I feel silly saying this, but I didn’t realize how much the Adam Sandler Mr. Deeds was a remake of this. Obviously, I knew it was a remake. I just thought it took the kernel of an idea – simple small-town man inherits a fortune – and made something new with it. Nope. It’s basically the same movie. The only difference is that Mr. Deeds Comes to Town has an extra 20 minutes of court scenes that are much less funny. That’s the Capra of it. He’s gotta find room for the sentimentality. I don’t think it ages as well as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington or It’s a Wonderful Life though. It goes on too long and underlines its point too much. Still, I mostly liked the movie. Gary Cooper is pitch perfect as Longfellow Deeds. And I was thrilled to see that one of my favorite jokes from Mr. Deeds actually came from the original movie. That would be the scene where Longfellow says if there wasn’t a woman present, he’d kick someone’s ass. Then, Jean Arthur’s Babe says she doesn’t mind, so Longfellow decks him. That’s just good comedy.
Verdict: Weakly Recommend
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