Ryan's Hope (1975)

Actors: Leslie Easterbrook (actress), Marg Helgenberger (actress), Angela Bassett (actress), Mary-Louise Parker (actress), Daniel Pilon (actor), Gloria DeHaven (actress), Joshua Nelson (actor), Fisher Stevens (actor), Will Patton (actor), Regis Philbin (actor), Tichina Arnold (actress), Cesare Danova (actor), Tom Mason (actor), Grant Show (actor), Ron McLarty (actor),

Plot: Set in Riverside on the upper West Side of Manhattan, Ryan's Hope centered mostly on the working class Ryans, an Irish-American family headed by Maeve and Johnny Ryan. They owned Ryan's Bar, a pivotal location for character interaction. The Ryans' dreams and ambitions made up most of the stories.

Keywords: character-name-in-title, irish-american, manhattan-new-york-city, new-york-city, sergeant, soap-opera
Genres: Drama,

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Actors: Al Bridge (actor), Stanley Andrews (actor), Edward Arnold (actor), Erville Alderson (actor), Sam Ash (actor), Edwin August (actor), Frank Austin (actor), Harry A. Bailey (actor), William Arnold (actor), Brooks Benedict (actor), Wilson Benge (actor), Wade Boteler (actor), Harry C. Bradley (actor), Lynton Brent (actor), Harlan Briggs (actor),

Plot: Naive and idealistic Jefferson Smith, leader of the Boy Rangers, is appointed on a lark by the spineless governor of his state. He is reunited with the state's senior senator--presidential hopeful and childhood hero, Senator Joseph Paine. In Washington, however, Smith discovers many of the shortcomings of the political process as his earnest goal of a national boys' camp leads to a conflict with the state political boss, Jim Taylor. Taylor first tries to corrupt Smith and then later attempts to destroy Smith through a scandal.

Keywords: aide, american, american-politics, appointment, band, banquet, bill, briefcase, camp, car-accident
Genres: Drama,
Taglines: Capra at his greatest! Stirring - In the seeing! Precious - In the remembering! Capra's Greatest Hit --- The Screen At Its Most Inspired! Entertainment As Powerful As the Strength of the People! As Great As the Genius of Capra! Romance, drama, laughter and heartbreak ... created out of the very heart and soil of America ... by a great director and cast!

Quotes:

Jefferson Smith: You see, boys forget what their country means by just reading The Land of the Free in history books. Then they get to be men they forget even more. Liberty's too precious a thing to be buried in books, Miss Saunders. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: I'm free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't, I can, and my children will. Boys ought to grow up remembering that.

Jefferson Smith: Either I'm dead right, or I'm crazy!

[the filibuster begins]::President of Senate: The Chair recognizes... Senator Smith!::Jefferson Smith: Thank you, sir.::Clarissa Saunders: Diz, here we go.::Jefferson Smith: Well, I guess the gentlemen are in a pretty tall hurry to get me out of here. The way the evidence has piled up against me, I can't say I blame them much. And I'm quite willing to go, sir, when they vote it that way - but before that happens I've got a few things I want to say to this body. I tried to say them once before, and I got stopped colder than a mackerel. Well, I'd like to get them said this time, sir. And as a matter of fact, I'm not going to leave this body until I do get them said.::Senator Joseph Paine: Mr. President, will the Senator yield?::President of Senate: Will the Senator yield?::Jefferson Smith: No, sir, I'm afraid not, no sir. I yielded the floor once before, if you can remember, and I was practically never heard of again. No sir. And we might as well all get together on this yielding business right off the bat, now. [laughter from the gallery] Now, I had some pretty good coaching last night, and I find that if I yield only for a question or a point of order or a personal privilege, that I can hold this floor almost until doomsday. In other words, I've got a piece to speak, and blow hot or cold, I'm going to speak it.::Senator Joseph Paine: Will the Senator yield?::President of Senate: Will Senator Smith yield?::Jefferson Smith: Yield how, sir?::Senator Joseph Paine: Will he yield for a question?::Jefferson Smith: For a question, all right.

Senator Joseph Paine: I wish to ask my distinguished colleague, has he one scrap of evidence to add now to the defense he did not give and could not give at that same hearing?::Jefferson Smith: I have no defense against forged papers!::Senator Joseph Paine: The Committee ruled otherwise! The gentleman stands guilty, as charged. And I believe I speak for every member when I say that no one cares to hear what a man of his condemned character has to say about any section of any legislation before this House.::President of Senate: Order, order, gentlemen.::Jefferson Smith: Mr. President, I stand guilty as FRAMED! Because section 40 is graft! And I was ready to say so, I was ready to tell you that a certain man in my state, a Mr. James Taylor, wanted to put through this dam for his own profit. A man who controls a political machine! And controls everything else worth controlling in my state. Yes, and a man even powerful enough to control Congressmen - and I saw three of them in his room the day I went up to see him!::Senator Joseph Paine: Will the Senator yield?::Jefferson Smith: No, sir, I will not yield! And this same man, Mr. James Taylor, came down here and offered me a seat in this Senate for the next 20 years if I voted for a dam that he knew, and I knew, was a fraud. But if I dared to open my mouth against that dam, he promised to break me in two.

[after all the other Senators walk out]::Jefferson Smith: Oh, Mr. President, we seem to be alone. I, I'm not complaining for a social reason; it's just, I think it'd be a pity if these gentlemen missed any of this, and...::[Clarissa starts waving from the visitors gallery, and making hand signals]::Jefferson Smith: And, uh...::[he grabs the rule book]::Jefferson Smith: I, I call the chair's attention to... to, uh... Rule 5 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, Section... Section 3. "If it shall be found that a quorum is not present, a majority of the Senators present" - and that looks like me - uh, uh, "may direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to request, and if necessary compel, the attendance of the absent Senators." Well, Mr. President, I so direct.

Diz Moore: [dictating into phone] In protest, the whole Senate body rose and walked out.::Clarissa Saunders: No! No, not that straight stuff. Now listen, kick it up, get on his side, fight for him! Understand?::Diz Moore: You love this monkey - don't you?::Clarissa Saunders: What do you think? Now listen, go to work. Do as I tell you.::Diz Moore: [into phone] Throw out that last, take this. This is the most titanic battle of modern times. A David without even a slingshot rises to do battle against the mighty Goliath, the Taylor machine, allegedly crooked inside and out. Yeah, and for my money, you can cut out the "allegedly."

Senator Joseph Paine: He can raise public opinion against us - if any part of this sticks...::James Taylor: Aah, he'll never get started. I'll make public opinion out there within five hours! I've done it all my life. I'll blacken this punk so that he'll - You leave public opinion to me. Now, Joe, I think you'd better go back into the Senate and keep those Senators lined up.

Jefferson Smith: [His voice very hoarse] Just get up off the ground, that's all I ask. Get up there with that lady that's up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something. And you won't just see scenery; you'll see the whole parade of what Man's carved out for himself, after centuries of fighting. Fighting for something better than just jungle law, fighting so's he can stand on his own two feet, free and decent, like he was created, no matter what his race, color, or creed. That's what you'd see. There's no place out there for graft, or greed, or lies, or compromise with human liberties. And, uh, if that's what the grownups have done with this world that was given to them, then we'd better get those boys' camps started fast and see what the kids can do. And it's not too late, because this country is bigger than the Taylors, or you, or me, or anything else. Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!

[when Smith is announced as the newly appointed Senator]::James Taylor: I want you to let the ballyhoo boys loose, plan a celebration, and declare a holiday.

Jefferson Smith: I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too.