> In 1903, a six-year old Frank Capra immigrated to America with his family from Sicily, Italy. Capra not only believed in the American Dream but also in America itself and the proponents of populism based on Jeffersonian ideals including the right of each individual to the unfettered pursuit of happiness. In Charles J. Maland's biography of Frank Capra, the directing legend said, "I wanted to glorify the average man, not the guy at the top, not the politician, not the banker, just the ordinary guy whose strength I admire, whose survivability I admire."

> Among the most memorable Hollywood films stands one of the most blatantly political and populist: Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). With James Stewart in the title role, the film presents many of Capra's views on the American political system and the role of the honest individual as a vital organ in maintaining the health and vitality of the entire nation. In the film, Smith is a staunch believer in the virtues of freedom, equality, fairness, the ideals for which America stands.

> In both It Happened One Night (1934) and Platinum Blonde (1931), Capra shows how the trappings of material wealth combined with elitist attitudes can deprive an individual of authentic human experience. It is only when a character is able to appreciate the simple joys and ordinary things in life and recognize the importance of love, friendship, and integrity, that he or she can begin to grasp the meaning of life. The title characters in Frank Capra's Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and Meet John Doe (1941), both played by Gary Cooper, are two more examples of populist heroes. In both films, the hero's faith in the goodness of humankind does not go unrewarded, as the sincerity and compassion he exemplifies inspire others to see the good within themselves and the honorable deeds of which they are capable.