Meet John Doe: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Coll Ed [DVD] [1941] [US Import]

4.0 out of 5 stars "Meet John Doe (1941) ... Frank Capra ... VCI Ent. (2010)", December 11, 2010
By J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: 'Meet John Doe - 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition (DVD)
VCI Entertainment and Laureate Productions presents "MEET JOHN DOE" (2 May 1941) (123 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Honesty and justice is the main course of this meal prepared by director Frank Capra --- A blow for humanity and right over wrong with the little guy getting his day in court brings out the "Americana" in all of us --- Capra was compared as a modern day Charles Dickens, looking beyond the exterior of people, going to the interior and the very heart and soul of people and the story that followed --- This film is an excellent example of what he could do and making all of us feel that we were part of the film.

This film has often been opined as the "perfect" film - it was to be the template for so many motion pictures: the witty and romantic clash of temperaments between a man and a woman mismatched in both personality and social position --- it remains as breezy and beguiling today as it was in the early 40s, became a box office hit and was nominated for an Academy Award for best original story (for Richard Connell and Robert Presnell Sr.).

VCI gives us a clean & clear copy so far up to date, with many bonus and extras in this special release --- Another excellent collaboration between actors Cooper and Stanwyck and the great director Frank Capra --- A treat for Cooper fans!

Under the production staff of:
Frank Capra [Director/Producer]
Richard Connell [Story]
Robert Presnell Sr. [Story]
Dimitri Tiomkin [Original Score]
George Barnes [Cinematographer]
Daniel Mandell [Film Editor]
Stephen Goosson [Art Director]

BIOS:
1. Frank Capra (aka: Francesco Rosario Capra) [Director]
Date of Birth: 18 May 1897 - Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy
Date of Death: 3 September 1991 - La Quinta, California

2. Gary Cooper (aka: Frank James Cooper)
Date of Birth: 7 May 1901 - Helena, Montana
Date of Death: 13 May 1961 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California

3. Barbara Stanwyck (aka: Ruby Catherine Stevens)
Date of Birth: 16 July 1907 - Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: 20 January 1990 - Santa Monica, California

the cast includes:
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

SPECIAL FEATURES [BONUS]:
1. Audio Commentary (with optional English subtitles) by Laureate's Ken Barnes with "archival contributions" from Frank Capra,
2. Three Featurettes:
"Meet Mr. Capra" (18 min)
"Meet Mr. Cooper" (16 min)
"Meet Miss Stanwyck" (14 min)
3. Vintage "Lux Theater" Radio Productions:
"Sorry Wrong Number" (starring Barbara Stanwyck & Burt Lancaster
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" (starring gary Cooper & Ingrid Bergman)
4. Before and After Comparison of the Digital Restoration
5. Extensive Cast and Crew Profiles
6. Production Background
7. Optional Subtitles: English, French, German & Spanish

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 123 min on 2 DVD'S ~ VCI Entertainment ~ (11/30/2010)

The third film in Capra's unofficial trilogy is darkly wonderful.

After doing Mr Deeds Goes To Town and Mr Smith Goes To Washington for Columbia, Capra quit and made this third film about an average Joe thrust into a powerful world where exploitation is high on the agenda, but in true Capra style the story unfolds to a customary flip flop triumph.

Ann Mitchell is a struggling journalist who gets fired from her newspaper job by new editor Henry Connell, 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 the roof of city hall, the public react to the letter with tremendous heart and Doe becomes a champion of the people.

After Connell gets interested in the letter Ann has to confess that she made it up, they hatch a plan to turn a real unemployed drop out into John Doe so as to continue the story and sell more papers, and of course Ann gets to keep her job. This brings in ex minor league pitcher Long John Willoughby, who is down on his luck and very short of cash, and this is when the story shifts from amiable comedy on to a much darker path, the result making for a riveting watch.

Whilst 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, Gary Cooper is John Doe, the right amount of sympathy and guts is garnered from his performance, and in one rousing speech he has the viewers in the palm of his hand. Barbara Stanwyck is Ann Mitchell and she delivers a great turn that calls for a number of emotions to be performed convincingly, while the support cast are all solid with the stand out a bizarrely unnerving Edward Arnold as D B. Norton; a man wishing to be a dictator if ever there was one. 10/10

Be warned, the picture quality of this edition is far below average, although they promise a digitally remastered film!
The cheeky guts some companys have!