How many young men would take scythes and go mowing

[sovay]

I know Frank Capra is supposed to be the starry-eyed pusher of populism, but the worldview of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) is amazingly bleak.

Comments

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I always find It's a Wonderful Life sad: poor George, always longing to escape and always trapped by responsibility. Yes, he ends up seeing that his life has done good, but he's paid for it!

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

Same here, really. It's A Wonderful Life: one man's optimism crumples and fails as Fate makes him its punching-bag. It's got just enough humor and good nature that I can stand to watch it without feeling like I'm watching a hero slowly broken by the world. But it's still a downer at some points.