A Jolly Good Fellow… Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (Frank Capra, 1936)

It’s been ages since I’ve participated in a blogathon! The last time I did was actually in April 2022, and it was for one of my own blogathons… But life happened, and I just got busy with other things. My apologies to the bloggers whose blogathons I had to skip. Since things are calmer on my side, I thought I’d get back on track and remedy the situation. So, my come-back in the world of blogathons will be done thanks to The Intruder Blogathon hosted by the Metzinger sisters from Silver Scenes! The idea with this blogging event is to discuss a film in which a character comes into the life of other characters and positively influences the course of their life. In such fashion, we can think of films like Mary Poppins, Topper or Picnic (some examples listed by our hosts). On my side, I went with the excellent Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (Frank Capra, 1936), which features one of my favourite performances by Gary Cooper. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, which Capra also directed, could have been a good candidate. Still, I had already written an article on it for ClassicFlix (which you can also find on my blog). Capra films often present values that encourage both the characters and the spectators to consider the world that surrounds them differently and, therefore, to become better persons. 

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town begins as we witness a violent and sudden car accident somewhere on a country road. The driver, millionaire Martin Semple, is killed instantly. His heir and distant nephew, Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper), is to receive the “very modest” sum of $ 20 M (that’s over $400 M today). Semple’s attorney, John Cedar (Douglass Dumbrille), and ex-newspaperman Cornelius Cobb (Lionel Stander) go to Mandrake Falls, Vermont, where Deeds live to deliver the news and take him to New York for him to start fresh as a new rich. Oh, the surprise when they discover Deeds is a straightforward man, a tuba player and a postcard poems writer!

Deeds, as polite as he is, still follows the men to New York to start his new life. Cedar has tasked Cobb to keep the indiscreet reporters and journalists away from Deeds. However, reporter Louise “Babe” Bennett (Jean Arthur) has been promised a paid vacation by her superior MacWade (George Bancroft) if she delivers articles about Deeds. Bennett gains his trust by making him believe she’s a poor helpless lady named Mary Dawson (Deeds has always dreamed of saving a damsel in distress). In the evening, she and Deeds see each other (Deeds quickly falls in love with her). The following day, newspaper articles written by Bennett are published. Deeds’s new nickname, Cinderella Man, depicts him in a risible fashion. However, Deeds has yet to learn that their author and the woman he’s so fond of are the same person, and that two photographers hired by Bennett have been following them secretly on their dates.

Those articles make things hard for Deeds, who has difficulty adapting to his new way of life and being taken seriously. He has a big heart, perhaps too big, and constantly thinks of using that money to make good around him. Deeds eventually learns the hard truth about Mary and, heartbroken, chooses to return to Mandrake Falls. However, as he’s about to leave, a poor and desperate farmer (John Wray) manages to enter his mansion, menacing him with a gun. The guy doesn’t go very far with his menaces, and Deeds understands that he’s only very desperate like many victims of the Great Depression. He then realises that his fortune, which he doesn’t really need, can be well-used to help all these poor people. Less than thrilled about this idea, Cedar teams with a Mr. Semple (Jameson Thomas), Semple’s only other relative and his greedy wife (Mayo Methot) and try to have him declared mentally incompetent. That leads the poor Deeds to be tried in court.

Since this blogathon focuses on how a character influences the lives of others, it’s interesting to see how this goes in two ways in Capra’s film. Deeds changes people’s life, but his life is changed as well. Our protagonist lives a quiet and pretty normal life in Mandrake Falls and is highly appreciated by his peers, people of simple tastes like him. They look for a peaceful existence where they aren’t judged for their wealth and sense of business. Do what makes you happy could be the motto of Deeds’s life, hence his taste for eclectic activities such as playing the tuba to concentrate or writing poems on postcards. Therefore, when Cedar and Cobb interrupt his quiet life, they influence and change it drastically. Mostly negatively because, if you think of it, Deeds make it pretty clear that he doesn’t need this money and is perfectly happy the way he is. How the rest of the events evolve, leading him to court for unfounded reasons, isn’t exactly a happy time in Deeds’s new life. He listens to his trial completely quiet and devastated that his reputation has been that ruined by people who only think of themselves in a very capitalist spirit, opposing Deeds, who seeks to be a good person. 

However, there is positivity coming from that encounter with Cedar, and that’s how Deeds decides to manage his new life and influence the lives of others positively. Of course, the person whom we should first think about is Louise Bennett. We know she plays a double character to keep Deeds in her pocket and write stories about him. However, we observe that she gradually regrets her gesture and feels guilty about manipulating Deeds like that, especially since he has fallen in love with her (and she’s probably feeling the same, although it is not clear at first). We know she does that for a paid vacation but at what cost? Is it worth having a holiday if it means ruining someone’s life? Bennett goes on with the job, but at some point, she’s not comfortable with it anymore. When she learns that Deeds is being tried for insanity, she quits the newspaper job because she finally understands the damage she’s done and must repair the broken pieces. Louise gets that Deeds is a sensible man with a big heart and takes his defence in the trial, showcasing a more human and sensitive side to her personality. She acknowledges her faults and knows she’s part of the reasons for Deeds’s unfair treatment. Even MacWade takes Deeds’s side in the trial and adds his two cents to depict him positively.

Of course, with his good deeds and desire to help the people, Deeds also uses his new power to influence the life of the less fortunate. His entrance into New York with a growing population, and his difficulty in facing the imposing capitalist world represented by people like Cedar, leads to a positive change for these people as they might now have a brighter future than what they were initially destined to.

Then, if we look broader, Deeds, by coming into the life of New York citizens, also influences people (and even us, viewers) to think about the world or the people who surround them in a kinder light, not judging at first glance. That mainly happens in the trial. For example, when it is noticed that it’s bizarre that he plays the tuba to concentrate, Deeds observes that everybody in this court does something to occupy their time. Some of these are ridiculous, but Deeds is not here to judge. He’s here to make them notice that, after all, they are pretty much like him (but he’s the only one on trial). We also hope that Deeds encourage these people to let themselves go (in a good way) and be funkier, less grey and beige. He wants them to live a colourful life filled with creativity and surprises instead of the boring existence people like Cedar seem to live for. That can be done by thinking about others and questioning what surrounds them.

That is one of my very favourite performances by Gary Cooper (along with Kane in High Noon). He composed the representation of his character by perfectly showcasing his sensitive and strong sides (with definitely a lot of charisma). It’s easy to identify with him as he is also extremely likeable and funny. He plays the new rich like no other, making Deeds appear like good company. Then, in the sadder moments, he instantly takes us with him, and we don’t need to be convinced that he’s the good guy who is highly misunderstood. I love how clumsy he is and how he doesn’t hesitate to speak for himself. Of course, Coop also has brilliant chemistry with Jean Arthur, who was an underrated actress. The two of them are simply adorable together. That leads me to say that I love the film’s final scene! It ends with a kiss between them. But the way it’s done is just so cute. Deeds has won the trial, and it’s noticeably chaotic. He doesn’t seem to understand what is happening, but all ends well, and he’s finally with his “Mary”.

Some character actors in the film also provide good comic relief and flavour to the whole thing, especially George Bancroft, Lionel Stander and Raymond Walburn. Even the uncredited Jameson Thomas, who plays Mr. Sample, is noteworthy with his nose twitch and idiotic personality. We also saw Thomas in Capra’s It Happened One Night as Claudette Colbert’s fiancé. Unfortunately, he’s a pretty forgotten actor nowadays.

If Mr. Deeds Goes to Town has such exciting character development, we owe it to its screenwriter, Robert Riskin, a frequent collaborator of Frank Capra. The story was based on the short story Opera Hat by Clarence Budington Kelland, published in The American Magazine. Interestingly, although there is a common characteristic to Frank Capra’s characters, lots of humanity and liberal ideas, these were much more Riskin’s touch than Capra’s. We feel that Riskin wanted to develop characters that were close to the people and relatable. Everyone has flaws, but everyone can improve for the best without completely losing their identity. We can also observe how these narrative lines and the story’s development give the film a certain screwball comedy spirit. Without being one at 100% like It Happened One Night or My Man Godfrey, it still holds the social elements of the genre, therefore becoming a product that people at the time, the less fortunate, could relate to while witnessing hope in the form of visual entertainment. 

On its release, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town was an overall success and received the Oscar for Best Director. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor (Gary Cooper), Best Original Story and Best Sound Recording. Although a film from the 30s, it is still a relevant product nowadays with valuable life lessons.

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A huge thanks to Constance and Diana for hosting this fun blogathon! Don’t forget to check the other entries here.

See you!