Meet John Doe (1941)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Richard Connell (story) and
Robert Presnell Sr. (story) ...

Release Date:

3 May 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

ALL AMERICA WANTS TO MEET THE "MR. DEEDS" OF 1941! (original print media ad - all caps)

Plot:

A man needing money agrees to impersonate a nonexistent person who said he'd be committing suicide as a protest, and a political movement begins.

Plot Keywords:

Suicide | Reporter | Publisher | Media | Unemployment

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Long John Willoughby - 'John Doe'
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Ann Mitchell
Edward Arnold	...	D. B. Norton
Walter Brennan	...	The Colonel
Spring Byington	...	Mrs. Mitchell
James Gleason	...	Henry Connell
Gene Lockhart	...	Mayor Lovett
Rod La Rocque	...	Ted Sheldon - Norton's Nephew
Irving Bacon	...	Beany
Regis Toomey	...	Bert Hansen - Soda Jerk
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Sourpuss Smithers
Warren Hymer	...	Angelface - Bodyguard
Harry Holman	...	Mayor Hawkins
Andrew Tombes	...	Spencer of 'Daily Chronicle'
Pierre Watkin	...	Hammett - Political Boss

Also Known As:

Frank Capra's 'Meet John Doe' (USA) (complete title)
John Doe, Dynamite (UK)

Runtime:

USA:122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:Btl | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Wrigley Field - 42nd Place & Avalon Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Frank Capra Productions

Trivia:

Contrary to popular belief, there is no "longer" version of this film. The film has always run 123 minutes. However, the original publicity erroneously stated it was 132 minutes; the publicist accidentally flipped the last two numbers. For years, historians assumed that all reissue prints had been cut by 9 minutes, until an original fine grain master was uncovered, and also turned out to run 123 minutes. This is the only running time for the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Governor sits, the ear piece of his glasses changes position between shots.

Quotes:

Ann: [Ann is pleading with John not to commit suicide] Please don't give up. We'll start all over again. Just you and I. It isn't too late. The John Doe movement isn't dead yet. You see, John, it isn't dead or they wouldn't be here. It's alive in them. They kept it alive by being afraid. That's why they came up here. Oh, darling!...

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

OH! SUSANNA

WOW!!.....Again!

About 15 or twenty years ago MEET JOHN DOE aired on a saturday matinee program on the CBC. I watched it and absolutely loved it. In the ensuing two decades I have Studied Film History and the art of film making. I have debated Film Theory and criticisum with some of the country's most film-smart people and have worked extensively in the film industry. And very rarely through all of this was Meet John Doe mentioned. The other day I saw A copy of the film in a used video store, remembered it from my youth and promptly bought it. And after viewing it again I have to say it is definetly one of the finest motion-pictures I have ever seen. It has to be one of the most under-rated movies ever made. The social commentary exhibeted is one of the boldest that the medium has ever presented, especially considering the time it was made. A time when media propaganda was a driving force for home-shore morale at the beginning of WWII. Capra and langs techniques in this work are absoloutly astounding. The riot scene should be looked upon as ground breaking. The performances (both the lead and supporting) are among some of the finest and most endearing of the time. Needless to say I'm going to be toot this films horn for quite some time. (I think I'll go watch it again.)