

that we here highly...

MAN: Resolve.
BOY: Resolve

that these dead
shall not have died in vain.

That this nation,

under God,
shall have a new birth of...

Freedom.

BOY:
Freedom.

And that government, of the people,

by the people, for the people,

shall not perish from the earth.

[♪♪♪]

[RINGING]

Why don't they try the police?

Call out some bloodhounds,

or Indian guides.

One place he knows
is the Senate office.
You stay there and wait.

All right, another half-hour.

Just one half-hour. Goodbye.

Oh, why don't I quit?

Eight to five,
little boy blue's plastered.

When Foley died,
why didn't I clear out?

How many times have I said
I'm fed up with politics and I...

No, I let them talk me into staying.

Secretary to a leader of little squirts.

Why? Because I need the job
and a new suit of clothes.

Would you settle for a husband?

I sure would. Heh.

Huh?
You know my old standing offer.

Diz Moore,
poet of Washington correspondents.

Oh, that again.
I'd cherish you,

and I'd stay sober.

Diz, you're a wonderful egg.

I don't know, maybe if I saw you once
with your hair combed or something...

I don't think even that would do it.

No point in combing
my hair for nothing.

"Honorary appointment."

Scratch this and you'll find they need
a dope here for a couple of months.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Yes?

Yes!

What do you want?

Office of Jefferson Smith?
No.

The man downstairs said...
No!

They sure must have
picked the prize dummy...

Say, wait a minute!

That wouldn't be Daniel Boone?

Say, mister, what's your name?
Jefferson Smith.

Oh, yes, please, come right in,
Mr. Smith. This way.

Come in. Now, hold everything.
Stay there. Now, don't move!

Helen! Get me the Madison.
Senator Paine.

Hurry up, will you?

Is anything the matter?
Oh, no. No.

My dear senator,

it may be customary out on
the prairie to take leave of people

and not show up for five hours...

I'm very sorry about that, Miss Sau...

You are Miss Saunders, aren't you?

Yes, and this is Mr. Moore,
member of the press.

Mr. Moore, meet the senator.
I'm very happy to know you.

Well, I see you cut your way
through that forest.

Senator Paine. We've got him!

Came in on his own power,
and he's sober.

Next thing on the schedule,
I'll have him over there.

Now...
I'm awfully sorry.

It wasn't until I was well along
on the bus that...

Did you say bus?

It was one of those
sightseers, you know?

And, uh,

I've never been called
absent-minded before

but there it was, all of a sudden.

It was staring at me
through the station doors.

There what was?

The dome. The Capitol dome.

As big as life, sparkling away
under the old sun out there.

And I...

I just

started to go toward it.

There was a bus outside and...

I just naturally got aboard.

Most natural thing in the world.
Yeah.

I don't think I've ever been so
thrilled in my whole life.

And that Lincoln Memorial!

Gee whiz!

Why, Mr. Lincoln, there he is.

He's looking right straight
at you as you come up those steps.

Just sitting there, like he was
waiting for somebody to come along.

Yeah. Well, he's got nothing on me.

Oh, I'm sorry.

If you're ready, we'll go to the hotel.

Senator Paine's waiting for you.

Uh-huh.

This is my office?

No, you'll have a private office.

In there.
Private office?

Uh-huh.

In there?

Right in this door?

All right, now, senator...

Where is he? Has he gone out again?
No, no.

He's in there.

I'll see you later.

I got to go out
and drink this over.

Whose statue's that?

I wouldn't know, in the daytime.

You wouldn't? Oh, look!

Look at the Capitol dome!
It's all lighted up.

You better relax, senator.
You'll get yourself plum wore out.

Gee whiz! So many things
happening all at once.

Miss Saunders,
what time does the Senate...

Convene?
Convene. Convene. What time?

Twelve noon.
Twelve noon, huh?

Oh, boy, that'll be something!

You know what I better do
in the morning?

No, what had you better?

I think I better go out
to Mount Vernon.

Be sort of a fine thing to do.

Visit Washington's home before walking
into the Senate for the first time.

Think it's a good idea?
Wonderful! Puts you right in the mood.

Uh-huh.

What's that? What's that? Oh.

Movie houses.

Hi, Saunders.

I'm still asking myself, what is he:

Animal, vegetable or mineral?
Maybe an oyster.

When I think of myself playing straight
for that phony, patriotic chatter. Me!

Carrying bibs for an infant
with little flags in his fists.

I can't take it, Diz.
I quit. I'm through.

Now take it easy.
Simmer down. Here.

Take this.

Know what he's doing tomorrow
before taking the Senate seat?

Going up to Mount Vernon

to get in the mood. A warm-up.
Who? Your boss?

A nut! I knew there was
a story in him. I smelled it!

Go chase an ambulance.

It's meat and drink to me.
Let me at him five minutes.

I'll make it right with you.
What do you mean "right"?

I'll tell you what I'll do.
World Series. A pass!

In a month it'll be worth 15 bucks.

Well!
You're not talking to this guy.

Eh. What do you say?
Nothing. Beat it.

How would your pals
like to get in on this?

Hey, I want a scoop.
Beat it!

That's out. Either it's lots of
reporters and tickets, or...

Better call him before
I change my mind.

Okay. I'll see you right here.

What are you going to do?

Get my whole fall outfit
and quit this job in style.

You've got more sense
than to put Nosey on to that guy.

MAN 1: That's it!
MAN 2: Open your eyes! Open your eyes!

[MEN CLAMORING]

MAN 3:
Tell us about yourself.

MAN 4:
I hear you got a boys' club, senator.

Any special ax to grind?

Ax?
You know.

Pet idea. Save the buffaloes,
pension bill.

You must have one idea that would
be good for the country.

Well, I have got one idea.

That's what we want.

For the last couple years,
I've thought it would be

a wonderful idea to have
a national boys' camp in our state.

MAN 5:
Boys' camp? Sure. Very good!

If we could get
poor kids off the streets,

out of the cities for
a few months in the summer

and let them learn something
about nature,

American ideals...

Marvelous.

What would it
cost the government?

Nothing. Nothing at all.
You see,

the government just
lends us the money for the camp,

and then the boys

pay it back by sending pennies,
nickels, nothing more than a dime.

MAN 6:
That's really something.

Oh, no, no. Government's got
enough on its hands already...

The government's
putting too much dough

in too many places now, boys.

Well, now, senator, tell me,

what do you think of
the girls in this town?

Down at the station, four of them

kissed me when I got off the train.

[ALL LAUGH]

Were they pretty?
Pretty?

That Miss Susan Paine

is about the prettiest I ever saw.

Senator,
you got a good eye!

MAN 7:
How about some more pictures?

You're a nature lover,

can you handle sign language?

I could manage, if...

What about birdcalls?
You know any?

Can you make a sound like an eagle?
How about a bobwhite?

Here's one.
I'm the only one in the state

[TRILLING]

[REPORTERS CHATTERING]

[♪♪♪]

His "First 'Whiff' of Washington"?

Do I actually see this?

What is it?

Did you want to see me?
What's this I hear about your quitting?

I'm not a nurse.
Stop being funny.

How'd this happen?
I haven't the slightest idea.

Yes, you have. How'd it happen?
I merely took him home.

I didn't tuck him in.
That's McGann's job.

McGann just phoned.
Smith's gone again.
Do you know where?

He went to Mount Vernon
to give himself a patriotic address.

That's fine.

Now you go back to Smith's office

and get him to the Senate by 12:00.

Senator, I wasn't given a brain

just to tell a Boy Ranger the time.
Don't be a fool.

If certain things happen,

you'll get one of the biggest jobs
in Washington.

When I came here, my eyes were
big blue question marks.

Now they're big green dollar marks.

Smart girl, eh?

Finish this job properly
and you'll get a bonus.

I mean, keep Smith away

from anything that
smacks of politics.

Including Willet Creek Dam?

Including Willet Creek Dam.

Now go back to your work.

This is it, senator.

The United States Senate.
Uh-huh. Come on.

Mr. Carson,
Senator Smith.

How do you do?
How do you do, senator?

Page! Glad to see you.
Thank you.

Show Senator Smith to his seat.
Yes, sir. Right this way, sir.

Well, goodbye.
Oh.

Wish me luck.
Sure.

Bye.
Bye.

So that's
the boy wonder?

I don't know
what the Senate's coming to.

Hi, Diz.
DIZ: Hello, Saunders.

Daryl, Sweeney.
Hi, Saunders.

I see you got Daniel Boone
in all right.

Daniel in the lion's den.

Nice job you and the
ambulance chasers did
in the papers this morning.

Did you like it?
Great.

BOY:
Here you are, Senator.

Not a bad desk, either.

Daniel Webster used to use it.

Daniel Webster sat here?

Holy mackerel!

Give you something to shoot at,
if you figure on doing any talking.

I'm just going to sit and listen.
That's the way to get re-elected.

This is the calendar for the day.

You'll find this
and a manual, in here.

Anything else you want,
just snap for a page.

Where's the majority leader?
Majority leader?

Right over there. Senator Agnew.

That's Senator Barnes,
the minority leader.

Where's the press gallery?

There,
above the vice president's chair.

Those in the front row
represent the big news services.

What's up there?

That's for guides and sightseers

who come in for five minutes
at a time to rest their feet.

That section is reserved
for the senators' friends.

Front row, the empty one,
is for the President and his guests.

JEFF:
Oh. I see.

Over the clock
is the diplomatic section.

They and the pageboys
are the only real class we have here.

Thanks so much.
I'll take your hat to the cloakroom.

I'd like to give you
a Boy Ranger button.

Swell!

What's your name?
Richard Jones.

Thanks ever so much.

Good luck, senator.
Keep your left up.

See you in the White House, Joe.
You're not kidding!

[ALL LAUGHING]

Jeff.
Hello, senator.

I was in committee.
That's all right, sir.

I see you had a little publicity.
Hmm?

Have you got your credentials?
Oh...

Miss Saunders gave them to me.

Is that right?

That's fine.

When the vice president
calls you,

I'll meet you in the center aisle.
Center aisle.

Good luck.
Uh-huh.

This is Daniel Webster's desk.
Did you know that?

Mm-hm. He won't mind.

Well.

PRESIDENT:
The Senate will come to order.

Chaplain will pray.

CHAPLAIN:
Oh, God, our Heavenly Father,

in these critical days

when our beloved country labors
with such grave problems,

look upon us

and give us the strength
to be just and merciful

so we may best serve our people

and our fellow men everywhere.

Amen.

[GAVEL BANGS]

PRESIDENT: Clerk will read...
Mr. President,

I ask unanimous consent the reading
of the journal be dispensed with.

Is there objection?

Journal stands approved.

Mr. President.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.
PRESIDENT: Clerk will call the roll.

CLERK: Mr. Agnew.
AGNEW: Here.

CLERK: Mr. Albert.
ALBERT: Here.

CLERK: Mr. Alfred.
ALFRED: Here.

88 senators have answered
to their names, all as present.

Mr. President.
Senator Paine.

I present the credentials
of Honorable Jefferson Smith

who has just been appointed
by the governor of my state.

The designate is present.

I ask that the oath of office be
administered at this time.

The senator designate
will present himself.

The oath will be administered.

Mr. President,

I rise to a question of order.
Here it comes.

I seek to ascertain if the gentleman
about to be sworn in is aware
of the responsibilities of his office.

I refer to his
shameless performance

for the newspapers.

A versatile performance,
I grant you,

and one that his party,
no doubt, will applaud.

[CROWD LAUGHING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

But one that brings his rank

to the level
of a sideshow entertainer

and reflects on the sincerity,
if not the sanity,

of the highest body
of lawmakers in the land.

I seek to learn if this
is the gentleman's conception

of the nature of his office.
I don't understand.

The designate has no voice here
until taking the oath of office.

Mr. President,
I will answer the gentleman.

My colleague was innocent
in this matter.

He was completely misquoted.

I know Jefferson Smith, and I will
personally vouch for him.

He has the greatest respect
for his office

and for these gentleman.
Mr. President.

[GAVEL BANGS]

The swearing in of the senator
designate is the order of business.

The gentleman will raise
his right hand.

Do you swear to support

and defend the Constitution
of the United States

against all enemies,
foreign and domestic,

and that you will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same?

That you take this obligation freely,

without mental reservation
or purpose of evasion,

and that you will faithfully
discharge the duties of this office,

so help you God?

I do.

Senator, you can talk
all you want to now.

[CROWD MURMURING]

PAINE:
Meet the majority leader.
He'll be a good friend to you.

How do you do, sir?

Any friend of Joe's
is a friend of mine.

Don't worry about the others,
they're just senators.

[CHUCKLES]

MACPHERSON: Mr. President.
PRESIDENT: Senator MacPherson.

MACPHERSON:
The shameless way the
Deficiency Bill has been delayed

is nothing short of criminal.

Government agencies are
in desperate need of these funds.

The prime business of this body
is the immediate passage...

[♪♪♪]

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

Hello, Nosey. Who let you in here?
Why aren't you chasing ambulances?

Smith's punching everybody
he meets. I just got away.

Uh-oh. Tarzan!

[CHATTERING]

Boys, meet Senator Smith.

[ALL LAUGHING]

You act like
something's on your mind.

Why don't you tell the people
the truth?

MAN: The truth?
MEN: He wants the truth!

The man wants the truth.

"'What is the truth? '
said jesting Pilate,

and would not stay for an answer."

How do you want it?
Dished out or in a bottle?

People pick up their papers,
and what do they read?

This morning they read that
a clown arrived in Washington,

parading like
a member of the Senate.

[MEN LAUGHING & CHATTERING]

If you thought as much about being
honest as you do about being smart...

We're the only ones who can
be honest in what we tell the voters.

We don't have to be re-elected,
like politicians.

We tell them when phonies and
crackpots come here to make their laws.

If you want the truth,
why are you in the Senate?

What do you know
about making laws?
Or what the people need?

I don't pretend to know.
Then what are you doing in the Senate?

What's he doing?
Why, honorary appointment!

[ALL LAUGHING]

When the country needs men who know
and have courage as it never did before.

He's going to decorate a chair
and get honored.

MAN:
But he'll vote! Just like
his colleague tells him to.

Like a Christmas tiger,
he'll nod his head and vote

ALL:
"Yes!"

You're not a senator.

You're an honorary stooge.
You ought to be shown up.

Have a drink, senator?
MAN: It'll taste better than the truth.

[ALL LAUGHING]

Hey, senator.

Don't let it get you down.

A hundred years from now,
nobody'll know the difference.

JEFF:
The point is, sir, they're right.

I'm just sitting in the Senate,
decorating a chair.

If I'm going to vote, I ought
to study the bills that are coming up.

The bills?

Yes, sir. Otherwise, I'm just
a Christmas tiger, like they said.

These bills are put together
by legal minds after long study.

I can't understand half of them
myself, and I was a lawyer.

Come on. Forget it. When the time
comes, I'll advise you how to vote.

I know you will. That's the point.

There's no reason
for me to be here.

Didn't you say something
about wanting to create
a national boys' camp?

You were in earnest, weren't you?
Yes, I was.

Why don't you do it?
There's a job for you.

Get a bill started.
Present it to Congress.

It will be great experience.

Senator Paine,
I've been aching to mention it to you.

If I could do that one thing
while I'm here, I'd feel...

What's to stop you?
Saunders will help you.

Well, I'll do it. I will!

I knew if anyone could help me,
you could.

Thank you again for your time.
Good night.

Where are you running off to?

I'm anxious to get back to the office.
SUSAN: Father.

Oh. The man on the front page!

He just dropped in for a minute.
How do you do, senator?

How do you do,
Miss Paine?

I'm on my way to the office.

How are the pigeons?
They're fine.

I miss the dear little things.

I released one this morning with a letter.

He flew right straight up in the air
to get his bearings.

He went around the Capitol dome,
then headed west, like a bat out of...

Just like a rifle shot.

I suppose by about this time,

he's probably over Kentucky.

Isn't that wonderful,
Father?

And was the letter
to your girl?

No, I don't have a girl.

Don't you think I'd better
hold this for you?

No, I think I'd better go.

Good night.

Doggone!

It's all right, sir.

That's all right, my boy.
Don't bother.

Gee, I'm sorry.

Good night.
Good night, Jeff.

SUSAN:
Good night.

[LAUGHS]

Oh, Father!

Dear me!
At the expense of some of the furniture,

you've made another conquest.
Not old Honest Abe!

And with Honest Abe's ideals.

A rare man these days, Susan.

We're going ahead with it.
Ahead with what?

My bill for a national boys' camp.
Where's my briefcase?

Do I understand
that you're going to present a bill?

Senator Paine and I decided...

Senator Paine decided with you?

I should have
been the one to think of it.

My dear senator, have you the faintest
idea how to get a bill passed?

No. You're going to help me.

If I were triplets I could.

Senator Paine said you'd help me.

What do we have to have?

Look, do you mind

if I give you a rough idea
what you're up against?

No, go ahead.

Well, a senator has a bill in mind,
like your camp, right?

Right.
Fine. What does he do?

He has to sit down and write it.

The why, when, where,
how and everything else.

That takes time.
But this one is so simple.

Oh, I see. This one's simple.

And with your help...
Oh, I'm helping.

Simple, and I'm helping, so we knock it
off in record time, say three or four days.

Oh, a day.

A day?
Yes, just tonight.

Tonight. I don't want to complain

but in civilized countries
there's an institution called "dinner."

Oh. I'm sort of hungry myself.

Couldn't we have some stuff brought
in on trays, like big executives?

Oh, sure. Mm-hm.

Dinner comes in on trays.

We light into this...

And we finish the bill before morning.

It's dawn.

Your bill is ready. You introduce it.
How?

You get to your feet, take a breath,
and start spouting.

Not too loud. A couple of
the senators might want to sleep.

A curly-headed pageboy
takes it to the desk

where a clerk reads it,
refers it to a committee...

Committee, huh? Why?
Committee.

Committees. Small groups
of senators have to sift a bill down,

study it,
and report to the Senate.

Can't take a bill
nobody ever heard of

and discuss it among 96 men.
Where would you get?

I see that.

Good. Now, where are we?

Some committee's got it.

Days are going by, senator.

Days, weeks!

Finally, they think it's quite a bill.

It goes to the House of Representatives
for a vote

but waits its turn on the calendar.
Calendar?

That's the order of business.

Your bill has to stand back in line

unless the steering committee...
What's that?

Steering committee?

Do you really think
we're getting anywhere?

Tell me, what's
the steering committee?

Committee of the majority party leaders.

They decide when a bill is important
enough to be at the head of the list.

Well, this is.

Pardon me. This is.

Where are we now?
Over in the House.

Oh, yeah. House.

More amendments, more changes,
and the bill goes back to the Senate.

The Senate doesn't like
what the House did;
they make more changes.

The House doesn't like
those changes. Stymied.

So?

So they appoint men from each House
to go into a huddle

called a conference,
and they battle it out.

Finally, if your bill is still alive
after all this vivisection,

it comes to a vote.

Yes, sir!
The big day finally arrives

and Congress adjourns.

Catching on, senator?

Uh-huh.

Shall we start right away
or order dinner first?

Pardon me?
I said, shall we start...

Oh, sure.

Why not?

Do you mind if I take the time
to go get a pencil?

Go right ahead!
Thank you very much.

Go right ahead.
And lots of paper too.

Now, the... Doggone it!

Ever have so much to say about
something, you just couldn't say it?

Try sitting down.
I did. I got right back up.

Let's get down to particulars.

How big is this thing? Where is it?

How many boys will it accommodate?

You've got to have all that
in it, you know?

Yeah. And something else,
Miss Saunders.

The spirit of it. The idea.

How do you say it?

That's what's got to be in it.
What?

The Capitol dome.

On paper?

I want to make that come to life
for every boy in this land.

Yes, and all lighted up
like that too.

You see, boys forget
what their country means

by just reading
"the land of the free" in history books.

They get to be men
and forget even more.

Liberty is too precious a thing
to be buried in books, Miss Saunders.

Men should hold it up in front of them
every single day of their lives and say,

I'm free

to think and to speak.

My ancestors couldn't. I can...

and my children will.

Boys ought to grow up
remembering that.

And that steering committee,
they've got to see it like that.

I know Senator Paine will do
all he can to help me, because...

He's a wonderful man, isn't he?

He knew my father real well.
He did?

We need a lot more like him.
His kind of character, his ideals.

Um... Let's get on with this.

Oh, yes.
This camp's out in your state?

About 200 of the most beautiful
acres that ever were.

Ever been out in that country?
No.

I've been over every single foot of it.
You have to see it yourself.

I don't know. The prairies,
and wind leaning on the tall grass,

lazy streams down in the meadows,

angry little midgets of water
up in the mountains.

Cattle moving down the slope,
against the sun.

Campfires

and snowdrifts...

Everybody ought to have some
of that, sometime in his life.

My dad had the right idea.

He had it all worked out.

He used to say to me, "Son,

don't miss the wonders
that surround you.

Because every tree, every rock,
every anthill, every star

is filled with
the wonders of nature."

He used to say to me:

"Did you ever notice how grateful
you are to see daylight

after coming through
a long, dark tunnel?"

"Well," he'd say, "always try to see
life around you

as if you just came
out of a tunnel."

Where did you come from?

I guess I've always lived
in a tunnel.

You mean here?

Baltimore. Pure city dweller.

Have you always had to work?

Since I was about 16.

Sixteen?
I take it your parents couldn't...

No, Father was a doctor.

He thought more of ethics
than he did of collections.

Speaks well for Father,
but it wasn't so...

Now, look, we'd better get back to this.

Hasn't been easy, has it?

No complaints.

For a woman, you've done awfully well.

Have I?

I've never known anyone as capable
and intelligent...

I don't know where I'd be in this
bill if it wasn't for your help.

I don't know where you are with it.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yes. Now.

Gee whiz, we've got to get
going with this.

All right, now, let's see.

Everybody calls you just plain
"Saunders." Why can't I?

Go right ahead.
Saunders.

Oh. That's much better.

"Hello, Saunders."
"Good morning, Saunders."

"How's the bill coming, Saunders?"
Terrible, thank you.

Anyway, I got that "Saunders" business
straightened out.

All right, now! I...

What's your first name?

Why?

Everybody calls you
just "Saunders."

I also answer to whistles.

You've got a first name?

Yes, but we just better forget about it.

All right, all right.

Uh... I was just curious.

A picture popped into my mind of
a pump without a handle or something.

Uh... Of course, I know what it is.
Violet.

[LAUGHS]

No, it isn't.
Abigail?

No.
Letitia?

No.
Lena?

No. Now, stop it.
You might as well tell me.

I've got a lot more.
All right. You win.

It's Clarissa.

Clarissa.

Uh-huh.

All right, Saunders, let's go!

Now, Susan's an awfully
pretty name, isn't it?

Susan? Susan Paine?
Oh, it's beautiful.

She's a beautiful woman, isn't she?

Isn't she a beautiful girl?
I think she's about the most beautiful...

We've got to get started on this,
or we'll never get it finished.

Get set, because I'm going to talk
much faster than you can write.

Okay. You ready?
Yup.

The location of this camp.
About 200 acres

situated in Ambrose County,
Terry Canyon.

Running a quarter mile on
either side of Willet Creek.

Uh... What?
Willet Creek. W-l-L-L-E-T.

It's a little stream.
In Terry Canyon?

You don't know it, do you?
No.

You've never been there, you said.

You've discussed this with
Senator Paine, haven't you?

No, no. Why?

Nothing. It doesn't matter.

There's no reason
to talk it over with him.

"A quarter of a mile on
either side of Willet Creek."

And the land to be bought
by the contribution of the boys,

the money to be loaned to us
by the United States.

Excuse me. Pardon me.

What did you get me
out of bed for?

Sit tight.
The show's about to commence.

Mind telling me what's going on?
Certainly.

There's the principal
actor in our little play.

"Don Quixote" Smith, Man With Bill.

Here, one of the supporting characters.
DIZ: Who?

That gorilla in man's clothing,
McGann.

Oh. You mean Puss-in-Boots?
Yeah.

Mostly Puss. Uh-huh.

Another prominent character
in our play, the Silver Knight.

Soul of honor on a tightrope.

You wouldn't be a little goofy,
would you?

Diz, Don Quixote will stand up in a
minute and speak two important words,

"Willet Creek."

Then the Silver Knight
will fall off his tightrope

and "Puss" will jump out of his boots.

PRESIDENT:
It is so ordered.

Introduction of new bills

and joint resolutions.

Mr. President!

[CROWD MURMURING]

The chair recognizes the rather
strong-lunged junior senator,

Mr. Smith.

I'm sorry. I have a bill...

PRESIDENT:
You may speak a little louder.

But not too loud.

[ALL LAUGHING]

I have a bill to propose.

[ALL LAUGHING]

Order, gentlemen.

Our junior senator
is about to make a speech.

[ALL LAUGHING]

You may proceed.

[VOICE BREAKING]
"Be it enacted by the Senate
and the House of Representatives

that there be appropriated
as a loan

a sum sufficient to create
a national boys' camp

to be paid back
to the U.S. Treasury

by contributions
from boys of America.

This camp

to be situated
on land at and adjacent to

the headwaters of a stream
known as Willet Creek

in Terry Canyon

for the purpose of bringing together
boys of all walks of life

from various parts of the country.

Boys of all creeds,
kinds and positions.

To educate them in American ideals
and to promote mutual understanding.

To bring about a healthful life

to the youth of this
great and beautiful land."

[CHILDREN CHEERING]

[GAVEL BANGING
AS APPLAUSE CONTINUES]

Our senator will make a good orator
when his voice stops changing.

[ALL LAUGHING]

I'm getting leery of him. We call him
dumb, but he keeps getting in our hair.

When he finds out a dam is going up
where he wants his boys' camp,

he's going to ask questions.

Be quiet. I'm trying to think.

This Deficiency Bill
will be read tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

He'll hear that section
on the Willet Dam. He can't be there.

I'll take him to see monuments, even if
I have to hit him on the head with one.

That won't work.

This boy's honest, not stupid.

Susan.

My daughter won't carry out
assignments like that for anybody.

[JEFF WHISTLING]

Excuse me.
Beg pardon.

Senator!
If you let me handle your publicity...

[ALL CLAMORING]

Down, everybody!

Who are those people?

Phonies, office seekers, cranks.

"Get my son in or out of West Point..."

This machine creates a fever 10 miles
away. It'll make you a fortune.

Long-distance fevers.

A woman wrote a song to replace
"The Star-Spangled Banner."

Want to hear it?
Not today.

I feel like a house afire.
Even went to see Mr. Lincoln.

How did I do?
Uh... Great.

My heart was right up to here
all the time.

What do you think Paine thought?
Tickled pink.

Oh, boy! I hope so.

What's all this?
From boys who read about your camp.

Already? All these letter...

Those are only local. Wait till they
start pouring in from all over.

You mean... I'd better open one up.
Let's see what they say here.

Look, there's money.
Let me see.

"Dear Senator Smith,

I'd like to come to camp.
I shine shoes at the station.

Here's 9 cents."
Isn't that wonderful?

And he signs it, "Yours truly,
Stinky Moore."

Isn't that marvelous?

If there's money in each one of these,
what will we do with it?

A bank! That's perfect.

You can see how important
this bill will be. Is there any paper?

Second drawer.

That's fine. I'll be pretty busy tonight.

Not another bill?
Oh, no.

Letters. I'm busting with news!

I introduced a bill.
Me, Jeff Smith!

I spoke in the Senate!

Want to dictate them?
The letters? I couldn't talk letters.

I'll sit here and scratch them down.

Oh. And say,

I'm going to tell Ma all about you.

And if I tell it right, you'll get the
best jar of preserves you ever tasted.

Thank you very much.
Oh, and Saunders.

Gee whiz, I forgot to thank you.

Aww. Don't mention it.
No, no.

Without you, I couldn't have, I mean...

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

Who?

Susan Paine.

How do you do?
Yes, I can talk. Go right ahead.

I'm sorry to bother you,
but you've got to help me.

I'm elected to snatch Mr. Smith
from the Senate tomorrow.

You're what?

Mm-hm. I'm to turn
my glamour on for him.
You sympathize, don't you?

Awkward, isn't it?

Take him out and buy him
a suit of clothes that fits

and a hat that he can hang on to.

And a manicure and a haircut
wouldn't do any harm.

As one woman to another,
I hate to ask you to do this, but...

As one woman to another, of course.

Thanks, and...

Just a minute.

Miss Paine.

Susan Paine?

She wants to talk to me?
Yeah.

What does she?

Holy mackerel.

Hello?

Hello, Miss Paine.
How are you? Uh...

Yes.

Fine. Uh...

What? Uh, uh...

What? Escort you?

Yes.

I'd be delighted.

Yeah, all right.

Reception for a princess?

She wants me to...
Goodbye, Miss Paine.

Goodbye.

What do you know?
A reception for a princess.

Can you imagine?
Get your hat.

We have a lot of shopping to do

before tomorrow.
Wow.

Where are your bitters?

In the thing there. Behind the thing.

I don't mind who gets licked
in a fair fight.

It's these clouts below the belt
I can't take.

Siccing that horrible dame on him
when he's goofy about her.

What dame?
Paine.

[PLAYS DISCORDANT NOTES]

Better be nice to her.

Her dad's the party choice
for the White House.

She may be the next
First Lady of the land.

Imagine reading "My Day"
by Susan "Paine-In-The-Neck."

He isn't going to be hurt enough.
She has to twist a knife in him too.

The regal jackass.

"I'll turn my glamour on him,"
she says.

What's it to you?

Nothing. I'm just saying...

Then stop worrying.

I told you, the dopes
will inherit the earth.

I wonder if this Don Quixote
hasn't got the jump on all of us.

If it isn't a curse to go
through life wised up like you and me.

If you're going to wonder,
let's go down and do it over a steak.

Come on, snap out of it. Drink up!

Here's to bigger and better dopes.

And to Don Quixote.

[SLURRING]
Do you know how I felt?

How did you feel? Quick.

I felt just like a mother.

Sending her kid off to school
for the first time.

Watching the little fellow
toddling off in his best bib and tucker.

Hoping he can stand up
to the other kids.

Say, who started this?

I'm just waiting for a streetcar.

Well, cut it out, see?

Who cares, anyway?

I apologize.

All right, then.

After all, what's it to me?
So they drop him out of a balloon.

All I care is,
I don't want to be around.

I'm squeamish, see?
That's what I am.

[SIGHS]

No, sir.

I don't have to take it.
I won't be party to murder.

I'm going to quit. I'm through.

Again? It's a good idea.

[HICCUPS]

Uh, Diz?
Yeah.

Let's get married.

It's a good idea.

When?
Anytime.

Tonight?
Okay.

You don't mind?

I'd cherish you.

Ha, ha. Gee...

You're a good egg, Diz.

I know.

Maybe we could clear
out of this town.

Get to feel like people.

Live like we just got out of a tunnel.

Tunnel?
A tunnel.

You've never seen prairie grass

with the wind leaning on it,
have you, Diz?

Does the wind get tired out there?

Or angry little mountain streams,

or the sun moving
against the cattle?

You've never seen anything like that,
have you, Diz?

Have you?
No.

Hmm.

Do we have to?

I can't think of anything more sappy.

Okay, then let's get going.

Where?

We're getting married.

Oh, yes, that's right.

In case you don't know, I want to
give you a chance to back out.

What?
My first name's Clarissa.

I know. It's okay.

Oh-ho. Don't say "okay."
Say you think it's beautiful.

Okay. I mean...

You don't know any name offhand
that you like better, do you?

Not offhand.

Nothing like "Susan" or anything?

Susan? Nah.

I won't take it, see?

I won't be party to murder, see?

Steering a poor dope up blind alleys
for that Taylor mob is low enough,

but helping that dame
cut him in little bits,

nobody's going to make me do that!
No, sir.

You said it.

I'm going to get out of there right now.
Right now.

Bonus or no bonus. I'm clearing out.

Everything I own.
My extra hat, everything.

Wait a minute. We're getting married!
Right now, everything.

See you later.

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

Saunders? Saunders?

What do you want?

You should have been there.
I know.

It was a wonderful party,
and your suit went over big,

and she looked beautiful.

And when you left she said:

"Thank you, Mr. Smith."

But it was the way she said it.
You nearly fell through the floor.

Horseradish.

What are you looking at?
You didn't think I was a lady, did you?

A lady wouldn't work for this outfit.

Even I can't take it anymore. I quit.

There's a lot I can't take.

Can't take a simple...

Why don't you go home?

Tell your little streams about your camp
and the land of the free.

This is no place for you.
You're halfway decent.

Now go home!

That's all I wanted to tell you.

Meet the man I'm going to marry.

That's me.

Say something.
Don't just stand there like a...

Wait a minute.

Why don't I do this right?

So you want to be a senator?
Build a camp on Willet Creek?

See this? Deficiency Bill.

Section 40. A dam going up where you
think your camp will be.

Ever hear of it? No.

They read about it in the Senate today,
but you weren't supposed to hear.

That's why that ritzy dame
took you in tow.

That's why they sent you here.
You don't know a dam from a bathtub.

Go ahead. Be a senator.

Try and mess up
Mr. Taylor's little graft.

But if you can't,

and you can't in 9 million years...

Go home! Don't stay around here
making people feel sorry for you.

Come on, Diz.

Hey! This way.

Come on, kid.
We'll dig up a preacher. Hm?

[SOBS]

We're going to get married.

Oh, yeah.

[SOBBING]

Okay.

Come on, I'll take you home.

There are 100 other places in the state
that really need the water.

Kenneth Allen owns some land there.
He didn't mention a dam.

There's something wrong here.
I know there is.

I won't vote on it till I get
some questions answered.

Jeff, you're fighting windmills.
I am?

Trying to understand everything about
a project that took two years to set up.

The reasons, the benefits.
The benefits? Who is Taylor?

What?
What's he got to do with this?

What makes you think
he's got anything to do with it?

I've heard that this is all
his idea to get graft.

Do you know
what you're saying?

You're accusing me of framing a bill
for one individual's benefit.

Of helping to put through
a scheme for graft.

Long distance?

Get me James Taylor, Jackson City.

Boy Ranger, eh? Answer to a prayer?
Manna from heaven.

Didn't even know how to tell time.

Will you tell me
exactly what he's done?

He's about to blow the machine
to smithereens, and you with it.

Me, Jim? How?

You wouldn't understand that.

Listen to me, Mr. Ten-Thumbs,
I'm on my way to Washington.

No matter what happens, I'm all ready
for that Boy Ranger of yours.

Take your instructions
from Ken Allen.

I wouldn't trust you to lick a stamp.

Use your high office to help Alan
get things done.

Do you understand?
Yes, Jim.

I doubt it. Come on, Alan.

I haven't been able to show him a single
monument. Not even one that high.

No, he's been on our tail.
You've got to keep this guy off of us.

Ever since he found out we represent
the Creek, he's been running us ragged.

I told you I'd handle him.
I object to you coming here like this.

McGANN:
You proved how you can handle him.

You're the one that started him
writing bills.

[DOORBELL BUZZES]

Chick, let him in.

You didn't ask Smith here?
What do you think?

Don't open that door.
Jim, you can't do this.

Let him in, Chick.

All right, Jim.

You can count me out.

Good morning, senator.
Come right in.

What did you mean, count you out?

You can't come here
and pull that steamroller stuff.

Your methods won't do here.

He's a senator.
However it happened, he's a senator.

This is Washington.

Steamroller stuff?
My methods don't go in Washington?

They've done well by you.

That's beside the point.
This boy's different. He's honest.

He thinks the world of me.
We can't do it!

What am I supposed to do? Stand
around and let that drooling infant

wrap that Willet Creek Dam
appropriation around my neck?

Not me. Ha-ha-ha.

Either he falls in line with us,

or I'll break him so wide open
they'll never find the pieces.

Jim, I won't stand for it.

You won't stand for it?

I don't want any part
of crucifying this boy.

Oh. I see.

Our steamroller methods are too hard
for your sensitive soul. Is that it?

The Silver Knight
is getting too big for us.

My methods have been all right
for the past 20 years.

Since I picked you
out of a flyspecked hole-in-the-wall

and blew you up
to look like a senator.

And now you can't stand it?

Maybe you don't have to stand it.

Maybe we can fix it so you and the boy
can go home together.

You don't have to...
Oh. It's all right, it's all right.

Seems a shame, though, to part
company like this after all these years.

Especially now, with a national
convention coming up.

Joe, I put everything I have
behind you.

And so did all of our friends.

I guess we'll survive.

We'll just find somebody else
who's got a little more sense.

In the meantime, you go in and
explain to Mr. Smith about Willet Dam.

It's your bill. It's your reputation.

If he can't find enough facts
to break you with,

send him to me.
I'll give him a couple of good ones.

I'm taking the next plane home.
So long.

Jim.
Yeah?

Come here, will you?

It's just that I like the kid.

I don't want to see you
get too rough on him.

[CHUCKLES]

I'm glad you came to your senses.

You had me scared there for a minute.

Go back to your office. I'll call you
when I get through with Smith.

Okay.

[SCOFFS]

"The Silver Knight."

Hello, senator.

I was just passing through.
I thought I'd like to meet you.

Sit down. You met all
the boys here, I suppose.

They say you've been
on your toes since you got here.

That's fine.

Heh. You know, some people told me
that you were dumb.

I think you're smart.

You're smart enough
to understand a situation

when it's explained to you.
Like what?

Well, for instance,

building a dam on Willet Creek.

Just what's your interest in this?
What's my interest?

[ALL LAUGH]

Anything that benefits the state
is mighty important to me.

Owning a lot of its industry,
newspapers and other odds and ends.

If I felt you had the welfare
of the state at heart like I have,

I'd say you were a man to watch.

Now, what do you like? Business?

If you do, you can pick any job
in the state and go to the top.

Or politics. Huh?

If you like being senator, there's
no reason why you can't come back

and stay there
as long as you want.

If you're smart.

Now, you take the boys here,
or Joe Paine.

They're doing all right.

They don't have to worry about

being re-elected or anything else.

They're smart. They take my advice.

You tell these men
and Senator Paine what to do?

Why, yes.

Joe Paine has been taking my advice
for the past 20 years.

You're a liar.

I've got to see Senator Paine.

Senator Paine
is out of town.

Out of town? He couldn't be.

Oh.

PAINE:
Hello, Jeff. Come in.

Well, did you have a talk with Taylor?

He said he's told you
what to do for 20 years.

I called him a liar.

Come over here and sit down.

I don't feel like sitting down.

Oh, I know how you feel.

I was hoping you'd be
spared all this.

I was hoping that you would

see the sights, absorb some history,
and go back to your boys.

You've been living in a boy's world.
For heaven's sake, stay there.

This is a man's world.

It's brutal, and you've no place in it.

You'll only get hurt. Take my advice.
Forget Taylor and what he said.

Forget you ever heard
of Willet Creek Dam.

But you still haven't
answered me, sir.

Can a man like Taylor tell you
and those other men what to do?

Now, listen, Jeff, please,

and try to understand.

I know it's tough to run
head-on into facts.

This is a man's world,
and you got to check your ideals

outside the door,
like you do your rubbers.

Now, 30 years ago
I had your ideals.

I was you.

I had to make the same decision
you were asked to make today.

And I made it.

I compromised. Yes.

So I could sit in that Senate and
serve the people in 1000 honest ways.

You got to face facts.

I've served our state well, haven't I?

We have the lowest unemployment
and the highest federal grants.

But I've had to compromise.

I've had to play ball.
You can't count on people voting.

Half the time they don't vote, anyway.

That's how states and empires
have been built since
time began, understand?

Well, Jeff.

You can take my word for it.
That's how things are.

Now, I've told you all this because...

I've grown very fond of you.

About like a son, in fact.

And I don't want to
see you get hurt.

When that Deficiency Bill comes up
tomorrow, don't say a word.

Great powers are behind it,
who'll destroy you before you start.

For your own sake,

and for the sake of
my friendship with your father,

please...

don't say a word.

Owing to the urgency
of the Deficiency Bill,

there is a unanimous
consent agreement

that no one will speak more than once
or longer than five minutes

on any section of the bill.

Clerk will read.

"The bill for deficiency appropriations
for the fiscal year, Section One.

On emergency relief:

To create and erect
public improvements on rivers,

harbors and roadways, $150 billion.

Section 40: An appropriation to divert
and impound Willet Creek

to the natural basin
of Terry Canyon, $5 million."

Mr. President?

PRESIDENT:
Senator Smith desires
to be heard on Section 40?

JEFF:
I do, sir.

PRESIDENT:
The senator understands
he's limited to five minutes?

JEFF:
Yes, sir.

PRESIDENT:
You may proceed, sir.

Mr. President, this section of the bill,
this dam on Willet Creek

is nothing but...
Mr. President.

Does Senator Smith
wish to yield to his colleague?

Why, yes, sir.

PRESIDENT:
You may proceed, senator.

Mr. President,

I have risen to a difficult task

to say from evidence
that has come to my attention,

I consider Senator Smith
unworthy to address this body.

[CROWD MURMURING]

You boys go out and get the senators.
BOYS: Yes, sir.

Something going on inside, come on.

The senator will suspend
until order is restored.

BOYS:
All senators are
wanted on the floor, please.

[CHATTERING]

What's going on?
I don't know.

[BANGING GAVEL]

You may proceed.

I refer to the bill

he has introduced for
the creation of a national boys' camp.

He named a portion of land
to be dedicated to that purpose

and to be bought by contributions
from boys all over America.

Senators,

I have evidence to prove my colleague
owns the land described in his bill.

[CROWD MURMURING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

He bought it the day after
his appointment to the Senate

and is holding it

using his privileged office
for his own personal profit!

[CROWD MURMURING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

Boy Ranger had a wreck.

This doesn't make sense.

Accordingly,

I offer a resolution,

an inquiry by the Committee
of Privileges and Elections

as to the fitness of my colleague
to continue to sit in this chamber.

Mr. President, I...

[CROWD BOOING]

Order!

Chairman, clear the galleries
unless order is restored.

Flash! Ranger senator
branded by colleague.

Flash! Paine brings charges
to expel Smith.

Where's Saunders?
She'll have the lowdown.

I wish I knew.
She left town in that jalopy of hers.

Paine accuses Smith of introducing
a boys' camp built for his own profit.

Give me a cigarette.

Paine's asked for a hearing
before the Committee.

Well, frankly, my dear senators,

the morning that Mr. Allen
burst into my office

bringing proof that Smith
had the deed to that campsite,

I was dumbfounded!

Pardon me, what did you do when
this was brought to your attention?

I consulted with the head
of the Department of Records,

Mr. Arthur Kim.

MAN:
Mr. Kim, do you remember
recording such a deed?

Yes. On the date set forth here,
Mr. Allen came before me

to record this deed,

setting over 200 acres
in the name of Jefferson Smith.

How long have you known
Senator Smith, Mr. Allen?

Oh, a good many years.

He used my land by Willet Creek
every summer for his Boy Rangers.

Seemed like a mighty nice fellow.
One day he made a proposition.

Said he had a chance to sell
that land for at least $500 an acre.

I'd be glad to get 25 for it.
So we set it up like this:

I deeded him the land,
and he gave me a contract

guaranteeing me half,
if he made the sale.

Mind you now, the whole thing
sounded fishy at the time.

That contract you mentioned,
have you got that document?

That land wouldn't be
in his name if I didn't.

Yes, sir. Signed and delivered.

I never signed any such contract!
He certainly did!

Just a moment, please.

[CROWD MURMURING]

After a long study of this signature,
it is my professional opinion

that it is definitely in
Jefferson Smith's own handwriting.

As an expert on handwriting,

I'd say the name of Jefferson Smith
on this contract has been forged.

I would stake my whole 20 years
professional career

on the fact that this is not a forgery

but is Mr. Smith's own signature.

This is a very painful duty for me.

This boy's the son
of my very best friend.

I sponsored him in the Senate.
I helped frame his bill.

When he presented it,
I went to congratulate him

but pointed out
a dam was already going up

on the very site
he'd chosen for his camp.

There are other
good campsites nearby

so I suggested he choose another.

He became furious.

He said, "Move the dam."

I was amazed at his violent reaction.
I couldn't understand.

Until the evidence came to me that
he owned those very 200 acres.

And as you have heard,

had carefully laid plans
to make an enormous profit

out of the nickels and dimes scraped
together by the boys of this country.

Faced with that,

regardless of my
personal feelings for the boy,

my sense of duty told me
his expulsion from the Senate

was the only possible answer.

Beautiful, that Taylor machine.

[ALL MURMURING]

MAN:
Senator Smith, please.

Will you take the chair, please?

The Committee is ready
to hear you now, Senator Smith.

MAN:
Keep your seats, gentlemen!

Committee is not adjourned yet.

Quiet! Please!

[BAND PLAYING & MEN LAUGHING]

That Ranger never knew what struck
him when Jim Taylor opened up on him.

Which one of you girls wants this?

[WOMEN CHATTERING]

Eenee, meenie, minie, mo.

Do you want it?
WOMAN: Oh, yes.

[♪♪♪]

[JEFF SOBBING]

Oh... Oh.

You know, I had a hunch
I'd find you here

when you weren't anyplace else.

How've you been, Saunders?

Oh, all right.

Your husband. How's he?

My...? Oh.

Old Diz. We're not married.

Oh.

Good thing I got back just when I did.
You know what I found waiting for me?

No.
Jar of preserves from your mother.

Oh, you did?

What was it, strawberry?
Uh-huh.

That's the best kind.

Well, I...

I see by the papers
you certainly got to be a senator.

You sure had the right idea
about me, Saunders.

You told me to go back home and
keep filling those kids full of hooey.

Just a simple guy, you said,
still wet behind the ears,

lot of junk about American ideals.

That's certainly a lot of junk, all right.

Now look, senator...
I don't know,

this is a whole new world to me.

What are you going to believe in...

when a man like Senator Joseph Paine
gets up and swears

that I've been robbing
kids of nickels and dimes?

A man I've admired
and worshiped all my life.

I don't know.

A lot of fancy words in this town.

Some of them are carved in stone,
some of them...

Guess the Taylors and Paines
put them up there

so suckers like me can read them.

Then when you find out
what men actually do...

Well, I'm getting out
of this town so fast,

away from all the words and the
monuments and the whole rotten show.

I see.

When you get home,
what will you tell those kids?

Well, I'll tell them the truth.

Might as well find it out now as later.

I don't think they'll believe you.

They're liable to look up at you
with hurt faces and say:

"Jeff, what did you do? Quit?

Didn't you do something about it?"

Well, what do you expect me to do?

An honorary stooge like me against

the Taylors and Paines
and machines and lies.

Your friend Mr. Lincoln
had his Taylors and Paines.

So did every other man who tried
to lift his thought up off the ground.

Odds against them didn't stop them,
they were fools that way.

All the good that ever came
into this world

came from fools with faith
like that. You know that.

You can't quit now. Not you.

They aren't all Taylors and Paines
in Washington.

That kind just throw big shadows,
that's all.

You didn't just have faith in Paine,
or any other living man.

You had faith in something bigger.

You had plain, decent,
everyday common rightness

and this country
could use some of that.

So could the whole cockeyed world.
A lot of it.

Remember the first day
you got here?

Remember what you said
about Mr. Lincoln?

That he was waiting for
someone to come along?

You were right.

He was waiting for a man who could
see his job and sail into it.

Who could tear into the Taylors
and root them out into the open.

I think he was waiting for you.

He knows you can do it. So do I.

What? Do what, Saunders?

You make up your mind
you won't quit,
and I'll tell you what.

Been thinking about it
all the way back here.

It's a 40-foot dive into a tub of water,
but I think you can do it.

Clarissa,

where can we get a drink?

Now you're talking.

Come on over to my place.

[♪♪♪]

CLERK:
Mr. Dearborn.

Mr. Dernell.

Mr. Dwight.
DWIGHT: Here.

They're going to expel Smith
today, eh?

Where are the drums?
Where's the guillotine?

In fact, where's Smith?

Hasn't stopped running
since he left the Committee.

Mr. Singleton.
SINGLETON: Here.

Mr. Smith.
Here!

[ALL MURMURING]

[GAVEL BANGING]

That guy's batty.

The clerk will continue
with the roll call.

CLERK: Mr. Williams.
DIZ: Here comes Saunders.

Is this some of your
shenanigan?

Shh.

What's the matter?
Pray, Diz, if you know how.

Did you have anything to do
with bringing that guy in here?

Are you crazy?

Ninety senators have answered
to their names.

Quorum is present.

Proceeding now to the regular order.

Mr. President.
PRESIDENT: Senator MacPherson.

I desire to call up the report
of the Committee

on the expulsion of Jefferson Smith.

PRESIDENT:
Clerk will read the report.

"The Committee on Privileges
and Elections reports

it appears to the satisfaction
of the Committee

after hearing a number of witnesses,

that justice requires that Smith

no longer continue
a member of this body.

They report this resolution with
recommendation that the same do pass.

Resolved: That Jefferson Smith be
expelled from his seat in the Senate."

[MOUTHING]
Wait.

Mr. President.

I move for the immediate
adoption of the resolution.

[MOUTHS] Now.
JEFF & SENATOR: Mr. President!

I addressed the chair first.
I have the floor.

I'm asking for
a roll call on the passage

of the resolution
without further delay.

The senator can have
nothing to say that would not...

[BANGS GAVEL]

However, Senator Smith
is still a member of this body

and has an equal claim
on the attention of this chair.

You were about to recognize me.
That was merely your impression.

Let him speak!

[CROWD CLAMORING]

[GAVEL BANGING]

Before proceeding further,

I remind the visitors in the gallery
they are here as our guests

and should conduct
themselves as such.

And I might add that their sentiments
in no way will affect

the judgment of this chair.

The chair recognizes...

Senator Smith.

[ALL MURMURING]

Thank you, sir.
Diz, here we go.

I guess the gentlemen are
in a tall hurry to get me out of here.

The way the evidence is piled up
against me, I can't blame them much.

And I'm willing to go
when they vote it that way,

but before that happens,
I've got a few things to say.

I tried to say them once before and I
got stopped colder than a mackerel.

I'd like to get them said this time.

I'm not going to leave
until I do get them said.

Will the senator yield?

Senator yields?
No, sir, I'm afraid not!

No, sir.

I yielded the floor once before, and
I was practically never heard of again.

No, sir.

And we might as well all get together
on this "yielding" business

right off the bat now.

[CROWD LAUGHING]

I had some good coaching
last night, and I find

that if I yield only for a question,
point of order or personal privilege

that I can hold this floor
almost until doomsday.

In other words, I've got a piece
to speak and blow hot or cold,
I'm going to speak it.

Will the senator yield?

PRESIDENT: Will Senator Smith yield?
Yield how?

Will he yield for a question?
All right.

I wish to ask my junior colleague,
this piece he intends to speak,

does it concern Section 40
of that bill, the dam on Willet Creek?

Every aspect of this matter,
everything

was dealt with in committee.
Mr. President?

I ask my distinguished colleague,
has he one scrap of evidence
to add now

to the defense he did not give
at that same hearing?

I have no defense against forged papers!
PAINE: The committee ruled otherwise!

The gentleman stands guilty
as charged.

I believe I speak for every member

when I say that no one cares to hear
what a man of his condemned character

has to say about any section
of any legislation before this House!

Order, order, gentleman!
JEFF: Mr. President,

I stand guilty as framed
because Section 40 is graft.

And I was ready to say so.
I was ready to tell you

that a certain man in my state,
Mr. James Taylor,

wanted to put through this dam
for his own profit.

A man who controls
a political machine

and controls everything else
in my state.

A man even powerful enough
to control congressmen.

I saw three of them in his room
the day I went to see him.

PAINE: Will the senator yield?
I will not yield!

This same man,
James Taylor, came down here

and offered me a seat
in this Senate for the next 20 years

if I voted for a dam that he knew
and I knew was a fraud,

but if I dared to open
my mouth against that dam,

he promised to break me in two.

I got up here
and I started to open my mouth

and the long and powerful arm
of Mr. Taylor

reached into this sacred chamber and
grabbed me by the scruff of the neck...

PAINE: Mr. President, a point of order.
JEFF: Mr. President?

PRESIDENT:
Senator Paine will state it.

It was I who rose in this
chamber to accuse him.

He's saying that I was carrying out
criminal orders on falsified evidence.

He has imputed to me conduct
unworthy a senator, and I demand

that he yield the floor.

I did not say that Senator Paine was
one of the congressmen in that room!

I was in that room!

[ALL MURMURING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

PRESIDENT:
Order, gentlemen. Order, gentlemen.

PAINE:
I accuse this man.

By his tone,
by his careful denials,

he is trying to plant
damaging impressions on my conduct.

I'll tell you why
we were in that room.

Because Mr. Taylor,
a respected citizen of our state,

had brought with him
the evidence against this man

and we were urging him to resign.

Why? To avoid bringing disgrace
upon a clean and honorable state.

But he refused!
Mr. President...

PAINE:
There is only one answer
to a man like him.

The truth, which I rose
and gave to this body.

Mr. President,

he is trying to blackmail this
Senate as he tried to blackmail me.

To prevent his expulsion, he'll even try
to hold up this Deficiency Bill,

vital to the country,
which must be passed immediately!

Have I the floor?

I have lost all patience
with this brazen character.

I apologize to this body
for his appointment.

I regret I ever knew him. I'm sick
of this contemptible young man.

And I refuse to stay here
and listen to him any longer.

I hope every member
of this body feels as I do.

SENATORS:
Get off the floor! Yield the floor!

[ALL CHATTERING
AND GAVEL BANGING]

Gentlemen! Gentlemen,
please address the chair!

Mr. President, what does
the gentleman want of this body?

I'll tell you, sir!

I want a chance to talk to people
who'll believe me.

The people of my state, they know me
and they know Mr. Taylor.

When they hear my story,
they'll rise up

and kick Taylor's machine
to kingdom come.

I want one week to go back there
and bring you proof.

In the meantime,
I want this Senate's promise

that I won't be expelled
and this bill will not be passed.

Will the senator yield?
JEFF: For a question.

Has the gentleman the effrontery
to stand, convicted and in disgrace
and try to force postponement

of the Deficiency Bill?
For one week.

Mr. President!
I appeal to the senator.

Is he fully aware that this bill
has been months in both Houses,

delayed and delayed?

Millions will be
without food and shelter.

Public works will be at a standstill!
Will we keep relief from the country?

The people of my state need relief
from crooked men riding their backs!

Mr. President, if the Senate yields
to this sort to blackmail,

it'll become a laughingstock.

It is an insult to this body
to have to listen.

An insult to our colleague,
Senator Paine.

I, for one, will follow
the senator's example

and refuse to remain in this chamber
as long as that man holds the floor!

[ALL MURMURING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

Order, gentlemen!

I guess I'll have to speak to
the people of my state from right here!

I'll tell you,

wild horses won't drag me
off this floor until those

people have heard everything
I've got to say, if it takes all winter!

[ALL MURMURING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

Filibuster!

Well, Mr. President,
we seem to be alone.

[CROWD CHUCKLING]

I'm not complaining
for social reason, it's just...

I think it'd be a pity if these
gentlemen missed any of this. And...

And uh...

[RATTLING]

I call the chair's attention to...

to Rule Five
of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

Section... Section Three.

"If it shall be found that
a quorum is not present,

a majority of
the senators present..."

And that looks like me.

[CROWD LAUGHING
THEN GAVEL BANGS]

"...may direct the sergeant at
arms to request, and if necessary

compel the attendance
of the absent senators."

Well, Mr. President, I so direct.

[CROWD MURMURING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

The absence of a quorum
being suggested.

Bring the call to quorum.
Call to quorum.

There's no hurry, Mr. President.
I got plenty of time.

[BOYS SHOUTING IN DISTANCE]

BOYS:
Quorum call! Call to quorum!

[BELL BUZZING]

BOY:
All senators wanted on the floor!

[ALL MURMURING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

PRESIDENT:
Clerk will call the roll.

CLERK: Mr. Agnew.
AGNEW: Here.

CLERK:
Mr. Albert.

Mr. Alfred.

Mr. Ashman.
ASHMAN: Here.

Joe, get this! Smith got
the floor and is holding it.

Just as they were about to kick him out!
He did it, Diz. It's wonderful!

It was terrific!

A filibuster! This is the miracle
I wanted. What a yarn!

Get everything
he says back to that home state.

It's a pleasure!
They're going to hear this in Patagonia.

In protest,
the whole Senate body walked out!

Not that straight stuff. Kick it up.

Get on his side.
Fight for him, understand?

You love this monkey, don't you?

What do you think?
Now go to work. Do as I tell you.

Take this: This is the most
titanic battle of modern times.

A David without even a slingshot
rises to battle

against the mighty Goliath,
the Taylor machine,

allegedly crooked inside and out.

Yeah. For my money
you can cut out the "allegedly."

We're bringing everybody up
from headquarters.

Where are they?
Come on, get these telegraphs moving!

You get Hendricks?
They're looking for him.

"They're looking for him." An editor.

Why isn't he at his desk,
where he belongs?

Don't you think you
better get back to that Senate?

The boy's talking to that state.

If he can raise public opinion
against us...

He'll never get started.

I'll make public opinion within 5 hours.
I've done it all my life.

I'll blacken this punk so...

Leave public opinion to me.

Now, go back into the Senate
and keep those senators lined up.

I hit him from the floor
with everything I knew.

I haven't got
the stomach for it anymore.

If he convinces those senators,
you might as well blow your brains out.

This is the works, Joe!

Either we're out of business
or we're bigger than ever.

We can't stop at anything
until we smash this yokel...

MAN: Hendricks on the phone.
Go back to the Senate, will you?

Hello, Hendricks.
Well, the chips are down.

Keep everything that Smith says,
or any other pro-Smith stuff

out of all our newspapers.
Understand?

And all the others
you can line up in the state.

Those broken-down opposition papers,
who won't play ball with us,

I want you to tie up for 24 hours.

Stall their deliveries.
Push them off the street. I don't care!

Bury them for 24 hours.
That'll give me plenty of time.

And you defend the machine.
Hit this guy!

Oh. The usual thing.
Criminal, and blocking a relief bill,

and starving the people.

Joe, will you get back
into that Senate?

And Hendricks,
get the hoi polloi excited.

Have them send protest letters,
wires, anything you like.

Buy every minute you can
of every radio station in the state

and keep them
spouting against Smith.

I don't care what it costs. Pay out.

Get moving.
Get the whole state moving!

[♪♪♪]

This filibuster is a cowardly attempt
to turn your attention

from the true facts
which are beyond question.

Jefferson Smith was caught
red-handed, stealing from boys.

Relief will be stopped.
Men thrown out of jobs.

[♪♪♪]

I've seen filibustering, but...
Smith can't go on. It's ridiculous.

We've got to get him off the floor.

As long as Mr. Smith
holds that floor legitimately,

he's going to continue to hold it.

If you ask me,
that fellow's making sense.

Sense?
You call blackmail sense, Henry?

Joe, I didn't like
this boy from the beginning.

But we feel that
no man who wasn't sincere

could fight like this
against these odds.

I'm very glad to know that, Martin.

After 20 years, I'm very glad to know
you'd take his word against mine.

Yes, that's what it means!

If he's that much right,
then I'm wrong.

Joe, can't we work out some deal

to pull that Willet Dam out
and let the Deficiency Bill go through?

It isn't a question of Willet Dam.

It's a question of my honor
and reputation.

The integrity of the Committee,
the integrity of the Senate itself.

If you want to throw out
Section 40, go ahead.

I'll resign.
Now, wait a minute, Joe.

This is a lot of nonsense.

Joe's right. A deal is impossible.

We've got to go on with this.

Break him, keep him talking.

No relief. Maintain a quorum in relays.

Is that how you feel, John?
I agree with you.

It's time to relieve the floor.

SENATOR 1:
How a man that green
knows as much as he does...

SENATOR 2:
Can't go on much longer.

JEFF:
"...that they're entitled by their creator
with certain inalienable rights.

And that among these are life,
liberty, and the pursuit of..."

Well, looks like
the night shift's coming on.

[CROWD LAUGHING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

PRESIDENT:
Senator will please suspend
until order is restored.

[GAVEL BANGING]

This is H.V. Coltenborn speaking.

Half of official Washington is here
to see democracy's finest show,

the filibuster:
The right to talk your head off.

The American privilege of free speech
in its most dramatic form.

The least man in that chamber,

once he gets and holds that floor,
by the rules,

can hold it and talk as long
as he can stand on his feet.

Providing always
that he does not sit down

and that he does not leave
the chamber or stop talking.

The galleries are packed.

In the diplomatic gallery are
the envoys of two dictator powers.

They have come here to see
what they can't see at home,

democracy in action.

JEFF:
Ahh. "...life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness

and to secure these rights,
governments are instituted among men,

deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed,

that whenever any form of government
becomes destructive to these ends,

it is the right of the people
to alter or abolish it."

How am I doing?

[CROWD LAUGHING]

Quit stalling and move!
Clark, Jim.

Oh, Clark...
MAN: Mr. Taylor?

Yes, wait a minute.

Phone Senator Paine about it.

This is Jim Taylor in Washington.
About this Smith filibuster.

Newspapers in the Southwest must
realize that this bill he's trying to block

will affect your section as well as any.

It's the patriotic duty of every
newspaper...

Wait a minute. Yes?

WOMAN: Jackson City calling.
Hold them!

We've got to keep hammering
at this man until we smash him!

Uh... I get a great kick out of that part
of the Declaration of Independence.

You're not going to have a country
that can make these rules work,

if you haven't got men that have
learned to tell human rights

from a punch in the nose.

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

That's good for a headline.

It's a funny thing about men, you know.

They all start life being boys.

I wouldn't be surprised
if these senators were boys once.

That's why it seemed like a good idea

to get the boys out of crowded cities

and stuffy basements for a
couple of months out of the year

and build their bodies
and minds for a man-sized job

because they're going to be
behind these desks someday.

It seemed like a good idea,
getting boys from all over the country.

Boys of all nationalities
and ways of living.

Getting them together,

let them find out what makes
different people tick.

Because I wouldn't give you 2 cents
for all your rules,

if behind them they didn't have
a little ordinary everyday kindness

and a little looking out
for the other fellow too.

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

That's pretty important, all that.

It's just the blood and bone
and sinew of this democracy

that some great men handed down
to the human race, that's all!

But if you've got to build a dam
where that boys' camp ought to be

to pay off some political army,
that's a different thing. Oh, no!

If you think I'm going back
and tell those boys in my state:

"Fellows, forget about it.

All I've been telling you about
the land you live in is a lot of hooey.

This isn't your country. It belongs to
a lot of James Taylors." No, not me.

Anybody here that thinks I'd do that,
they got another thing coming!

[WHISTLES]

[CROWD CHUCKLING]

I just wanted to
find out if you still had faces.

[CROWD LAUGHING]

[GAVEL BANGING]

Oh, I'm sorry, gentlemen.

I know I'm being disrespectful
to this honorable body.

A guy like me should never be allowed
to get in here in the first place.

And I hate to stand here and
try your patience like this, but I...

Either I'm dead right or I'm crazy!

You wouldn't care to put that
to a vote, would you, senator?

[CROWD LAUGHING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

Will the senator yield for a question?
I yield.

In view of the gentlemen's touching
concern for the senators,

and the fact that he's been
talking for 7 and one half hours

and must be very, very tired,

would he permit a motion to recess
until the morning,

at which time he may better continue
with his profound babblings.

No. No, don't!

Ask him!

[SAUNDERS WHISPERING]

Mr. President,
what happens in the morning,

I mean, about my

having this floor
to go on with my "babblings"?

If the senator permits
this motion for a recess,

he won't have the floor in the morning
to babble with or anything else,

unless he is recognized first
by this chair.

Uh-huh.

As I was saying, gentlemen,

[CROWD LAUGHING]

I'm either dead right or I'm crazy,

and I feel fine.

What have you got, Dick?
From Miss Saunders.

Oh.

Is the senator yielding the floor?

Yield? Oh, no. Oh, no!

I feel fine!

The Constitution of the United States.

[ALL MURMURING
THEN GAVEL BANGING]

Page one, top left-hand corner.

"We the people of the United States
in order to form a more perfect union..."

Yeah? Well, buy it or wreck it!

Brady's column too? Holy smokes!
What's the matter?

This is murder, you got to call him off.

He's getting nowhere.
What are you talking about?

Not one word of what he says
is being printed in that state.

Oh, no!

Taylor has practically every paper
in the state lined up

and he's feeding them
doctored-up junk!

One man muzzling a whole state?
And how!

Freedom of the press!

Wait a minute! I've got an idea!

Jeff has a paper there,
Boy Stuff, right?

Terrific!
Look.

They aren't letting what Jeff says
get printed in the state.

If I give you a raft
over the phone now...

Write me a front-page raft, Diz.

Can you print it out

and spread a billion copies of it?

Swell!

Get ready to take it down,
will you, Mrs. Smith?

All right.

Boys, everything about Jeff.
Get pencils and paper, quick!

[♪♪♪]

All right, here we go!

All ready, Clarissa.
She called me Clarissa!

Okay, Ma!

"Jeff Tells Truth.

Shows Up Taylor."

I want the whole morning edition.
Push him off the floor!

[OVER PHONE]
Start your campaign for protests.
Wired!

"Willet Dam is a fraud to
line the pockets of the Taylor machine."

Here's your front-page editorial. Wait!

"A convicted thief
representing you holds the floor
of the United States Senate."

All right, boys. Hurry up!

BOY:
She said rush! Get cracking now!

[♪♪♪]

Come on! Bring on the paper!

JEFF:
"...charity wanteth not itself

is not propped up...

and now abideth faith,

hope, charity,

these three.

The greatest of these is charity."

[♪♪♪]

[BOYS CHATTERING]

[ROOSTER CROWING]
[PLAYS FANFARE]

[DOGS BARKING]

[BOY SHOUTING]

Read about Jeff.

Boy's Stuffcirculars.
Peddled by 9 million kids.

What are you standing there for?
Get the boys out! Kill it!

[♪♪♪]

[TALKING INDISTINCTLY]

Get these papers out of here.

Read all about it!
Jeff Smith lies in Senate!

[MARCHING BAND PLAYING
AND CROWD CLAMORING]

[PEOPLE SCREAMING]

MAN ON BULLHORN:
Wire Congress!

[BELL RINGING]

Are we going to let a man like Jeff
throw mud at a man like Joe Paine?

[CROWD YELLING]

Are you for Joe Paine?

[ALL CHEERING]

Hurray for Jeff Smith!

[MARCHING BAND PLAYING]

[BOYS YELLING
AND TRUMPET PLAYING FANFARE]

[BOYS SCREAMING]

Children hurt all over the city.

Tell Jeff to stop!

Yes. Yes, all right.

Yes. Goodbye.

"Senator Smith has now talked
for 23 hours and 16 minutes.

The most unusual and spectacular
thing in the Senate annuls.

One lone and simple American
holding the greatest floor in the land.

What he lacked in experience,
he's made up in fight.

But those tired Boy Ranger legs
are buckling.

Bleary-eyed, voice gone.

He can't go on much longer.
And all official Washington

is here to be in on the kill."

JEFF [IN HOARSE VOICE]:
There's no compromise with truth.

That's all I got up on this floor to say.

When was it?

A year ago, it seems like.

Terrible things are happening.
I've got to stop him.

They're listening to him.
Anything might happen now.

Just get up off the ground.
That's all I ask.

Get up there with that lady
that's on top of this Capitol dome.

That lady that stands for liberty.

Look at this country through her eyes
if you want to see something.

But you won't just see scenery.

You'll see the whole parade of what
man's carved out for himself

after centuries of fighting.

Fighting for something better
than just jungle law.

Fighting so he can stand on
his own two feet, free and decent,

like he was created.

No matter what his race,
color or creed.

That's what you'd see.

There's no place out there for graft

or greed or lies

or compromise with human liberties.

If that's what the grownups
have done with this world,

we better get those
boys' camps started fast

and see what the kids can do.

It's not too late.

Because this country
is bigger than the Taylors

or you or me or anything else!

Great principles don't get lost once
they come to light.

They're right here!

You just have to see them again.

Mr. President.
Will the senator yield for a question?

PRESIDENT:
Will Senator Smith yield
to his colleague?

Yes, I yield for a question.

The senator has said he is speaking
to the people of his state.

He has been waiting,
as he so fancifully puts it

for them to come
marching here in droves.

Would the gentlemen be interested
in what those people have to say?

Here it comes.

JEFF:
Yes, sir, you bet I would.

Mr. President.
Have I permission to bring in

evidence of the response
of my state?

Is there objection?

You may proceed, senator.
Pageboys!

Come on, boys, on your feet.

[COUGHING]

I can't stand it. I can't stand
to see him hurt like this.

MAN:
Public opinion made to order.

Taylor-made.

PAINE:
There it is.
There's the gentleman's answer.

Telegrams. 50,000 of them

demanding that he yield this floor.

I invite the Senate to read them.

I invite my colleague to read them.

The people's answer
to Mr. Jefferson Smith.

[LETTERS RUSTLING]

Stop, Jeff! Stop!

I guess this is just another
lost cause, Mr. Paine.

All you people don't know
about lost causes.

Mr. Paine does.

He said once they were
the only causes worth fighting for.

He fought for them once.

For the only reason that any man
ever fights for them.

[COUGHS]

Because of just one plain, simple rule:

Love thy neighbor.

In this world today full of hatred,

a man who knows that one rule
has a great trust.

You know that rule, Mr. Paine.

And I loved you for it,
just as my father did.

And you know you fight for lost causes
harder than for any others.

Yes, you even die for them.

Like a man we both knew, Mr. Paine.

You think I'm licked.

You all think I'm licked!

Well, I'm not licked!

I'm going to stay right here
and fight for this lost cause!

Even if this room gets
filled with lies like these

and the Taylors and all their armies
come marching into this place.

Somebody will listen to me.

[SAUNDERS SCREAM
THEN CROWD MURMURING]

Oh, Jeff!

He's okay. He just fainted.

Okay.

[GUNSHOT
THEN PEOPLE SCREAMING]

[GUNSHOTS]

Let me go!
What's the matter, Joe?

I'm not fit to be a senator!
I'm not fit to live!

Expel me! Expel me, not him!

Willy Taylor's a fraud! It's a crime
against the people who sent me here.

I committed it!
Every word that boy said is the truth!

Every word about Taylor
and me and graft

and the rotten political
corruption in my state!

Every word of it is true!
I'm not fit for office!

I'm not fit for
any place of honor or trust!

Expel me, not that boy!

[CROWD CHEERING]

We did it! We did it!

Order gentlemen! Please!

[YELLING]

He did it!
Let go of me!

Yahoo!

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[♪♪♪]