Film Snail

Meet John Doe
Meet John Doe

7.3

Meet John Doe

NR·1941·122m

Summary

As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it's worth, until the made-up "John Doe" philosophy starts a whole political movement.

Cast

Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper

Long John Willoughby

Barbara Stanwyck

Barbara Stanwyck

Ann Mitchell

Edward Arnold

Edward Arnold

D.B. Norton

Walter Brennan

Walter Brennan

The Colonel

Spring Byington

Spring Byington

Mme Mitchell

James Gleason

James Gleason

Henry Connell

Gene Lockhart

Gene Lockhart

Mayor Lovett

Rod La Rocque

Rod La Rocque

Ted Sheldon

Irving Bacon

Irving Bacon

Beany

Regis Toomey

Regis Toomey

Bert Hansen

J. Farrell MacDonald

J. Farrell MacDonald

'Sourpuss'

Warren Hymer

Warren Hymer

Angelface

Harry Holman

Harry Holman

Mayor Hawkins

Andrew Tombes

Andrew Tombes

Spencer

Pierre Watkin

Pierre Watkin

Hammett

Stanley Andrews

Stanley Andrews

Weston

Mitchell Lewis

Mitchell Lewis

Bennett

Charles C. Wilson

Charles C. Wilson

Charlie Dawson

Vaughan Glaser

Vaughan Glaser

Governor

Sterling Holloway

Sterling Holloway

Dan

M.J. Frankovich

Radio Announcer

Knox Manning

Knox Manning

Radio Announcer

John B. Hughes

Radio Announcer

Harry Davenport

Harry Davenport

Former Bulletin Owner (uncredited)

Ann Doran

Ann Doran

Mrs. Hansen (uncredited)

Franklyn Farnum

Franklyn Farnum

(uncredited)

Pat Flaherty

Pat Flaherty

Mike (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Bess Flowers

Mattie (uncredited)

Hank Mann

Hank Mann

Eddie (uncredited)

James Millican

James Millican

Photographer (uncredited)

Bert Moorhouse

Bert Moorhouse

Man at Stadium Rally (uncredited)

Frank Moran

Frank Moran

(uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Bert Stevens

Radio Station Audience Member (uncredited)

Jack Wise

Delegate (uncredited)

Henry Roquemore

Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)

Forbes Murray

Forbes Murray

Legislator (uncredited)

Selmer Jackson

Selmer Jackson

Radio Announcer at Convention (uncredited)

John Hamilton

John Hamilton

Jim (uncredited)

William Forrest

William Forrest

Governor's Associate (uncredited)

Tina Thayer

Tina Thayer

Ann's Sister (uncredited)

Benny Bartlett

Benny Bartlett

Red (uncredited)

Edward Earle

Edward Earle

Radio Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)

Eddie Kane

Eddie Kane

Wall Street Tycoon (uncredited)

Richard Kipling

Police Commissioner (uncredited)

Jack Mower

Jack Mower

Guard (uncredited)

Paul Panzer

Paul Panzer

(uncredited)

Russell Simpson

Russell Simpson

(uncredited)

Charles Trowbridge

Charles Trowbridge

(uncredited)

Crew

Director

Frank Capra

Screenplay

Robert Riskin

Story

Richard Connell

Story

Robert Presnell Sr.

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

April 7, 2019

9

The meek can only inherit the earth when the John Doe's start loving their neighbours.

After crafting Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington for Columbia, Capra quit and made this third film about an average Joe who is thrust into a powerful world where exploitation is high on the agenda. Thus, in true Capra style the story unfolds to a customary flip flop triumph. ​ Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) is a struggling journalist who gets fired from her newspaper job by new editor Henry Connell (James Gleason). By way of venting her frustrations she writes in her stinging last article about a man called John Doe who is tired of being pushed around and held back by the big bosses. She finishes the piece by claiming that Doe will commit suicide on Christmas Eve by leaping off of the roof of city hall. The public react to the letter with tremendous heart and Doe becomes a champion of the people. Enter a certain unemployed minor league pitcher named Long John Willoughby (Gary Cooper), who down on his luck is prepared to be the mythical John Doe.​ ​ In true Capra form there's a jovial glee pumping through the pic for the first half, luring us in with characterisations that charm us personified. A make believe baseball game is delightful (the actors superb), the attraction between Doe and Mitchell believable and understandable, but all the time there's a cynicism hovering like a conglomerate cancer, making us wonder if this Capracorn has bitten off more than it can chew?​ ​ The Sourpuss Smithers Speech.​ ​ Kapow! Here's Capra in full effect, tantalising and daring us not to be swept away with his call to arms for humanity to exist on a par with each other. Observe as the soda jerk gives it his all and Cooper the magnificent shifts between joy and sheepish shame purely on visual ticks alone. Pic has now shifted into a dark territory, trawling dark territories that has often​ been forgotten where Capra is concerned. Whilst arguably not being up with the best Capra films in his armoury, it is however one of his smartest. The portrayal of the human spirit in many guises is stark and poignant, whilst thematically Capra got his point over about the unsavoury elements blossoming in America.

The cast are nailed on watchable, Cooper as Doe has the right amount of sympathy and guts to draw the audience into Doe's mindset, and in one rousing address he has the viewers in the palm of his hand. Stanwyck as Mitchell delivers a multi stranded emotional​ turn that calls for convincing thesping, which she delivers in spades, while the support cast are all solid with the stand out a bizarrely unnerving Edward Arnold as D B. Norton, now here is a man wishing to be a dictator if ever there was one! 9/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$2,000,000.00

Keywords

baseball player
radio broadcast
suicide note
domain