What's the Best Political Movie of All Time?

Vote for your favorite political movie and be sure to watch "This Week" Sunday.

ByABC News
February 12, 2009, 1:07 PM

March 5, 2010 — -- The Oscars are HERE!

In honor of ABC hosting the Academy Awards this Sunday, we'll be talking about the "best movie" this year on the Roundtable. But, we here at "This Week" want to know...what's YOUR all-time favorite political movie?

Our guest host ABC's Matthew Dowd, who has made a career working in politics, says his favorite political movie is "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and here's why: "This is my favorite political movie and one of my top ten movies of all time. I love the idealism of Senate Jefferson Smith (played exquisitely well by James Stewart) as he comes to Washington as an appointed senator. He ends up discovering corruption and his heart gets broken by people he always trusted. In the end, he conquers and his ideals are renewed. Also, interestingly he actually uses the filibuster in a way to expose the corruption. Ironic at a time when the filibuster is merely used as a threat and not in the manner of Jefferson Smith. This feel good movie is a must see by anyone who loves politics and dreams of a less cynical, non polarized time."

Have your say! What's the best political movie of all time? Join the debate!

You can vote HERE, or if you have your own favorite not on our list, click on "View Poll" and tell us in the comments section.

And be sure to tune in SUNDAY on "This Week" for the full debate on Oscar picks on our Roundtable.

We look forward to your vote.

ABC News Live

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

Have your say! What's the best political movie of all time? Join the debate!

You can vote HERE, or if you have your own favorite not on our list, click on \"View Poll\" and tell us in the comments section.

And be sure to tune in SUNDAY on \"This Week\" for the full debate on Oscar picks on our Roundtable.

We look forward to your vote.

","publishedDate":"2009-02-12T18:07:18Z","contributors":[{"name":"ABC News","url":"","role":"","logo":"","logoAlt":""}],"modifiedDate":"2010-03-05T23:31:33Z","section":"ThisWeek","wordCount":256,"relatedTags":{"heading":"Related Topics","tags":[]},"lead":{"ratio":"16x9","disableForMobile":false,"type":"xl","mediaType":"image","alignCaptionToBody":true},"ads":{"Sticky":{"kvps":{"test":true}},"RightRail":{"kvps":{"test":true}},"InlineBox":{},"InlineOutstream":{"disabled":false},"Taboola":{"position":"bottom","pageType":"article","config":{"network":"abcnews-abcnews","mode":"thumbnails-a","container":"taboola-below-article-thumbnails","type":"article","targetType":"mix","placement":"Below Article Thumbnails"}}},"featuredVideo":null,"dateline":"March 5, 2010 —","seo":{},"LivePromotion":{}},"autoUpdate":{"enabled":false,"topics":["general-elections-2020-balance-of-power"]}},"upw":{"balanceOfPower":{"electoral":{"header":"Biden Projected to be President-Elect","candidates":{"democrats":{"id":1036,"displayName":"Joe Biden","shortDisplayName":"J. Biden","firstName":"Joe","lastName":"Biden","party":"democrats","major":true,"incumbent":false,"winner":true,"votes":306},"republicans":{"id":8639,"displayName":"Donald Trump","shortDisplayName":"D. Trump","firstName":"Donald","lastName":"Trump","party":"republicans","major":true,"incumbent":true,"winner":false,"votes":232},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":0}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"electoral","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{},"total":306,"difference":{},"popular":{"displayValue":"81,283,098","value":81283098}},"republicans":{"available":{},"total":232,"difference":{},"popular":{"displayValue":"74,222,958","value":74222958}},"other":{"available":{},"total":0,"popular":{}},"total":538},"needed":{"displayText":"270 to win","displayValue":"270","value":270},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-18T21:15:13.850Z","displayValue":"December 18, 4:15:13PM ET"},"reporting":"99% of Expected Vote Reporting"},"senate":{"header":"Senate Seat Results","candidates":{"democrats":{"displayName":"Democrats","icon":"party-democrats","votes":46,"winner":false},"republicans":{"displayName":"Republicans","icon":"party-republicans","votes":50,"winner":false},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":2}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"senate","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{"displayText":"12 Democrats up for election","shortDisplayText":"12 Dems. up for election","displayValue":"12","value":12},"total":46,"difference":{"displayText":"Gained 1 seat","displayValue":"1","value":1},"popular":{}},"republicans":{"available":{"displayText":"23 Republicans up for election","shortDisplayText":"23 Reps. up for election","displayValue":"23","value":23},"total":50,"difference":{"displayText":"Lost 1 seat","displayValue":"-1","value":-1},"popular":{}},"other":{"available":{"displayText":"0 Others up for election","shortDisplayText":"0 Others up for election","displayValue":"0","value":0},"total":2,"popular":{}},"total":100},"needed":{"displayText":"51 for control","displayValue":"51","value":51},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-17T18:22:05.390Z","displayValue":"December 17, 1:22:05PM ET"}},"house":{"header":"House Results: Dems Retain Control","candidates":{"democrats":{"displayName":"Democrats","icon":"party-democrats","votes":222,"winner":true},"republicans":{"displayName":"Republicans","icon":"party-republicans","votes":210,"winner":false},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":0}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"house","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{"displayText":"233 Democrats up for election","shortDisplayText":"233 Dems. up for election","displayValue":"233","value":233},"total":222,"difference":{"displayText":"Lost 10 seats","displayValue":"-10","value":-10},"popular":{}},"republicans":{"available":{"displayText":"201 Republicans up for election","shortDisplayText":"201 Reps. up for election","displayValue":"201","value":201},"total":210,"difference":{"displayText":"Gained 10 seats","displayValue":"10","value":10},"popular":{}},"other":{"available":{"displayText":"1 Others up for election","shortDisplayText":"1 Others up for election","displayValue":"1","value":1},"total":0,"popular":{}},"total":435},"needed":{"displayText":"218 for control","displayValue":"218","value":218},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-17T18:22:02.900Z","displayValue":"December 17, 1:22:02PM ET"}},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-18T21:15:13.850Z","displayValue":"December 18, 4:15:13PM ET"},"autoUpdate":{"enabled":false,"topics":["general-elections-2020-balance-of-power"]},"electionsConfig":{}},"types":["electoral","senate","house"]}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewabcnews,wdgasec,wdgnewabcnweb,wdgnewabcnewsrollup","ns":"abcnews","pageName":"abcn:thisweek:story","pageType":"story","pageUrl":"abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/best-political-movie-time/story?id=10021377&userab=abcn_web_article_ts-218*variant_c-820","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"abcn:site","tagID":"apage_news01","userABCookie":"abcn_web_article_ts-218*variant_c-820","alertTag":"none","authors":"ABC News","authorsBureau":"none","authorsUnit":"none","dateline":"March 5, 2010 —","id":"10021377","modDate":"2010-03-05","mediaOnPage":"none","modTime":"18:31","provider":"ABC News","pubDate":"2009-02-12","pubTime":"13:07","section":"ThisWeek","subBrand":"none","title":"What's the Best Political Movie of All Time? ","videoId":"none","videoName":"none","wordCount":256},"taboola":{"config":{"network":"abcnews-abcnews","mode":"thumbnails-a","type":"other","targetType":"mix","placement":null,"pageTypeOverrides":{"story":{"mode":"thumbnails-a","type":"article","targetType":"mix","placement":"Below Article Thumbnails"},"home":{"mode":"thumbnails-b","container":"taboola-homepage-thumbnails","type":"home","targetType":"mix","placement":"Homepage Thumbnails"},"section":{"mode":"thumbnails-b","type":"category","targetType":"mix","placement":"Section Front Thumbnails"},"liveBlog":{"mode":"thumbnails-d","type":"other","targetType":"mix","placement":"Blog"}}}}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/ThisWeek/best-political-movie-time/story?id=10021377&userab=abcn_web_article_ts-218*variant_c-820","vary":{"host":"abcnews.go.com","cached":true,"path":"/ThisWeek/best-political-movie-time/story","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","country":"us","userab":"abcn_web_article_ts-218*variant_c-820","region":"gdpr"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};