History Creator / FrankCapra

In the mid-1940s, Capra attempted to establish himself as an independent filmmaker by forming his own film company, Liberty Films, in partnership with fellow directors Creator/WilliamWyler and Creator/GeorgeStevens. The only two films produced by Liberty Films were ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' and ''Theatre/StateOfTheUnion'', neither of which was a success ([[VindicatedByCable at the time]]). In the 30s, Capra [[AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder made 16 feature films]], after the war he made 6 films in 15 years, two of which (''Broadway Bill'' and ''Pocketful of Miracles'') were remakes of obscure 30s films, and none of which, with the exception of ''It's A Wonderful Life'' regarded among his best films. Some of the prominent work as a director in this time was a series of educational documentaries he made for the Bell Laboratory Science Series.

As his biographer Joseph [=McBride=] notes, Capra had a reputation for being a liberal film-maker on account of the populist subjects of his 30s films such as ''Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington'', ''Film/MeetJohnDoe'' and others. In actual fact, Capra was a conservative who opposed the New Deal and in the mid-'30s an admirer of Mussolini (much like his Columbia boss, Harry Cohn). During the era of the RedScare, Capra became a [=FBI=] informant and testified against many of his collaborators to [=HUAC=] [[UsefulNotes/TheHollywoodBlacklist who became blacklisted]] as a result of his actions. Capra did this largely out of self-preservation since the Committee suspected ''him'' of Communist sympathies on account of "the leftist" subjects of his 30s films, most of which were chosen by Capra because it was popular with the public rather than any ideological loyalty one way or another. As a director, Capra was more interested in technique and emotion than any real ideological message. Despite his political beliefs, he was active in the UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood and a founding member of the Director's Guild.

As his biographer Joseph [=McBride=] notes, Capra had a reputation for being a liberal film-maker on account of the populist subjects of his 30s films such as ''Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington'', ''Film/MeetJohnDoe'' and others. In actual fact, Capra was a conservative who opposed the New Deal and in the mid-30s an admirer of Mussolini (much like his Columbia boss, Harry Cohn). During the era of the RedScare, Capra became a [=FBI=] informant and testified against many of his collaborators to [=HUAC=] [[UsefulNotes/TheHollywoodBlacklist who became blacklisted]] as a result of his actions. Capra did this largely out of self-preservation since the Committee suspected ''him'' of Communist sympathies on account of "the leftist" subjects of his 30s films, most of which were chosen by Capra because it was popular with the public rather than any ideological loyalty one way or another. As a director, Capra was more interested in technique and emotion than any real ideological message. Despite his political beliefs, he was active in the UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood and a founding member of the Director's Guild.

[[quoteright:285:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/frank-capra_liberty-films.jpg]]

Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s and 1940s. He was born in UsefulNotes/{{Sicily}}; his family emigrated to the U.S. when he was five. He originally went to Caltech (when it was still known as "Throop College of Technology") for a degree in chemical engineering - the "Capra Ranch" he donated to the university is still used for academic and student retreats. He then got a job making a small film for a couple of guys because he needed the money. That was during a recession in the early 1920s and he had trouble finding work.

From this, Capra did more film work, his chemistry degree long forgotten. Like many pioneer film-makers of the Golden Age, Capra entered cinema at a time when the nascent medium was not yet considered a serious vocation, yet after a steady apprenticeship, quickly became a master and he made some of the greatest films in cinema history.

** ''Film/TheNegroSoldier'' (1944), a follow-up documentary produced but not directed by Capra

When WorldWarII broke out, Capra was under no obligation to serve; he was over draft age and had, in fact, been a US Army officer in [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI the prequel]]. Nevertheless, he reenlisted, and as Major Capra, produced the ''Series/WhyWeFight'' set of seven propaganda films for the War Department, to explain what the war meant. (Using the term 'propaganda' in its classic sense, as in public relations material created by and for a government; what he says in the films about the Nazis and the Nationalist Japanese, that they want to take over the world and make everyone else into slaves, is correct. Much of the material was in fact translations of their own propaganda pieces.) The first of the series, ''Prelude to War'', won the 1942 UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Documentary Feature, Capra's sixth (and final) Oscar.

-->--'''Frank Capra''', The Name Above The Title

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismvsCynicism: Heavily optimistic. (At least in his films. In real life, [[StepfordSmiler not so much]]).

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismvsCynicism: Heavily optimistic.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismvsCynicism: Heavily optimistic. Frank Capra himself in his AFI award acceptance speech that his films come from the generosity, kindness, and "love of people".

->''"Someone should keep reminding Mr. Average Man that he was born free, divine, strong; uncrushable by fate, society, or hell itself; and that he is a child of God, equal heir to all the bounties of God; and that goodness is riches, kindness is power, and freedom is glory. Above all, every man is born with an inner capacity to take him as far as his imagination can dream or envision-providing he is free to dream and envision.”''
-->--'''Frank Capra''', The Name Above The Title.
----
Francesco Rosario "Frank" Capra (1897–1991) is one of the greatest directors of the 20th century. He was born in UsefulNotes/{{Sicily}}; his family emigrated to the U.S. when he was five. He originally went to Caltech (when it was still known as "Throop College of Technology") for a degree in chemical engineering - the "Capra Ranch" he donated to the university is still used for academic and student retreats. He then got a job making a small film for a couple of guys because he needed the money. That was during a recession in the early 1920s and he had trouble finding work.

!!Films he directed include:

* ''A Hole in the Head'' (1959)

TROPES USED

* Rags-To-Ritches: His films are often about this.

When he was drafted in World War II, he produced the ''Series/WhyWeFight'' set of seven propaganda films for the War Department, to explain what the war meant. (Using the term 'propaganda' in its classic sense, as in public relations material created by and for a government; what he says in the films about the Nazis and the Nationalist Japanese, that they want to take over the world and make everyone else into slaves, is correct. Much of the material was in fact translations of their own propaganda pieces.)

In the mid-1940s, Capra attempted to establish himself as an independent filmmaker by forming his own film company, Liberty Films, in partnership with fellow directors Creator/WilliamWyler and Creator/GeorgeStevens. The only two films produced by Liberty Films were ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' and ''Theatre/StateOfTheUnion'', neither of which was a success ([[VindicatedByCable at the time]]). In the 30s, Capra [[AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder made 16 feature films]], after the war he made 6 films in 15 years, two of which (''Broadway Bill'' and ''Pocketful of Miracles'') were remakes of obscure 30s films, and none of which, with the exception of ''It's A Wonderful Life'' regarded among his best films. Some of the prominent work as a director in this time was a series of educational documentaries he made for the Bell Laboratory Science Series. Capra for his part blamed the UsefulNotes/FallOfTheStudioSystem, citing the failure of Liberty Films, sold in 1947 to Creator/{{Paramount}}, as an instance of "the more or less continuous downward slide of Hollywood's artistic and economic fortunes" (from his memoirs). Other critics, such as William S. Pechter and Joseph [=McBride=] argue against this, pointing out that a number of directors in TheThirties (such as Creator/AlfredHitchcock, Creator/JohnFord, Creator/HowardHawks) actually continued working and making great films in the same period of what Capra declares Hollywood's downward slide, and as such Capra's downturn is more properly a result of his inability to keep pace with the changes of the audience. Something they note that Creator/JamesStewart, the actor most often associated with Capra, also did well (considering his many great turns in Westerns and thrillers in TheFifties). Many note that a great deal of Capra's success was rooted in the climate of the Depression (i.e. his class-conscious screwball comedies, his stories of little-guys against the system) and he was not quite adept at dealing with the more psychologically nuanced and complex world of post-war America.

In the mid-1940s, Capra attempted to establish himself as an independent filmmaker by forming his own film company, Liberty Films, in partnership with fellow directors Creator/WilliamWyler and Creator/GeorgeStevens. The only two films produced by Liberty Films were ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' and ''Theatre/StateOfTheUnion'', neither of which was a success ([[VindicatedByCable at the time]]). In the 30s, Capra [[AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder made 16 feature films]], after the war he made 6 films in 15 years, two of which (''Broadway Bill'' and ''Pocketful of Miracles'') were remakes of obscure 30s films, and none of which, with the exception of ''It's A Wonderful Life'' regarded among his best films. Capra for his part blamed the UsefulNotes/FallOfTheStudioSystem, citing the failure of Liberty Films, sold in 1947 to Creator/{{Paramount}}, as an instance of "the more or less continuous downward slide of Hollywood's artistic and economic fortunes" (from his memoirs). Some of the prominent work as a director in this time was a series of educational documentaries he made for the Bell Laboratory Science Series.

* RagsToRitches: His films are often about this.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismvsCynicism: Heavily optimistic. Frank Capra himself in his AFI award acceptance speech that his films come from the generosity, kindness, and "love of people".

----

As his biographer Joseph [=McBride=] notes, Capra had a reputation for being a liberal film-maker on account of the populist subjects of his 30s films such as Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington, Film/MeetJohnDoe and others. In actual fact, Capra was a conservative who opposed the New Deal and in the mid-30s an admirer of Mussolini (much like his Columbia boss, Harry Cohn). During the era of the RedScare, Capra became a [=FBI=] informant and testified against many of his collaborators to [=HUAC=] [[UsefulNotes/TheHollywoodBlacklist who became blacklisted]] as a result of his actions. Capra did this largely out of self-preservation since the Committee suspected ''him'' of Communist sympathies on account of "the leftist" subjects of his 30s films, most of which were chosen by Capra because it was popular with the public rather than any ideological loyalty one way or another. As a director, Capra was more interested in technique and emotion than any real ideological message. Despite his political beliefs, he was active in the UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood and a founding member of the Director's Guild.

In the mid-1940s, Capra attempted to establish himself as an independent filmmaker by forming his own film company, Liberty Films, in partnership with fellow directors Creator/WilliamWyler and George Stevens. The only two films produced by Liberty Films were ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' and ''Theatre/StateOfTheUnion'', neither of which was a success ([[VindicatedByCable at the time]]). In the 30s, Capra [[AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder made 16 feature films]], after the war he made 6 films in 15 years, two of which (''Broadway Bill'' and ''Pocketful of Miracles'') were remakes of obscure 30s films, and none of which, with the exception of ''It's A Wonderful Life'' regarded among his best films. Capra for his part blamed the UsefulNotes/FallOfTheStudioSystem, citing the failure of Liberty Films, sold in 1947 to Creator/{{Paramount}}, as an instance of "the more or less continuous downward slide of Hollywood's artistic and economic fortunes" (from his memoirs). Some of the prominent work as a director in this time was a series of educational documentaries he made for the Bell Laboratory Science Series.

* ''Pocketful of Miracles'' (1961) (remake of ''Film/LadyForADay'')

'''Francesco Rosario "Frank" Capra''' (1897–1991) is one of the greatest directors of the 20th century. He was born in UsefulNotes/{{Sicily}}; his family emigrated to the U.S. when he was five. He originally went to Caltech (when it was still known as "Throop College of Technology") for a degree in chemical engineering - the "Capra Ranch" he donated to the university is still used for academic and student retreats. He then got a job making a small film for a couple of guys because he needed the money. That was during a recession in the early 1920s and he had trouble finding work.

* ''Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington'' (1939), arguably his greatest work, and among the first movies inducted into the Library of Congress UsefulNotes/NationalFilmRegistry

* ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' (1946)

* ''The Power of the Press'' (1928)

In the mid-1940s, Capra attempted to establish himself as an independent filmmaker by forming his own film company, Liberty Films, in partnership with fellow directors Creator/WilliamWyler and Creator/GeorgeStevens. The only two films produced by Liberty Films were ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' and ''Theatre/StateOfTheUnion'', neither of which was a success ([[VindicatedByCable at the time]]). In the 30s, Capra [[AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder made 16 feature films]], after the war he made 6 films in 15 years, two of which (''Broadway Bill'' and ''Pocketful of Miracles'') were remakes of obscure 30s films, and none of which, with the exception of ''It's A Wonderful Life'' regarded among his best films. Capra for his part blamed UsefulNotes/TheFallOfTheStudioSystem, citing the failure of Liberty Films, sold in 1947 to Creator/{{Paramount}}, as an instance of "the more or less continuous downward slide of Hollywood's artistic and economic fortunes" (from his memoirs). Some of the prominent work as a director in this time was a series of educational documentaries he made for the Bell Laboratory Science Series.

'''Francesco Rosario "Frank" Capra''' (1897–1991) is one of the greatest directors of the 20th century. He was born in Sicily; his family emigrated to the U.S. when he was five. He originally went to Caltech (when it was still known as "Throop College of Technology") for a degree in chemical engineering - the "Capra Ranch" he donated to the university is still used for academic and student retreats. He then got a job making a small film for a couple of guys because he needed the money. That was during a recession in the early 1920s and he had trouble finding work.

From this, Capra did more film work, his chemistry degree long forgotten. Consider this: Capra had absolutely no training or education in film work, and he made some of the greatest films in cinema history. Of course, he was not very different from most of the film-makers of the pioneer generation, since film school didn't really exist and [[IndyPloy everything was being made up as they went along]].

His first major Hollywood experience was with Hal Roach in the mid 20s writing scripts for ''[[Film/TheLittleRascals Our Gang]]'', then from 1928 to 1939 he worked under Columbia Pictures making some of their most successful pictures. When he was drafted in World War II, he produced the ''Series/WhyWeFight'' set of seven propaganda films for the War Department, to explain what the war meant. (Using the term 'propaganda' in its classic sense, as in public relations material created by and for a government; what he says in the films about the Nazis and the Nationalist Japanese, that they want to take over the world and make everyone else into slaves, is correct. Much of the material was in fact translations of their own propaganda pieces.)

In the mid-1940s, Capra attempted to establish himself as an independent filmmaker by forming his own film company, Liberty Films, in partnership with fellow directors Creator/WilliamWyler and Creator/GeorgeStevens. The only two films produced by Liberty Films were ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' and ''Theatre/StateOfTheUnion'', neither of which was a success ([[VindicatedByCable at the time]]). The company was sold in 1947, before its latter film was released, to Creator/{{Paramount}}, an event which Capra claimed in his memoirs started "the more or less continuous downward slide of Hollywood's artistic and economic fortunes."

From this, Capra did more film work, his chemistry degree long forgotten. Consider this: Capra had absolutely no training or education in film work, and he made some of the greatest films in cinema history.

In the mid-1940s, Capra attempted to establish himself as an independent filmmaker by forming his own film company, Liberty Films, in partnership with fellow directors Creator/WilliamWyler and George Stevens. The only two films produced by Liberty Films were ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' and ''Stete of the Union'', neither of which was a success ([[VindicatedByCable at the time]]). The company was sold in 1947, before its latter film was released, to Creator/{{Paramount}}, an event which Capra claimed in his memoirs started "the more or less continuous downward slide of Hollywood's artistic and economic fortunes."

* ''Film/LadyForADay'' (1933), remade as ''Pocketful of Miracles'' (1961)

* ''State of the Union'' (1948)