Classic Film Friday: Meet John Doe

Ok I figured I have to do something political on the week that we elect a president. At first I was going to watch Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but I try to bring a little bit "lesser" known movies here.

This 1941 classic starts off with a newsroom, and people getting the ax. Including Ann Mitchel (Barbara Stanwyck) she has but one more article to write and so she dreams up John Doe, a completely fictional character, that threatens suicide in a letter to the editor, protesting society's ills. People are going crazy trying to find him food, a job and of course HIM.

This saves Ann her job and she hatches a plan to milk it for everything it's worth. The newspaper hires a vagabond to be "John Doe", John Willoughby (Gary Cooper). So begins a "John Doe movement" with speeches all over the country. And the crowds lap all of it up. (kind of like our next president)