SunnyHello Nice effects though.

Dotsthavesp I wanted to but couldn't!

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

JohnHowardReid Director: FRANK CAPRA. Screenplay: Robert Riskin. Based on the story, "Opera Hat", by Clarence Budington Kelland. Photography: Joseph Walker. Film editor: Gene Havlick. Art director: Stephen Goosson. Costumes: Samuel Lange. Music director: Howard Jackson. Special photographic effects: E. Roy Davidson. Stills: Howard Lippman. Assistant director: C. C. Coleman. Sound recording: Edward L. Bernds. Producer: Frank Capra.Copyright 8 April 1936 by Columbia Pictures Corp. of California, Ltd. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall, 16 April 1936 (ran 2 weeks). U.K. release: August 1936. Australian release: 22 July 1936. 12 reels. 115 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Millionaire proves that despite his resolution to give all his money away, he is actually perfectly sane.NOTES: Academy Award, Best Director, Frank Capra (defeating Gregory La Cava's My Man Godfrey, Robert Z. Leonard's The Great Ziegfeld, W. S. Van Dyke's San Francisco and William Wyler's Dodsworth).Also nominated for Best Picture (The Great Ziegfeld); Best Actor, Gary Cooper (Paul Muni in The Story of Louis Pasteur); Screenplay (The Story of Louis Pasteur); Sound Recording.Best Motion Picture of 1936 — New York Film Critics. Best American Film of 1936 — National Board of Review. 2nd Best Picture of 1936 (Mutiny on the Bounty was first) — The Film Daily annual poll of U.S. film critics.COMMENT: Although it has some marvelously amusing scenes and some wonderful set-pieces, this Depression-era comedy is a trifle dated to-day. As usual, Capra is unable to bring himself to cut into a lot of the dull, moralizing dialogue between his hero and heroine. This is a real pity. With a bit of judicious trimming, Mr. Deeds would be a very amusing fellow: a philanthropist with a heart of originality and a slyly inverted sense of humor.The acting, as usual, under Capra's skillful direction, is both faultless and ingratiating. In fact, all the technical craftsmanship (aside, of course, from the script's slow passages), could be rated as impeccable.

Mark Turner I've long been a fan of director Frank Capra. I can still remember seeing MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON years ago and being moved by it on some VHS station in the 60s. In college I was fortunate enough to be present when Capra made a visit to Ball State to speak and was even lucky enough to pose a question to him. Afterward he sat with the audience to view what he said was his and his close friend Jimmy Stewarts favorite movie IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. It was my first time viewing it and it's been a favorite ever since.Since then I've been blessed with the chance to see the rest of his films. The invention of video tape and then DVD has given film fans the opportunity to enjoy the films they used to have to wait to see on late night fuzzy channels on TV. Not only that, most are being brought out with extras to enjoy as well as in the clearest presentations ever. Such is the case with this film.For those who haven't seen the film it tells the story of Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper), part owner of a tallow works, greeting card poet and tuba player in a small town, who suddenly inherits $20 million from his late uncle. While this in itself doesn't change Deeds it has a great effect on all who worked for his uncle and want to retain as much of that wealth for themselves as possible.Deeds is convinced to move to the big city and to take over things. But this is a Capra film and when they say take over it means be a figurehead while the conniving bankers and traders retain as much control of the wealth as possible. Not only that but every group looking for a handout appears at his doorstep, too many for him to see through it all and realize which is legitimate and which is just someone looking to dip into his pocket.While the biggest of these financial crooks, a lawyer who worked for his uncle, tries to keep as many away from Deeds as possible, reporter Louise "Babe" Bennet (Jean Arthur) makes her way into the fold playing the damsel in distress in need of assistance from Deeds. Of course while he sees through a number of the phonies around him Deeds falls for Louise. During the course of the movie she falls for him as well.Confronted by a poor man who views him simply as another rich taker, Deeds realizes he can do something of value with his wealth and tries to establish a system to help the poor. He will offer 10 acre lands to anyone free if they are willing to work the land for 3 years. This sets him in the crosshairs of the corrupt powers that be and soon he has a fight on his hands.As with a number of Capra films we once again have the little guy going up against the corporate big wigs whose sole concern is making and taking money. Made during the Great Depression the film resonated with so many who lost everything at the time. It solidified the status of Cooper as a leading man and Arthur, who starred in several Capra classics, shows why he often chose her.The movie is filled with humor both in the writing and in the performances. Not all the laughs come from the dialogue and many are situational. It's hard to find something this good these days but it happens now and then. Capra always seemed to know just which buttons to push in his films. It wasn't that he held all corporate big wigs and bankers to a higher standard but he recognized and highlighted those that were corrupt and self-serving. In the end by sticking up for the little guy he made a career for himself and a reputation that has remained as one of the most gifted directors of all time.This new release is a treat for fans and non-fans alike. To begin with Sony has restored the film to the best condition ever found for the film. Scratched prints had been released in the past but this edition features the film in pristine fashion with a frame by frame restoration in 4K from the original camera negative making it the cleanest and clearest version of the film to date. Extras include a feature and commentary by Frank Capra Jr. (a successful producer in his own right) and the original theatrical trailer. This release is also offered in a Digi book format which offers and essay on the film along with plenty of black and white photos from the film.If you're a Capra fan then this is the edition of the film you'll want to add to your collection. If you've never seen the film then this is one to pick up to discover just how great Capra films were. Once you finish my guess is you'll seek out the others he made and enjoy them just as much as this one.

Ross622 Frank Capra's "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" is one of the best films he ever directed along with "It Happened One Night" (1934), and "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) the one thing in common that all three of these films have in common besides being great pieces of work, the other thing is that two of them being this one and "It Happened One Night" were so funny that I couldn't stop watching it. The main character of this movie is a man named Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper) who is a poet from the state of Vermont who also happens to be a tuba player in his local town band. Deeds is living a normal private life until he comes to New York City he meets a woman named Babe Bennett (Jean Arthur) who both happen to fall in love with one another. Like a bunch of other great romance movies the chemistry between Gary Cooper (who received his first Oscar nomination for his performance) and Jean Arthur is so perfect that it will make you think of the chemistry that Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert had in their Oscar winning turns in "It Happened One Night" and as a result of both films Frank Capra won his first two best director Oscars. But now back to the story, as soon as Deeds arrives in New York during his time there he makes thousands of dollars while working with a bunch of city slickers, which is all that I will tell in this review because I don't want to give away anymore major details. This movie also ranks among the best romance movies ever made besides "It Happened One Night", it ranks along with, "Out of Africa" (1985), "Ball of Fire" (1945), "The Apartment" (1960), ""Heaven Can Wait" (1978), as well as "Pride and Prejudice" (2005) among many others. Cooper gives one of the best performances of his career in this movie, as well as Jean Arthur which now that i'm writing this review I couldn't think of anyone better than to play their characters than they were with their performances in the movie. Movies like this one are the reasons why Frank Capra was such a great director, and a very important film-maker and that his movies are still relevant today. It was Capra himself that once said "There are no rules in film-making, only sins, and the cardinal sin is dullness." Which this is a quote that is still relevant in movie making today and believe me even bad film-makers like Dennis Dugan can take some comedy lessons from a comedy genius like Capra or Billy Wilder. Not only is this movie one of the best romance movies ever made it is also one of the funniest movies that I have ever seen, and watching this movie is a very funny experience that all movie lovers will cherish.

dfwesley MR.DEEDS leaves you with a warm feeling with its kind hearted story and happy ending. This is quite a contrast to some contemporary movies with their excessive violence, emphasis on sex, and profanity. As they say, they don't make em like this any more.Mr. Deeds fits Gary Cooper to a tee. He is naive, macho, philosophical, whimsical, romantic, country boy,.. all rolled into one. Cooper's expressions are priceless in the court room scene when he is silent for a long time. Jean Arthur gives a worthy performance as the tough reporter who falls for him.Among the supporting cast, Douglass Dumbrille is impressive as Cedar. the two faced attorney. Also Lionel Stander as Deed's opponent who eventually becomes his friend.I suppose viewers, in the midst of the depression, looked upon someone having $20 million dollars as being as realistic as owning Park Place in Monopoly which was also created during this time. Oh, some things have to be overlooked like the outlandish court scene and fact that Deeds gets away with punching people out when he feels like it. But all is forgotten in the end, when he is declared sane and sweeps his love up in his arms.