Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

9 quotes

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Movie Quote Quiz

Senator Joseph Paine: Let me go! I'm not fit to be a senator! I'm not fit to live! Expel me, not him! Willet Dam is a fraud! It's a crime against the people who sent me here - and I committed it! Every word that boy said is the truth! Every word about Taylor and me and graft and the rotten political corruption of 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.

Clarissa Saunders: I'm still asking myself, what is he? Animal, vegetable or mineral?
Diz Moore: Maybe he's an oyster.

Jefferson Smith: I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too.

Jefferson Smith: I can promise you one thing, I'll do nothing to disgrace the office of - the United States Senate.

Jefferson Smith: Boy, you should have been there.
Clarissa Saunders: 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.

Clarissa Saunders: Sicking that horrible dame on him - when he's goofy about her.
Diz Moore: What dame?
Clarissa Saunders: Paine.

Senator Joseph Paine: He can raise public opinion against us - if any part of this sticks.
James Taylor: Aah, he'll never get started. I'll make public opinion out there within five hours! I've done it all my life. I'll blacken this punk so that he'll - You leave public opinion to me. Now, Joe, I think you'd better go back into the Senate and keep those Senators lined up.

Clarissa Saunders: They're not letting what Jeff says get printed in the state. Now if I give you a raft of it over the phone, can you print it up and spread a billion copies? Swell! Get ready to take this down, Mrs. Smith.
Ma Smith: Boys, everything about Jeff, get pencils and paper.
Clarissa Saunders: Alright, here we go.
Ma Smith: All ready, Clarissa.
Clarissa Saunders: She called me Clarissa. Okay Ma! jeff tells truth, shows UP taylor.

Factual error: The filibuster scene gives the impression that the Senators were powerless to stop Jefferson Smith's speech. However, they can make a speaker shut up if at least 3/5 of the Senators vote to. From the Senators' reactions, a lot of them probably would have voted to silence Smith. (Clearly, if this had happened, the movie would be much less interesting).

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Trivia: The Boy Scouts of America objected to having their name used, therefore they used the fictitious name of the Boy Rangers.

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