Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? |
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| Directed by | Frank Popper |
| Produced by | Frank Popper Matt Coen Mike Kime |
| Written by | Frank Popper Matt Coen Mike Kime |
| Starring | Jeff Smith |
| Release date(s) | June 16, 2006 (Silverdocs Film Festival) February 7, 2007 (United States) |
| Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? is a 2006 documentary film directed by Frank Popper, which follows Missouri politician Jeff Smith's 2004 Democratic primary election campaign to the United States House of Representatives after the retirement of Dick Gephardt from his seat. The film follows Smith as he challenges Russ Carnahan, a member of the Carnahan political family and the frontrunner of a crowded Democratic primary, to capture the Democratic nomination for the seat. The movie's title references Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a film in which a naive but well-meaning man (named "Jefferson Smith") becomes a Senator and fights the cynical nature of Washington.
Synopsis
The film follows Jeff Smith from inside his campaign during his bid to win the Democratic primary for the House seat of Representative Dick Gephardt, who announced his retirement. Smith, a 29-year-old teacher with no political experience, decided to run for the seat against 10 other Democratic candidates including Russ Carnahan, a member of the Carnahan political family. He was instantly dismissed by pundits who saw him as a no-name candidate due to his lack of political expertise and the presence of a Carnahan in the race.
Smith's campaign begins to gain more support as he mobilizes a large grassroots political campaign. He earns the endorsement of Howard Dean at one of his speaking events, and his campaign cuts into Carnahan's initial 30-point lead. Smith, however, loses the campaign by fewer than 2,000 votes.
