This day in history: Frank Capra died on this day in 1991. Capra was an Italian-born American film director, producer, and screenwriter who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Italy and raised in Los Angeles from the age of five, his rags-to-riches story has led film historians such as Ian Freer to consider him the "American Dream personified".
Capra often brought out America’s healthy skepticism of big government in his movies.
Consider the exchange Mr. Vanderhoff has with an IRS agent in the movie "You Can’t Take It With You" starring Lionel Barrymore:
IRS AGENT: “Our records show that you have never paid an income tax.”
VANDERHOFF: “That’s right.”
IRS AGENT: “Why not?”
VANDERHOFF; “I don’t believe in it.”
VANDERHOFF: “What do I get for my money? . . . I wouldn’t mind paying for something sensible.”
IRS AGENT: “Something sensible. What about Congress and the Supreme Court and the President? We gotta pay them, don’t we?”
VANDERHOFF: “Not with my money.”
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