It gets intense once it really gets going. This is one of James Stewart's finest performances. His character, Jefferson Smith, is a role model for us all. He refuses to give up on what he believes, even in the face of major opposition and threat, and even when it looked like he didn't stand a chance of winning. (Of course, he had some major encouragement from a frieind too.) One thing I think is interesting about the movie is how non-political it is. There is no indication of what political party Mr. Smith was affiliated with. And the cause he was fighting for was neither liberal or conservative. It was done in such a way that anyone who watched the movie could side with him. It's just a great, uplifting movie that is well worth seeing.