Movies Like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a 1939 comedy, drama film from Frank Capra with a MovieMagicScore of 7.8/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Advise & Consent and Alias Nick Beal.

Comedy Drama

Advise & Consent

1962

Proposed by the President of the United States to fill the post of Secretary of State, Robert Leffingwell appears before a Senate committee, chaired by the idealistic Senator Brig Anderson, which must decide whether he is the right person for the job.

7.2

MagicScore

Alias Nick Beal

1949

After straight-arrow district attorney Joseph Foster says in frustration that he would sell his soul to bring down a local mob boss, a smooth-talking stranger named Nick Beal shows up with enough evidence to seal a conviction. When that success leads Foster to run for governor, Beal's unearthly hold on him turns the previously honest man corrupt, much to the displeasure of his wife and his steadfast minister.

6.9

MagicScore

The Birdcage

1996

A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen partner agree to put up a false heterosexual front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's conservative parents.

7.0

MagicScore

All the King's Men

1949

A man of humble beginnings and honest intentions rises to power by nefarious means. Along for the wild ride are an earnest reporter, a heretofore classy society girl, and a too-clever-for-her-own-good political flack.

7.0

MagicScore

Slightly Scarlet

1956

Kleptomaniac Dorothy Lyons is paroled from prison into the custody of her sister June, secretary to "reform" politician Frank Jansen. Ben Grace, associate of crime boss Sol "Solly" Caspar, sees this as a way to smear Jansen's campaign. Seductive Dorothy will do anything to get what she wants, which includes having a good time with Ben-- whom June is now in love with.

6.2

MagicScore

The Hater

2020

A duplicitous young man finds success in the dark world of social media smear tactics — but his virtual vitriol soon has violent real-life consequences.

6.9

MagicScore

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

1982

When a Conservative TV crusader threatens to shut down beloved brothel, the Chicken Ranch, proprietress Miss Mona Stangley and her girls won't go down without a fight.

6.2

MagicScore

The Walker

2007

Carter Page III, a middle-aged gay man in Washington, D. C., is a "walker", a single man who escorts other men's wives to social events so the husbands do not have to. One of the women he escorts, Lynn Lockner, is the wife of a United States senator and is carrying on an affair with a lobbyist. When she finds the lobbyist murdered, she embroils Carter in an investigation that leads to the highest levels of the federal government.

5.3

MagicScore

Miss Sloane

2016

An ambitious lobbyist faces off against the powerful gun lobby in an attempt to pass gun control legislation.

7.4

MagicScore

#10

Poster Boy

2004

The gay son of a conservative senator who is also the poster boy for his father's re-election unknowingly befriends a gay activist bent on destroying the hypocritical campaign.

5.3

MagicScore

#11

The Report

2019

The story of Daniel Jones, lead investigator for the US Senate’s sweeping study into the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program, which was found to be brutal, immoral and ineffective. With the truth at stake, Jones battled tirelessly to make public what many in power sought to keep hidden.

7.0

MagicScore

#12

Vice

2018

George W. Bush picks Dick Cheney, the CEO of Halliburton Co., to be his Republican running mate in the 2000 presidential election. No stranger to politics, Cheney's impressive résumé includes stints as White House chief of staff, House Minority Whip and Defense Secretary. When Bush wins by a narrow margin, Cheney begins to use his newfound power to help reshape the country and the world.

7.0

MagicScore

#13

Wag the Dog

1997

During the final weeks of a presidential race, the President is accused of sexual misconduct. To distract the public until the election, the President's adviser hires a Hollywood producer to help him stage a fake war.

6.9

MagicScore

#14

Roman Holiday

1953

Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann takes off for a night while in Rome. When a sedative she took from her doctor kicks in, however, she falls asleep on a park bench and is found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley, who takes her back to his apartment for safety. At work the next morning, Joe finds out Ann's regal identity and bets his editor he can get exclusive interview with her, but romance soon gets in the way.

7.9

MagicScore

#15

Possessed

1931

Marion is a factory worker who hopes to trade the assembly line for a beautiful penthouse apartment. Mark Whitney, a wealthy and influential lawyer, can make her dreams come true, but, there is only one problem; he will give her everything except a marriage proposal. Will this affair ever lead to marriage?

7.0

MagicScore

#16

Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape

2010

A documentary analyzing the furore which so-called "video nasties" caused in Britain during the 1980s.

6.8

MagicScore

#17

Civil War

2024

In the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war.

6.8

MagicScore

#18

The Last Hurrah

1958

In a changing world where television has become the main source of information, Adam Caulfield, a young sports journalist, witnesses how his uncle, Frank Skeffington, a veteran and honest politician, mayor of a New England town, tries to be reelected while bankers and captains of industry conspire in the shadows to place a weak and manageable candidate in the city hall.

7.2

MagicScore

#19

Recount

2008

In 2000, the election of the U.S. Presidential boiled down to a few precious votes in the state of Florida — and a recount that would add "hanging chad" to every American's vocabulary.

6.8

MagicScore

#20

Rendition

2007

When an Egyptian terrorism suspect "disappears" on a flight from Africa to Washington DC, his American wife and a CIA analyst find themselves caught up in a struggle to secure his release from a secret detention facility somewhere outside the US.

6.4

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?

The top films similar to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington by MovieMagicScore are Advise & Consent (7.2), Alias Nick Beal (6.9), The Birdcage (7.0). Each shares comedy/drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington worth watching?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.8/10 from 1,127 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) is a comedy, drama film directed by Frank Capra, starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains.

Where can I find more recommendations like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more comedy recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Advise & Consent Movies like Alias Nick Beal Movies like The Birdcage Movies like All the King's Men Movies like Slightly Scarlet Movies like The Hater

About movies like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

This ranked list pairs Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), a comedy and drama film from Frank Capra, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of James Stewart take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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