Mixed reactions (of the movie “Mr. Smith goes to Washington” when released in 1939) from senator: While many attendees enjoyed the movie’s humor and its faithful setting, some were visibly displeased. Majority Leader Alben Barkley (D-Ky.) was the most outspoken critic, calling it “silly and stupid” and accusing it of making the Senate look like “a bunch of crooks”

Mixed reactions (of the movie “Mr. Smith goes to Washington” when released in 1939) from senator: While many attendees enjoyed the movie’s humor and its faithful setting, some were visibly displeased. Majority Leader Alben Barkley (D-Ky.) was the most outspoken critic, calling it “silly and stupid” and accusing it of making the Senate look like “a bunch of crooks”