Frank Capra's It Happened One Night
In this paper I will discuss how a director was influenced in his work by political and social climate during their time. Frank Capra a Hollywood director whose life and filmmaking was changed because of World War II.
In May 18, 1897, Frank Russell Capra is born in Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy then later moved to the United States. Frank Capra went to college at the California Institute of Technology, to study chemical engineering then later enlisted in the United States Army during World War I. After the war Capra found a job in the film industry at Columbia Pictures with no experience at all where he directed comedies. He helped establish the studio and also helped to move out of the silent film era. Most of Capra's films told rags-to-riches stories, often with a moral message and a patriotic bent.
Frank Capra first success was “It Happened One Night” that was released on February 22, 1934. It Happened One Night is a romantic comedy about two mismatched couple played by Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert who are opposites in social …show more content…
Deeds Goes to Town in April 16, 1936 but in October 17, 1939 Frank Capra made Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, which is a political comedy drama. While in production of this film the people “expressed concern that the story would be seen as unpatriotic because it showed so many politicians as corrupt or craven.”(2) When it was released it sparked controversy for politicians and journalist when Mr. Smith Goes to Washington premiered in Washington D.C. “Capra claims in his autobiography that some senators walked out of the premiere, contemporary press accounts are unclear about whether this occurred or not, or whether senators yelled back at the screen during the film.”(3) A Democratic Senate Majority Leader, called the film "silly and stupid", and said it "makes the Senate look like a bunch of crooks" (3) Outside of the United States counties banned the movie such as Germany, Italy, Spain and
In May 18, 1897, Frank Russell Capra is born in Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy then later moved to the United States. Frank Capra went to college at the California Institute of Technology, to study chemical engineering then later enlisted in the United States Army during World War I. After the war Capra found a job in the film industry at Columbia Pictures with no experience at all where he directed comedies. He helped establish the studio and also helped to move out of the silent film era. Most of Capra's films told rags-to-riches stories, often with a moral message and a patriotic bent.
Frank Capra first success was “It Happened One Night” that was released on February 22, 1934. It Happened One Night is a romantic comedy about two mismatched couple played by Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert who are opposites in social …show more content…
Deeds Goes to Town in April 16, 1936 but in October 17, 1939 Frank Capra made Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, which is a political comedy drama. While in production of this film the people “expressed concern that the story would be seen as unpatriotic because it showed so many politicians as corrupt or craven.”(2) When it was released it sparked controversy for politicians and journalist when Mr. Smith Goes to Washington premiered in Washington D.C. “Capra claims in his autobiography that some senators walked out of the premiere, contemporary press accounts are unclear about whether this occurred or not, or whether senators yelled back at the screen during the film.”(3) A Democratic Senate Majority Leader, called the film "silly and stupid", and said it "makes the Senate look like a bunch of crooks" (3) Outside of the United States counties banned the movie such as Germany, Italy, Spain and