I would like to address two notable observations from “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. The first is the role of Clarissa Saunders. In the first film, Courtney addressed female heroism in the role of Annabelle. I wonder if you all noticed a similarity here, that were it not for Clarissa, Jeff would not become the hero as we acknowledge him to be. Jeff is ignorant in politics, or at least the procedure. He is clueless to his own naivety, the proverbial sheep among wolves. If not for Clarissa’s guidance, the hero’s journey ends quickly. This role is found in the monomyth as we read in “A Hero with a Thousand Faces” but it begs this question. Does this suggest that the only role for women in film, particularly these early films genres, is as a guide to help the hero along the way? Clarissa also plays another common female role, the love interest that goes unnoticed. Whereas Jeff can’t even hold onto his hat around Senator Paine’s daughter, he barely even notices Clarissa until she reveals it to him during the filibuster scene. In fact, it serves as a reason for him to keep going when he is thinking of giving up. I suggest that despite the decade in between “The General and “Mr. Smith”, the roles women are playing are not changing much.
The second observation is that of the representation, or lack thereof women in the plot of the film. Mr. Smith goes to Washington and promptly wants to create a bill for? Young boys. If the hero’s journey is meant for us all to learn something, how can this even be a hero’s journey? The political and social climate of the time was a topic during our last class. A decade later, the climate was noticeably unchanged. At one point during the climax of Jeff’s filibuster, surrounded by an all white male Senate, he says that the young boys’ camp will be a place for boys of all nationalities will be able to go so they can go on as men to achieve great things He says nationalities. He says nothing of race or gender, a significant distinction. So I’ll leave you once again with the question in my mind. If the hero’s journey is not for everyone, is it even a hero we are talking about?
Jason A. Whelehan
.
