Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur with director Frank Capra, this film follows a man from a small town who is left $2 million by a dead relative. Longfellow Deeds is thrust into a life in New York where everyone wants his attention in order to get money and support. However, this man they took for a stooge has common sense and grows fed up with them all. The only person he talks to is Arthur's character who is actually a reporter. While she writes damaging articles, they slowly begin to fall for each other. He finds out what she did and eventually decides to give his money away. Fortune hunters try to claim he is crazy and they bring their case to court. Initially Deeds does not defend himself, but when his love speaks on his behalf he changes his mind and fights for his cause. Capra was wonderful at making the feel good films about the common man. Here he does it once again in a precursor to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Meet John Doe.

4.5/5 Stars