Meet John Doe (1941)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Capra-corn. This moniker is often used for many of the films of Frank Capra. Are his films a little corny? A little too homespun? Perhaps a bit. But I see them as being a balance on the scales of Hollywood, which has a tendency -- all too often -- as painting Americans as less than admirable people. Of course, some of us Americans are less than admirable, and we see a lot of those types in movies. But some of us are a little corny and homespun. We don't see those folks in many films. So Capra and occasionally other producers and directors toss a few films on the scale to balance out our view of American life.This is a fine film, although not my favorite Capra flick; I prefer "Lost Horizon" and "It's A Wonderful Life". But this is so good. I find the early part of the film a bit slow, but the film continues to build and is ultimately quite inspirational.Gary Cooper is excellent here. As he career matured, and particularly because of "High Noon", we sometimes tend to think of Cooper as a star of Westerns. This film is a good reminder that he was in plenty of other types of dramatic films. In fact, at least for me, it was his films that were not Westerns that I tend to enjoy most. Some people jump to the conclusion that Frank Capra should have used Jimmy Stewart here. I disagree strongly, although I very much like Jimmy Stewart's work. Cooper was perfect for the role. Stewart could have done it, but it would have been that Stewart that we sometime saw as sneering that would have marked a Stewart appearance here.Barbara Stanwyck is also excellent here. In fact, I would have to say this was one of her better roles.James Gleason has the standout supporting role here. I always enjoy him, but here -- as the newspaper editor -- I think he had one of his best roles, and he really shines in the scene where he's drunk...and honest with John Doe.Edward Arnold made a fine villain. I think Walter Brennan got the short end of the stick here. He's too much an old grump in this film; I didn't find him very likable. Spring Byington is here in a small role as Stanwyck's mother; a rather typical role for her. Gene Lockhart has a significant role as a mayor, but gets little screen time. Regis Toomey doesn't have much screen time, but he has a fine role in a supporter of John Doe. J. Farrell MacDonald has a small role here as "Sourpuss", and he's a character actor we never saw enough of. Interesting that Ann Doran has a small, but significant role, but got no billing.

I have seen very few movies as moving and inspiring as "Meet John Doe." I rank it up there with "Spartacus" as inspirational to the common person.The first speech, and the final speech by Stanwyck are compelling, especially in a world that was witnessing the deaths of 80 million people in World War II. If injustice and atrocities are to be overcome and averted, one needs to absorb the message so powerfully presented in this movie: that the common men and women need to unite to struggle against the evils in our society, including greed, absolute power in the hands of a few, violence, discrimination, injustice, inequality, and crimes against humanity. Watch and share this movie and its message with your children, family, and friends. If we fail to adopt the philosophy of the John Doe Society, soon we all may be doomed to a world of totalitarianism, if not destruction.

The Bulletin newspaper is being revamp with mass laid offs. Reporter Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) is fired and as a final story, she hands in a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe" who threatens to commit suicide in protest. It picks up political heat and editor Henry Connell is forced to rehire Ann. Ann convinces them to hire somebody to impersonate "John Doe". Many claim to be Doe and they pick former pitcher John Willoughby (Gary Cooper) who is just looking for work. His tramp friend The Colonel (Walter Brennan) isn't so sure about the newfound wealth. The newspaper's publisher D. B. Norton (Edward Arnold) has his own designs for Doe.Both leads are terrific and perfect for their roles. Stanwyck is a ballsy broad and Cooper is the everyman. It's a Frank Capra modern fairy tale. It takes on a lot of themes like media manipulation, modern fame, and a social commentary. However Norton's scheme is too grandiose. It does need some simplification. It's the only thing that I find problematic.

As Captain Sisko in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" put it in an episode "Beyond the Stars" "You can take away the story, but you can't destroy the idea, it exists in my mind, it's ancient knowledge, it's real." That's how I feel about ideas, to me their as real as the air we breathe, they are what drive us, keep us alive, and are capable of making differences in a person, people, a small or big portion of the world. This believe or not is my favorite film from Frank Capera.Like in most of his films there the kind that really speak to me and just give me a good feeling inside which I don't get nearly enough of which is part of what makes them timeless. You can also say this film is also kinda a Christian film since like most of his films have themes on selflessness as well as a Christian like protagonist whom like most have to endure a lot of hardship before triumph.I like the story, it's true it's kinda far fetched but I just rolled with it. To me like with most of Capra's films what really drove it are the characters and what they do.I really like the protagonist John Doe played well by Gary Cooper. You really do feel a heavy sense of pathos for the guy, because of how human he feels. At first when he takes this job on, he doing it for survival which is the money. Though I wouldn't say it's a totally selfish reason since he wanted that money to also help his friend. But also just simply as an opportunity for another chance, the guy isn't a bum as he stated he use to be a star ball player but as time went on has ran into hard times. But of course as he goes along with the role of playing a guy that doesn't really exist, as things grow he begins to realize the importance of what has been created as well as feel a sense of guilt over having to lie in order to retain hope for everyone but is still willing to admit the truth about himself. That I personally feel makes him a true hero and the real deal, willingness to revoke his title which shows he's not selfish but truly selfless.When we see John go though that as corrupt corporations rear their ugly head to destroy his character which they do, it just made me feel all the more pathos for him and hope he wins. He wasn't harming anyone but to some ideas are a threat because they evoke certain changes their selfish ambitions don't agree with. One really profound moments with John are the speech he gives the corporates which I thought was great, it says that people with ideas exist and it doesn't matter how many are struck down their will always be another or many.I even like the chemistry between both John and Ann Mitchell(Barbra Standwick) so this film is another one of the romance stories I like because they actually work. I thought it was believable because both had genuine interaction time, one of my favorite scenes is when John tells a story about his family to Ann which I found very touching because it shows that John truly does have a soul and isn't nobody. I even like the Ann character who is also human and whom was the one that created the whole John Doe phenomenon; her character I don't feel is a bad guy her head at first is just in the wrong place. At first when she created it it was simply for survival since she was being let go of, she needed a hot story fast to retain her career. Though I wouldn't say it was totally selfish since the paper she works for was going under so it was a way to keep them in business. But as the phenomenon grows she also grows a conscious about the whole thing realizes it's importance as well as ethical boundaries broken to keep it alive but the effect it would have on John which makes her concerned for his life. This just all the more makes us hope she might find some redemption for herself but also hope John can forgive her.To me the message is about ideas and dreams can never be destroyed, as long as good people, belief, and hope exists, ideas will always be fruitful and multiply.John Doe isn't a nobody, he is a somebody because he is everybody.Rating: 4 stars