Meet john doe 1941 is frank capras wonderful, messageladen populist melodramatic tale about the common man. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing meet john doe near you. Film dialogue is a forum for anyone with interest in cinema and film history. Meet john doe is a 1941 american comedy drama film directed and produced by frank capra, and starring gary cooper and barbara. The suit claims all three were told at the time that the film wouldnt show in the u. Frank capras most ambitious and disturbing film, meet john doe is possibly more relevant today than when it first appeared in 1941. Meet john doe is a 1941 american comedy drama film directed and produced by frank capra, and starring gary cooper and barbara stanwyck. The original camera negative of this movie was allowed to deteriorate and then destroyed, so it is difficult to find a decent print. Two of the guys identified in court filings only as john doe 1 and john doe 2 are now suing 20th century fox and one america productions, the production company behind the film.
Called a fable that deals with the dangers of home grown fascism, and the power of the ordinary man and little people to prevent the triumph of dark forces, meet john doe can be grouped into a populist trilogy of capra films about american individualism, along with mr. His films often feature a central character standing up for capras view of the common man, but here john doe borders on the messianic, practically starting a new religion. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. And it ranks 49th on the same list of inspirational films.
The film is about a grassroots political campaign created unwittingly by a newspaper columnist with the involvement of a hired homeless man and pursued by the papers wealthy owner. In a series of radio addresses written by a publisher with fascist leanings, doe captures the publics imagination. The mob scene at the john doe convention is one of the powerful scenes ever filmed. The usually unimpressed the new york times critic bosley crowther was enthusiastic, writing that with an. Meet john doe, american comedy drama film, released in 1941, that was director frank capras exploration of ambition, greed, and the u. Read the full synopsis of meet john doe, 1941, directed by frank capra, with gary cooper, barbara stanwyck, edward arnold, at turner classic movies. For more than 50 years, meet john doe has been dogged by a lack of proper attention to its original film elements. Fired as part of a downsizing move, she ends her last column with an imaginary letter written by john doe. The writing by robert riskin is witty, wise and emotional. But when he takes the role seriously, its time for several bluffs to be called. Meet john doe 1941 a farewell to arms 1932 is a doublefeature of two of gary coopers most famous movies, released by marengo films. In december of 1945 the film s original producers frank capra and robert riskin sold all rights in the film to new york distributor, sherman krellbergs goodwill pictures.
The sentimental, hardhitting film is often grouped into a populist trilogy of capra films about american individualism associated with mr. Gary cooper, barbara stanwyck, edward arnold director. Meet john doe, frank capras inspiring 1941 classic. Although meet john doe stars gary cooper, the movie actually belongs to barbara stanwyck. After being fired, opportunistic newspaper columnist anne mitchell played by barbara stanwyck pens a fake letter by john doe, who threatens. Meet john doe frank capra, 1941, is the story of down and out baseball player long john willoughby gary cooper, who having never quite made it to the major league, has taken up the carefree life of a hobo, riding across the country in boxcar trains with his trusted sidekick, the ever critical and selfreliant. Meet john doe is a 1941 film about a man needing money who agrees to impersonate a nonexistent person who said hed be committing suicide as a protest, and the resulting political movement that begins directed by frank capra. The film is about a grassroots political campaign created. The film presents a few other values that were relevant enough at the time, and much more so to todays ipod generation. Pictures, to have used over four thousand extras 2 the film s trailer claims five thousand 3. Meet john doe written by robert riskin based on a story by richard connell and robert presnell ext. When he finally realizes he has been used, doe comes to his senses and becomes the man he never knew he could be. Tomservo i loved the movie all the way throughout, but sadly, i think capra was right that there just is not a single right way to end this film. A broken trailer, sort of like this broken masterpiece of frank.
A man needing money agrees to impersonate a nonexistent person who said hed be committing suicide as a protest, and a political movement begins. This is a film for thinking and feeling viewers, not to be missed. Recentlyfired journalist ann mitchell barbara stanwyck writes, as her final story, a fabricated piece about john doe a man threatening to commit suicide because of all of the. Meet john doe is a 1941 american comedydrama film directed and produced by frank capra, and starring gary cooper and barbara stanwyck. As an actor, he has dozens of television appearances and several movies to his. But, as he becomes an increasingly culpable pawn in an ever more treacherous game, just how can john doe redeem himself. Meet john doe 1941 american comedy drama film directed by frank capra. His musical performances and compositions span rock, punk, country and folk music genres. Heres a trailer i produced for this frank capra classic starring gary cooper and barbara stanwyck unfortunately, we misspelled her name in the trailer. Barbara stanwyck is amazing here, as she is in all her films. Reviews analyses cannot be changed once submitted please post carefully.
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. Great classics, indies, noir, westerns, etc more pristine copies can be found on amazon. Meet john doe 1941 john doe delivers national radio address. This film offers a standing rebuke to critics who use the term capracorn. But another frank capra film, meet john doe, remains in the commons. Of a timeworn plaque against the side of a building. Meet john doe original trailer turner classic movies.
John nommensen duchac born february 25, 1953, known professionally as john doe, is an american singer, songwriter, actor, poet, guitarist and bass player. Doe is a crisis film in which everything capra had previously taken for granted is worried and puzzled, even the technologies of his own filmmaking, since, as i have already argued, the most pervasive of the systems john doe is inscribed within, even more than the john doe club network and the political and journalistic systems, is the. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comic con sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The first of director frank capras independent productions in partnership with robert riskin, meet john doe begins with the end of reporter ann mitchells barbara stanwyck job. This is a great example of a story that features multiple important events prior to this. When a rare phenomenon gives police officer john sullivan the chance to speak to his father, 30 years in the past, he takes the opportunity to. A reporter barbara stanwyck writes a fictitious column about someone named john doe, who is distraught at americas neglect of the little people and plans to kill himself. Written by a discharged journalist as a publicity stunt, and as a parting shot at the papers new editor, the premise of the letter unexpectedly fires the imagination of the bulletins readers and the wider american public. Meet john doe is a brilliant, riveting, funny, heartfelt, exciting, and incredibly poignant movie through and through.
The film explores a recurring notion in capras work that of the universal everyman exploited by a corrupt and powerful establishment, the film s reflections on corporate control of both the media, and of ordinary peoples. Ob action, drama, komodie oder krimi stobere einfach durch. After anns gag of publishing a fake suicide note in the newspaper as a parting shot when shes fired takes off, she and her editor hire the tramp long john willoughby to say hes the john doe who wrote the note. You can watch the uplifting film above, or find it listed in our collection, 1,150 free movies online. How frank capras scared and gullible ordinary joes laid. Media in category meet john doe film the following 15 files are in this category, out of 15 total. Meet john doe is a 1941 film directed by frank capra and starring gary cooper and barbara stanwyck ann mitchell stanwyck, a reporter who is about to be laid off from her newspaper, fabricates a letter from a john doe who says he will kill himself on christmas eve to protest the state of the country. Something to think about, while watching the world go by.
Meet john doe was reported at the time, in what appears to be a promotional article from the film s distributors warner bros. 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. I find this film so powerful, and its characters so sympathetic, that i can hardly watch the riot scene. Starring gary cooper and barbara stanwyck, meet john doe 1941 was nominated for the academy award for best story. I agree with you eric, meet john doe is the most overthetop film from frank capra, a director not exactly known for his subtlety to begin with. Well, people like the governor people like the governor and that fella there can can stop worrying. Its real author, ann mitchell barbara stanwyck who has fabricated the letter in her final column, is. Meet john doe full movie great quality 1941 youtube. How frank capras scared and gullible ordinary joes laid the foundations for the tea party evergreen satire meet john doe shows the little people being used by the media to serve its own ends. None of capras films are as blindly optimistic as is often argued, but this one is a pitchblack jeremiad against manipulation by the media. It belongs in any serious film collection and the restored vci 70th anniversary dvd is as good a. Frank capra after a homeless man agrees to impersonate a nonexistent person who said hed be committing suicide as a protest, a. Angered at the ill treatment of americas little people, the fabricated doe announces that hes going to.