There are many films that were similar to Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. Gary Cooper makes this film different. He plays Longfellow Deeds, a man from the very small town, of Mandrake Falls. Deeds enjoys his life, making a living writing poems on postcards. The life he had is forever changed from an inheritance. His relative is killed in a car accident, and he receives a small fortune of twenty million dollars. A small team representing the estate finds him, and takes him to his new home. This new residence for Deeds is a mansion in New York City.
It is amusing to see Deeds trying to adjust. He has a butler trying to put on his pants. He is offended by this. He sees a staircase and slides down, enjoying the ride. The most entertaining is his first night in the big city. He also has a party welcoming high society. This turns into a disaster, because he isn’t used to stuffy and phony people.
The core of the film is people, including Deeds estate lawyer, want his money. They believe they can make better use of it. He is shielded from these vultures by Cornelius Cobb, (Lionel Stander). This is a character that is usually found in Capra films. Stander is good in this. He became famous many years later on tv. Cornelius Cobb shields Deeds from shady people. He is not up to the task, when it comes to the press corps. It is very difficult, since they are represented by newspaper reporter, Babe Bennett, (Jean Arthur). This was Arthur’s first major film, and she doesn’t disappoint. She was given an assignment by MacWade, (George Bancroft), to cover Deeds-the country bumpkin. Babe goes undercover, as a lady in distress. She manages to set him up, with stories and photos that make Deeds look foolish. She later repents. Mr. Deeds can see through the money grubbing people. He can’t see through Babe’s deception. He falls in love with her feigned innocence. He even writes her a love poem. It is a very moving scene, when Deeds reads it to Babe.
Deeds antics around town, have been noticed by all. This includes those who have fallen on hard times. This includes a starving farmer, (John Wray). Longfellow Deeds gives him a meal, and listens to him. This causes Deeds to give away his fortune to the needy. His home becomes a refuge for those less fortunate. The grand gesture by Deeds is looked on unfavorably by those greedy people around him. They get a judge, (H.B. Warner), to hold a sanity hearing. This isn’t going well for Deeds, until he is urged by his friends, particularly Babe, to speak up. Babe has in true Hollywood fashion fallen in love with Deeds. Mr. Deeds, does speak up, in true country folk fashion. This electrifies the courtroom, and shows up the establishment.
Gary Cooper was the common man actor, several years before James Stewart. This Capra film and Meet John Doe, starred Cooper as a man thrust in a role, that a segment of society, doesn’t want. This is either because of greed, in Deeds, or power in Doe. He handles this type of role effortlessly. Cooper is terrific opposite Jean Arthur. They stand out improvising Swanee River. He does great playing an imaginary tuba. Deeds character played tuba in a small band in Mandrake Falls. Arthur does well improvising playing drums. Arthur is particularly good in her emotional appeal to Cooper to speak out in court. Both actors do well in an all too common love story, centering around man’s character.
Frank Capra was able to make human condition stories very well. This type of film was a good sell, particularly during The Great Depression. This movie doesn’t skewer the rich, like many screwball comedies did. It takes a simple, common man and makes him wealthy. It was an interesting way of telling a story. The screenplay was written by Robert Riskin, who had previously worked with Capra on It Happened One Night. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, manages to show a piece of Americana that made Capra famous.