Film of Character - 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'

Mark your calendar for Sunday, June 26 at 1:15 pm when Mission Viejo's Community of Character Committee hosts a free screening of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” in the Council Chamber at 200 Civic Center.  

As part of the free Films of Character series, the 1939 movie highlights this month’s character of “citizenship.”  

The film follows a naive youth leader who is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. His idealistic plans promptly collide with corruption at home and subterfuge from his hero in Washington, but he tries to forge ahead despite attacks on his character.  

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” was nominated for 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. It won for Best Original Story. Considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, the movie was selected by the Library of Congress as one of the first 25 films for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1989 for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."

After the film, history buff Bob Hayes will talk about the test administered to folks seeking United States citizenship.