# Meet John Doe -- a film for today?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meet-john-doe-a-film-for-today/850423>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 27, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meet-john-doe-a-film-for-today/850423 "2020-03-27T14:33:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meet-john-doe-a-film-for-today/850423/1 "2020-03-27T14:33:39Z")

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In voluntary stay-home and in search of entertainment I’ve been watching old film classics now in public domain. I just watched a very sentimental anti-politician film: [_Meet John Doe_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meet_John_Doe) with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. Is this movie well known? I think it deserves its 7.7 rating at IDMB. It ranks #49 on AFI’s list of 100 Most Inspiring Movies, one of four Frank Capra films on that list. (Steven Spielberg, with 5, is the only other director with more than 3 films on the list.)

The film is called a “comedy-drama film,” but has no more comedy than _It’s a Wonderful Life_ (also by Capra and #1 on AFI’s Inspiring list) which is described as “fantasy/drama” or “family/drama.” With great performances by Stanwyck, Cooper and Walter Brennan I liked _Meet John Doe_ much more than _It’s a Wonderful Life_. It’s overly melodramatic, but I’m a sucker for sentimental romances! (BTW, just like that famous Jimmy Stewart movie, _Meet John Doe_’s climactic final scene takes place on Christmas Eve.)

Why did I start a thread? Although the plot of _Meet John Doe_ may not map well to present-day politics, as I watched I was struck by the need for a message like this today.  
_ **Write your TV stations and cable providers and ask them to run this film!!** _

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meet-john-doe-a-film-for-today/850423/2 "2020-03-27T15:08:40Z")

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The message being “You can’t fool **the people**?” :dubious: 😕

I, uh, kind of think you can. Happens all the time.

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**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meet-john-doe-a-film-for-today/850423/3 "2020-03-27T15:50:02Z")

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I became a huge fan of Barbara Stanwyck after watching _Meet John Doe_, and it has one of my favorite lines: “I don’t read no papers, and I don’t listen to radios either. I know the world’s been shaved by a drunken barber and I don’t have to read it.”

That said, I don’t think the movie will resonate with modern audiences. The government’s biggest problem is stupidity, a not cold-hearted desire for power.

And when I think of “regular joe starting a national movement,” I’m more inclined to think of Glenn Beck than someone like John Doe.