Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Shot Analysis)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Lincoln Memorial Sequence

Overview: In this sequence, Mr. Smith has just finished touring Washington DC and is at his last stop of the day, the Lincoln Memorial. The scene begins with Mr. Smith walking up to the building and looking up at it in awe. As he walks through the memorial, sees the statue of Lincoln, and reads the words eternalized in the monument, Smith emanates a sense of respect and reverence. Patriotic yet peaceful music plays throughout the scene.

Shot #1: Medium shot of Smith walking toward the camera. Tourists roam and the Washington Monument is standing tall in the background.

Shot #2: The camera pans across the top of the Lincoln Memorial.

Shot #3: Full body shot of Smith as he ascends the stairs. He takes off his hat.

Shot #4: Side shot. Smith and other tourists enter the monument. Smith slowly walks forward.

Shot #5:  As Smith walks, the camera pans to the statue of Lincoln. Music transitions to “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah.”

Shot #6: Still shot of Lincoln’s head and the words above it: “IN THIS TEMPLE AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS ENSHRINED FOREVER.” The shot then tilts down to look at the rest of the statue. Music returns to normal.

Shot #7: Medium shot of Smith, turned a quarter away from the camera, looking back. A wall filled with the quotes of Lincoln is in the background. Smith looks back at the wall.

Shot #8: Cut to the wall. The phrase “WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE WITH CHARITY FOR ALL WITH FIRMNESS IN THE RIGHT AS GOD GIVES US TO SEE THE RIGHT LET US STRIVE ON TO FINISH THE WORK WE ARE IN” is highlighted.

Shot #9: Close up of the back of Smith’s head. He turns back to look at Lincoln’s statue.

Shot #10: A side view of the statue.

Shot #11: Medium shot of Smith turning and walking.

Shot #12: A shot of the words on the opposite wall. The camera tilts down and the shot fades into the next.

Shot #13: The shot fades in on the wall. The wall holds Lincoln’s speech that begins, “FOUR SCOUR AND SEVEN YEARS AGO…” The shot fades into the next.

Shot #14: The shot fades in. A full body shot of Smith, a child, and the child’s grandfather with their backs to the camera. They are looking up at the wall. The child is reading, “...that from these honored dead…”

Shot #15: The child continues to read, “…we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave…” A medium close up of Smith looking up while walking forward. He then looks down.

Shot #16: A high angle shot of the boy continuing to read next to his grandfather, who he is holding hands with, “…the last full measure of devotion.”

Shot #17: The boy continues to read, “That we here highly…” When the boy stumbles on a word, his grandfather chimes in to help him, “Resolve.” We see a medium shot from the side of an elderly black man entering. He removes his and places it above his heart.

Shot #18: The boy continues to read, “…resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.” We see a close up of Smith as he looks over at the grandfather.

Shot #19: A close up from the side of the grandfather looking up and smiling at the wall of words. The boy continues, “That this nation, under God…”

Shot #20: A close up of the boy at eye level. He continues to read, “…shall have a new birth of…” He pauses for another word he does not know.

Shot #21: An eye level shot of the grandfather as he says, “Freedom.”

Shot #22: A close up of the black man looking up at the wall as the boy says, “…freedom.”

Shot #23: We see a close up of Smith as he looks back, then up. The boy continues, “…and that government of the people…”

Shot #24: A close up of Lincoln’s face. The boy continues, “…by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” The scene fades into the next.

Shot #25: The scene transitions into the ringing of the Liberty Bell, then fades to black.

            This sequence of shots was set up to show the quiet respect that Mr. Smith holds for America’s history and those who sacrificed their lives for it. If the music had been too loud or if the shots had progressed too quickly, the scene wouldn’t have had the same effect.