Caught it at a local theater last night.

It was my first time seeing the film. Great movie to show after Election Day, eh?

It's a Wonderful Life is still the most enjoyable Frank Capra film that I've seen, but this was still an amazing film and leagues ahead of Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. Jefferson Smith still has some of the Longfellow hokiness about him, but he remains an amiable and likable character. Claude Rains stole the show as the conflicted Senator Paine. It's kind of a shame that he had to suffer such an abrupt shift toward being a card carrying villain, but the film did a fantastic job of showing the betrayal through Jefferson's eyes.

I have to get this out of the way. I know it's been discussed time and again, but that was a rushed and unsatisfactory ending for such a great film. Jefferson Smith passes out, Paine confesses, and a Boy Ranger gives Sauders a thumbs up. They should have cut out a scene or two of Smith acting sentimental over apple pie to allow room for a proper ending. The film ends with Jefferson unconscious and convinced that he'd lost. Even adding on an isolated five second clip of him the cut Jefferson parade would have been more satisfactory. The kid gives the thumbs up, we cut to a clip of him waving hands in the parade, and then we get The End.

Weak ending aside, it was a powerful, exceptionally well written film and I think it's done a great job in standing the test of time. The message is as loud and clear today as it ever was. Everyone who worked on or in the film did a fantastic job.