American Madness

One of Frank Capra's early, lesser known films is a revelation for fans of It's a Wonderful Life and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. Addressing some of the same themes Capra would tackle in these classic films, in his own inimitable style, he again focuses on American history and the character of the small town hero. Bank president Thomas Dickson (Walter Huston) battles his board of directors in order to keep making loans to his hard-pressed clientele. When dire circumstances threaten the bank's solvency, chief teller Matt Brown (Pat O'Brien) and his fiancee (Constance Cummings) rally around the boss, but will it be too little too late? Newly remastered.

When the board of directors decides to call in any "risky" loans, a Depression-era bank president (Walter Huston) finds himself on the hot seat after having made questionable loans out of generosity, and it only gets hotter after a corrupt employee robs the bank, causing a flood of withdrawals. Only the good will of his loyal underlings and of the grateful community can save his job. An unmistakable Capra melodrama.