ComedyDrama

Meet John Doe

- All America wants to meet the “Mr. Deeds” of 1941!

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.

Release Date : 1941-03-14

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Frank Capra ProductionsWarner Bros. Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Long John Willoughby

Original Name : Gary Cooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ann Mitchell

Original Name : Barbara Stanwyck

Gender : Female

Character Name : D.B. Norton

Original Name : Edward Arnold

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Colonel

Original Name : Walter Brennan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mme Mitchell

Original Name : Spring Byington

Gender : Female

Character Name : Henry Connell

Original Name : James Gleason

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mayor Lovett

Original Name : Gene Lockhart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ted Sheldon

Original Name : Rod La Rocque

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beany

Original Name : Irving Bacon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bert Hansen

Original Name : Regis Toomey

Gender : Male

Character Name : 'Sourpuss'

Original Name : J. Farrell MacDonald

Gender : Male

Character Name : Angelface

Original Name : Warren Hymer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mayor Hawkins

Original Name : Harry Holman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Spencer

Original Name : Andrew Tombes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hammett

Original Name : Pierre Watkin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Weston

Original Name : Stanley Andrews

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bennett

Original Name : Mitchell Lewis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlie Dawson

Original Name : Charles C. Wilson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Governor

Original Name : Vaughan Glaser

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dan

Original Name : Sterling Holloway

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Announcer

Original Name : M.J. Frankovich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Announcer

Original Name : Knox Manning

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Announcer

Original Name : John B. Hughes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Former Bulletin Owner (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Davenport

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Hansen (uncredited)

Original Name : Ann Doran

Gender : Female

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Franklyn Farnum

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mike (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat Flaherty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mattie (uncredited)

Original Name : Bess Flowers

Gender : Female

Character Name : Eddie (uncredited)

Original Name : Hank Mann

Gender : Male

Character Name : Photographer (uncredited)

Original Name : James Millican

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man at Stadium Rally (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Moorhouse

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Moran

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Station Audience Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Stevens

Gender : Male

Character Name : Delegate (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Wise

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Henry Roquemore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Legislator (uncredited)

Original Name : Forbes Murray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Announcer at Convention (uncredited)

Original Name : Selmer Jackson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jim (uncredited)

Original Name : John Hamilton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Governor's Associate (uncredited)

Original Name : William Forrest

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ann's Sister (uncredited)

Original Name : Tina Thayer

Gender : Female

Character Name : Red (uncredited)

Original Name : Benny Bartlett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Earle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wall Street Tycoon (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Kane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Commissioner (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Kipling

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Mower

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Panzer

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Russell Simpson

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Trowbridge

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

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