Meet John Doe
As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed “John Doe,” who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate “Doe.” Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it’s worth, until the made-up “John Doe” philosophy starts a whole political movement.
Directed by Frank Capra. 122mins. (1941)
Gary Cooper - John Doe / John Willoughby
Barbara Stanwyck - Ann Mitchell
Also starring Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, James Gleason and Gene Lockhart.
Based on a story by Richard Connell and Robert Presnell, Sr.
In one of the various endings tested on preview audiences around the country John Doe succeeds in commiting suicide at the climax but, surprise surprise, preview audiences hated that ending and they went with the happy ending.
Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
IMDB rating 7.7