Frank Capra classic 'Meet John Doe' to be broadcast

LACONIA — Lakes Region Public Access Television's "LRPA After Dark" series will feature Frank Capra's classic "Meet John Doe," starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyk, at 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 and 30.

In “Meet John Doe,” the viewer is introduced to columnist Ann Mitchell (Stanwyck), who has been laid off from her newspaper due to budget cuts. In her last act at the paper, Ann composes and prints a fake letter in her column from an anonymous, down-on-his luck man who threatens to jump from the roof of City Hall on Christmas Eve as a protest against the mistreatment of the little man and continued societal injustices. She signs the letter “John Doe.” The column becomes a sensation, selling papers and creating loads of interest from the public. Everyone wants to meet John Doe! The editor is delighted with the sensation that the column has created, but is dismayed when Ann reveals that the story is bogus. The two decide to hire an unemployed man to impersonate John Doe, eventually settling on Long John Willoughby (Cooper), a former baseball pitcher whose bad arm has forced him out of the game and into hard times. He is kind, quiet and a bit naïve: just the man for the job. John Doe’s story and popularity begin to spread, and local “John Doe” political clubs begin to spring up around the country. At first, Willoughby enjoys the attention and perks that come with being John Doe, but soon starts to see that many people want to use him for their own benefit. The newspaper’s publisher, D.B. Norton (supporting actor Edward Arnold), wants to use Doe’s popularity to run for political office. When Willoughby realizes what’s happening, he faces a moral dilemma: should he expose Norton and condemn his plan? If he does so, what happens to his own credibility and his future?

Directed by Frank Capra, “Meet John Doe” is considered to be one of the director’s finest films. The plot’s concerns were a favorite of the director: how does an ordinary man make his way, against all odds, in a difficult situation? Film historians see this movie as the final film in Capra’s trilogy about American Individualism, the other two being “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” It is Capra’s powerful indictment of the dangers of Fascism and “group think.” “Meet John Doe” was huge success with movie goers and critics alike. It was one of the top grossing films of the year, and helped to cement Gary Cooper’s status as a film legend.

lakes Region Public Access TV is found on MetroCast Channel 25. Non-subscribers can log into the LRPA live stream at their website www.lrpa.org.