The American Dream in Film
In the 1920s–30s, the American Dream typically became associated with failure and tragedy by authors and filmmakers, however this turned out to not be the case for all of them.
The American Dream which took place between 1929 till 1933 is relatively one of the most explored themes in the world of literature amongst writers such as Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby (1925); yet when it comes to the film industry, it becomes harder to find. The 1920s and 30s were the birth years of the notion which concluded to be a dichotomy of pessimism and complete optimism. This column will explore the different approaches that King Vidor and Frank Capra take in their films The Crowd(1928), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington(1939) in terms of morals and symbolism, using cinematography and mise-en-scene.
The titles of the two films can alone express the aspects they are taking; often when a title is very abstract like “The Crowd”, it tends to be exploring negative perceptions. On the other hand, films that mirror positivity and reassure the American Dream like Capra’s are very defined and anticipated by their titles, as Mr. Smith appears to have a plan, and he makes it work.
Vidor expresses his stances towards the American Dream with a very gloomy approach. As John Sims’ character develops from a toddler to a man of responsibilities, he faces challenges, which are represented as series of allegories for bigger themes such social class problems, the great depression and consumerism.
The film was made a year before the Wall Street crash which is a perfect foreshadow when John Sims never meets his goals, and fails morally instead. From the moment he says “my dad says I’m going to be somebody big” we can already recognize the irony that the film will portray; his father soon dies and the struggles begin. The scene where he goes up the stairs to see his father after he dies, he is centered in the middle of the frame, and in the background there is a crowd of people; which is a metaphor of what the film title “The Crowd” implies. John Sims is just one of out many people in the crowd, his story is a sample of other individuals’ lives. In the same sequence, (See Source 1) the edge of the frame is chiaroscuro, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere to fit the grim themes in terms of lighting.
Looking at the aspect of consumerism in the film, I admired the way in which the introduction to the concept of the new city and skyscrapers was shot. The sequence was overwhelming to watch, even today, it is amazing how the endless windows and frames are fascinating to the eyes, making it almost feel like man is nothing compared to the city and its cruelty. Consumerism is expressed through the numerous people that are present in one frame. When John is seen working, we can literally not identify him as he works amongst hundreds of other people (See Source 2) — the fact that his number is 137 illustrates his unworthiness in the city, he is just another person trying to make it in life, he seems like a numbered product, unidentifiable.
The film continues to doubt John’s presence and dreams by subtly inserting intertitles and signs that say, “You don’t look historical, you look hysterical”, “little man the world is going to hear about”, and “Be careful” when they go up the bus stairs in one of the scenes, hinting that they should not get too ambitious, or else they will fail like everyone else.
Masses and crowds are the equivalent symbolism of consumerism in the film, focusing on one of many people who fail in the city as the American Dream motivates them. When the workers look at the clock in the big hall, they are technically synchronized with the clock motion, again suggesting that they are rather robotic than human-like, going at one pace.
In Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the concentrated theme is the individual against system, regardless of their social class, background, and experiences. The optimistic film takes a turn on portraying that with ambition one can achieve anything.
When I watched the film, I was captivated by how Capra chose to take a positive insight on the American Dream as it is usually associated with darkness. I kept wondering if I was right about my anticipations, and firstly there was the clue of the title, which I explained earlier in the column suggesting hopefulness, and then there was the dissolve editing that was used in the beginning of the film, overlaying the American flag with people’s faces laughing and historical buildings (See Source 3). I imagined that it would be too harsh to visually be extremely hopeful then disappointing the audience and end the film tragically. When he arrives to Washington, he looks outside the window and enjoys the landscapes and architectures of the city, which is very patriotic and aspiring.
In one scene, there was a lovely shot of Mr. Smith entering the White House for the first time, and being overwhelmed with Abraham Lincoln’s huge statue. (See Source 4) Mr. Smith seems almost like nothing in comparison to the enormous statue, yet, it implies that alone he can accomplish anything irrespective of his size, which is a metaphor of his background. This shot is like an encounter of great people, even though their sizes are contrasted. The fact that Mr. Smith looks up and faces the statue without fear indicates that he will achieve his American Dream eventually, in spite of any obstacles.
The final scene of Capra’s film takes place in the court where I spotted a very interesting staging choice; Mr. Smith is standing alone in half of the frame, the seats behind him are empty which suggests his power even when standing alone. On the other hand, the rest of the room is filled with people looking at him as if doubting his voice. Regardless, he overcomes and wins the debate, becoming an icon that achieves the ultimate dream.
Even though both films juxtapose perceptions towards the American Dream, they have coherent understandings that they portray well through their cinematography and mise-en-scene. In Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Capra exposes social class as an insignificant factor that does not affect ambition, whereas in The Crowd, Vidor does the complete opposite with John Sims’ character as his life gradually falls apart, ending with the brutal death of his daughter. Frank Capra and King Vidor invested many details on screen that can count as cinematic excess, and adding to their greatness, however in this essay I pointed out the most important concerning the American Dream.
Now to know more about the American Dream in other Hollywood films, check out this recent podcast episode by the show Don’t Be Serious.
