Meet John Doe

Rating:
Summary: OK Populist Drama
Review: "Meet John Doe" is an engaging populist drama with some elements of screwball comedy, but it lacks the resonance of director Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". Now Capra is not the most subtle of directors but he is really wearing his sentiments on his sleeve here. Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck are fine here but not outstanding. Walter Brennan is, well, Walter Brennan. The presence of Edward Arnold as the newspaper magnate with political ambitions telegraphs the ominous direction the film's story is going to go. I kept thinking that what if an actor with a little more subtlety who doesn't wear the black hat so prominently was cast instead, like say, Claude Rains. I also thought to myself while watching this how the Coen brothers were influenced to some degree by Capra in films like "The Hudsucker Proxy" or "O Brother, Where Art Thou?". This is a good film but not one of Capra's best.

Rating:
Summary: Gary Cooper as the American Everyman in Capra's classic
Review: "Meet John Doe" is clearly the most political of director Frank Capra's "Capracorn" films, even more than "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" or "State of the Union." Newspaper columnist Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck in a rare "good girl role") is fired and prints a phony letter in her final column about a man who is going to commit suicide on Christmas Eve to protest the misery and corruption afflicting the county. The letter is signed "John Doe." The letter causes a sensation and it becomes necessary for Ann to produce "John Doe." She basically holds auditions and settles on Long John Willoughby (Gary Cooper), a starving bush league pitcher whose arms has gone bad. Ann continues to write article in the name of John Doe, calling on everyone to love their neighbor and the like. This only increases the fan mail and the best scene of the film she writes "John Doe" a speech to read on the radio, inspired by the words of her father.

As "John" himself gets caught up in the speech and its response, Ann is totally enraptured by the moment. This all might be a giant con game, but Ann is a true believer. Then the powerful publishing magnate, D. B. Norton (Edward Arnold), throws his support behind the John Doe clubs because he wants them to hold a convention where "John" will nominate him as a third party candidate for the presidency. Obviously Norton is some sort of American fascist, and when "John" refuses to play along, Norton publicly exposes him to the mob. All that is left to "John" is to fulfill the original promise of the first letter and commit suicide on Christmas Eve.

Cooper and Capra had enjoyed success before with "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," but this is the much better film. Cooper's performance in this 1940 film is certainly Oscar worthy, but his next film was "Sergeant York" and that was the film that won the actor his first Academy Award. Stanwyck's performance is just as good, proving she could do more than film noir bad girls. Like most of Capra's great works, including "It's A Wonderful Life," the mythic structure is clearly that of the crucifixion and resurrection (think about it). The symbolic "death" of John Doe is arguably the most painful in any of Capra's films and the character's "resurrection" is definitely the most believable. Capra originally had a darker ending than what was provided, but we all know that really would have gone against his grain. Again, the supporting cast for Capra's film is absolutely stellar, with Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, James Gleason, Spring Byington, Gene Lockhart, and Steling Holloway all getting the most out of Robert Riskin's screenplay. "Meet John Doe" is definitely a classic Frank Capra film.

Rating:
Summary: WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A REMASTERED CUT??
Review: I give this movie 5 stars. Outstanding story, outstanding performances from the entire cast, an unforgettable climax..everything working together as only Capra could do it!! I enjoy watching this movie at Christmas time. Cooper and Stanwyck were teamed twice in 1941...for this..(and for Ball of Fire). They have great on screen chemistry and both turn in bravura performances....especially Stanwyck.....who should have won the Oscar in 1941 for her work in three of her greatest performances (Lady Eve, Ball of Fire and Meet John Doe).

The only complaint I have is all of the transfers for this superb film have always been poor. When it was released on VHS every copy of the film was cut from a poor negative. Why is this? When are we going to get a good, clear, remastered cut of this fine film???

Look for this in the bargain bins at your video store or order it from here....it doesn't matter. The film is great but the DVD quality is very poor. It will always be like this until someone decides to restore it and release it in high quality.

Whenever you see a DVD that is sealed at a bargain price...beware.....you are most likely getting a poor quality transfer.........

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie... Lousey Transfer
Review: In itself "Meet John Doe" Is a warm, witty, and heartwarming story of two people who find paths cross because of a ruthless politician. This particular format from "Alpha Video Distributors" is the worst ever!! The picture looks as if if was transferred from a very bad copy of a copy of a copy of a video, with all the bad, scratches, no sharpness, washed out picture & jittery sound. I guess you get what you pay for! It's enough to make me not want to watch this dvd as it hurts my eyes and ears.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie--BAD copy
Review: The movie (story, actors, actresses, etc) was SUPER! Another great Capra movie but the quality is awful. Don't expect good, clear Turner Classic Movie Channel quality. In some spots the background is so bright you can't even see the faces of the actors. I'm going to buy a good version of this eventually because it is worth the extra money! BUY BETTER QUALITY!!

Rating:
Summary: More Raw Truth from Frank Capra
Review: The story has been dealt with by the other reviewers, so no need to rehash that. An important message in this film, I think , is the manner in which the media honchos (the "Healots," as Walter Brennan's Colonel poetically calls them) seek to manipulate public opinion for their own personal gain. This is partuclarly evident in the climatic scene in which the fatcats "expose" Gary Cooper before Cooper can expose them to the masses. As was the case with "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," this was mighty strong stuff for the 30s and 40s when the masses were taught to trust those in power.

However, my one minor complaint about this film is that Gary Cooper was a tad too wooden for the role. One could easily picture Capra regular Jimmy Stewart with his "aw shucks" persona as the baseball player who is bamboozled (at first) into playing "John Doe."

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat Dated But Still of Value
Review: This film appeared at a time when the United States continued to emerge from the Great Depression amidst fears of what soon became World War Two. Many people distrusted government and capitalism; some felt betrayed by them. Directed by Frank Capra, this film addresses the concerns of the so-called "common" man, a stereotype whom we now call "John Doe." How ironic that the film's hero and heroine, advocates of truth and justice, are frauds. After being fired by her newspaper during an extensive lay-off, Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) includes in her final column a letter allegedly sent to by "John Doe" who is so upset about society's mistreatment of "the little people" that, in protest, he plans to jump from the top floor of city hall on Christmas Eve. The bogus letter creates so much interest that Mitchell is kept on to continue writing her column which now focuses entirely on John Doe. Fearful that the hoax will be revealed, the newspaper auditions several men and finally hires "Long John" Willoughby (Gary Cooper) to claim he is John Doe. Willoughby is a former baseball player with a dead arm who had been riding the rails with The Colonel (Walter Brennan). Once hired, Willoughby soon becomes totally caught up in the role he plays. His eloquence (expressing what Mitchell has given him to say) and apparent sincerity inspire what becomes the National John Doe Movement, with local chapters throughout the United States. What Willoughby doesn't know and Mitchell does not fully realize is that D.B. Norton (Edward Arnold), publisher of the newspaper, is funding the Movement (e.g. buying radio time for John Doe to promote his "Golden Rule" philosophy) to build a wide and deep base of popular support for his own (Norton's) Presidential campaign. Norton views with contempt precisely the same people who are attracted to John Doe, unknowingly serving as the political equivalent of a Trojan horse.

Despite all the positive values which Capra so passionately affirms, this is a dark film. Its celebration of The Golden Rule is muted by the fact that, although the principles and objectives of the Movement are admirable, John Doe is a fraud. Also, although Mitchell and others reaffirm their faith in John Doe during the final scene on Christmas Eve atop city hall, there is no reason to think that the Movement can continue. In an earlier scene, Norton's "troops" quickly shut down a Movement rally. I will never forget Doe struggling to be heard, speaking into a microphone after its plug (and his) had been pulled by Norton's quasi fascists. People such as Norton with almost unlimited resources allow such movements only if they pose no threat and/or can be exploited somehow to their own advantage.

Only actors with the skills and temperament of a Cooper and Stanwyck could possibly make the final scene credible, at least temporarily. Of course, we will never know what happened thereafter but Capra has made his point: The world would be a much better place if everyone practiced the Golden Rule. As the example of John Doe suggests, if it is worth dying for, then it is certainly worth living for.

Rating:
Summary: weak
Review: This movie was a weak effort by Capra, who directed it, and the star, Gary Cooper. It's a good story, just poorly directed (Capra can't hit a home run every time). I found the acting very wooden and the movie seemed to just drag on and on. And no extra features on the dvd, at least none to speak of.

Rating:
Summary: It's My All Time Favorite
Review: This, in my opinion, is Capra at his best. If you liked (or even loved) 'It's A Wonderful Life', then this will not disappoint you. The end is the best, as in all of Capra's films, depicting the endearing belief in the goodness of the common man. He could not have ended this movie any other way, it was a perfect end to a perfect movie. Gary Cooper is superb in this role, a man pretending to be something he is not, then beginning to believe he is the part he is playing. You can't help but feel the same way. You can't help but loathe the sinister character, and you hope the girl will come to her senses, and get the guy, as well. It is very heartfelt and touches on the golden rule in the most endearing way. This is a must see, for those who need help with and for those who truly do love their neighbor.