A Parable on People and Politics
Added 8/19/2009
The film starts with a name change: "The New Bulletin" has streamlined news and is cleaning out the old staff by the new owner. [Relevant to today's world?] One reporter changes her column with a new story. Are politics the cause of rising unemployment? Does the film suggest `yes'? "Life can be beautiful." Can a newspaper create news to build circulation? Will people make a self-serving claim? They pick one who can pitch their line. The newspaper will build up a story on "John Doe". Is there a danger in owning things? The newspaper creates protest stories on various themes. It shows how a wealthy publisher can sway public opinion by controlling the news. [Is this old news?] The film tells about the effects of the Great Depression in a subtle way.
Can a writer find inspiration from an old diary? Will a competing newspaper try to expose this publicity stunt? What will John Doe say on live radio? A heckler is ejected. "We're the people." John Doe can't escape his fame. [The scenes are funny.] People form fan clubs all over the country. Should people show more concern to their neighbors? [The attitudes of that era are shown.] Will the "John Doe Clubs" become a big business? Can a multi-millionaire use them for political purposes? Could a new third party represent 90% of the voters? [No, but 55% is enough to win.] This film shows how candidates are manipulated to advance the interests of the super-rich. "It can't happen here?" Those who object will be dealt with harshly.
John Doe escapes to address the convention, but D. B. Norton's troopers and newspapers attempt to squash the movement. The crowd rejects their hero (the fickleness of public opinion). What the media prints as Truth is accepted by most people. A group travel up to the 14th floor to watch. A man drops a letter into a mail slot, then goes to the 14th floor. There is a confrontation. "Any idea worth dying for is worth living for." [Or is it the reverse?] Will the people triumph in the end?
This film asks some interesting questions as part of its story. It also tells about popular attitudes (as shown by Hollywood). "Daisy" makes a guest appearance earlier in this film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Great piece of Americana
Added 8/3/2009
I would love to go back to the time this film came out and see it with the eyes of the public then. It must have been really something. To us, it's an interesting piece of film history--we know what to expect when we see Capra's name and we can enjoy it in a different way.
I'm mostly a sucker for Capra's corn but I admit that I had a hard time during some of the more rousing messages. I tended to roll my eyes like the great Walter Brennan character, the bum, who just wants John to hit the road with him again and avoid all of this hullabaloo. What kept me interested was Gary Cooper. He is one of the best looking actors of all time, in my opinion, and his charm matches his good looks. He is very funny in the early parts, too. He is perfectly cast as a John Doe everyman type who appeals to the common man. I think if it had featured a less attractive actor I might have bailed out early on.
I love Barbara Stanwyk in her bad girl noir films. In this she is adequate but no match for Cooper. The rest of the cast is very good. Spring Byington brings her special sweetness to the role of Stanwyck's mother. Edward Arnold is always monumental.
The story is hard for us to relate to, realistically, but the sentiments are good and I found the ending surprisingly moving.
I think a lot of its value lies in the picture of how life was in those days. There's a lot of talk about the common man but yet in all of the shots of the masses, we don't see any Blacks or Latinos. When people talk about making friends with their neighbors, their neighbors are other White folks like they are. That's how it was in those days but it does sort of make the grandeur of the message a little.....dated.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Maybe Capra's Best Film; Where Is A Good Print?
Added 3/20/2009
This was a very absorbing story and one of director Frank Capra's best efforts. There is some great acting in here, almost mesmerizing at times. The story is a typical Capra-esquire populist one in which the average man is elevated to high status, his worth and valued boosted in a cynical world.
Yes, it's a far-fetched story but it's fun to watch and has some powerful messages, leading with "Love thy neighbor." I was very impressed with Barbara Stanwyck's speech near the end, noting Jesus' words to that effect while pleading to Gary Cooper. By the way, having Cooper and Stanwyck as the leads isn't all bad, either! Adding actors like Walter Brennan, James Gleason and Spring Byington make it all the better.
Photography-wise, the film has an almost-eerie look to it in parts and is very interesting to view. Why this has never been put out DVD wotj a decemt tramsfer. I don't know.......and it's a crime. As far as I know there is NO good print available for fans of this great film.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
The Film's a Five the Print's a Two
Added 2/17/2009
This is my favorite Capra film. I bought it because I never tire of it--that is, until I got this DVD. This film badly needs to be remastered. The picture and sound quality of this DVD are awful. Hopefully, someone will release a better copy. I'll try again when that happens.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Meet John DoeThe transfer is so bad ,that despite the fact that this is a great movie ,the poor quality both visually and audibly pulls your attention away from the story.I originally bought this because of the price. I am now going to spend more money to get a good copy of the film. From now on I am going to read the bad reviews before purchasing anything at Amazon.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
A Parable on People and Politics
Added 8/19/2009
The film starts with a name change: "The New Bulletin" has streamlined news and is cleaning out the old staff by the new owner. [Relevant to today's world?] One reporter changes her column with a new story. Are politics the cause of rising unemployment? Does the film suggest `yes'? "Life can be beautiful." Can a newspaper create news to build circulation? Will people make a self-serving claim? They pick one who can pitch their line. The newspaper will build up a story on "John Doe". Is there a danger in owning things? The newspaper creates protest stories on various themes. It shows how a wealthy publisher can sway public opinion by controlling the news. [Is this old news?] The film tells about the effects of the Great Depression in a subtle way.
Can a writer find inspiration from an old diary? Will a competing newspaper try to expose this publicity stunt? What will John Doe say on live radio? A heckler is ejected. "We're the people." John Doe can't escape his fame. [The scenes are funny.] People form fan clubs all over the country. Should people show more concern to their neighbors? [The attitudes of that era are shown.] Will the "John Doe Clubs" become a big business? Can a multi-millionaire use them for political purposes? Could a new third party represent 90% of the voters? [No, but 55% is enough to win.] This film shows how candidates are manipulated to advance the interests of the super-rich. "It can't happen here?" Those who object will be dealt with harshly.
John Doe escapes to address the convention, but D. B. Norton's troopers and newspapers attempt to squash the movement. The crowd rejects their hero (the fickleness of public opinion). What the media prints as Truth is accepted by most people. A group travel up to the 14th floor to watch. A man drops a letter into a mail slot, then goes to the 14th floor. There is a confrontation. "Any idea worth dying for is worth living for." [Or is it the reverse?] Will the people triumph in the end?
This film asks some interesting questions as part of its story. It also tells about popular attitudes (as shown by Hollywood). "Daisy" makes a guest appearance earlier in this film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Great piece of Americana
Added 8/3/2009
I would love to go back to the time this film came out and see it with the eyes of the public then. It must have been really something. To us, it's an interesting piece of film history--we know what to expect when we see Capra's name and we can enjoy it in a different way.
I'm mostly a sucker for Capra's corn but I admit that I had a hard time during some of the more rousing messages. I tended to roll my eyes like the great Walter Brennan character, the bum, who just wants John to hit the road with him again and avoid all of this hullabaloo. What kept me interested was Gary Cooper. He is one of the best looking actors of all time, in my opinion, and his charm matches his good looks. He is very funny in the early parts, too. He is perfectly cast as a John Doe everyman type who appeals to the common man. I think if it had featured a less attractive actor I might have bailed out early on.
I love Barbara Stanwyk in her bad girl noir films. In this she is adequate but no match for Cooper. The rest of the cast is very good. Spring Byington brings her special sweetness to the role of Stanwyck's mother. Edward Arnold is always monumental.
The story is hard for us to relate to, realistically, but the sentiments are good and I found the ending surprisingly moving.
I think a lot of its value lies in the picture of how life was in those days. There's a lot of talk about the common man but yet in all of the shots of the masses, we don't see any Blacks or Latinos. When people talk about making friends with their neighbors, their neighbors are other White folks like they are. That's how it was in those days but it does sort of make the grandeur of the message a little.....dated.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Maybe Capra's Best Film; Where Is A Good Print?
Added 3/20/2009
This was a very absorbing story and one of director Frank Capra's best efforts. There is some great acting in here, almost mesmerizing at times. The story is a typical Capra-esquire populist one in which the average man is elevated to high status, his worth and valued boosted in a cynical world.
Yes, it's a far-fetched story but it's fun to watch and has some powerful messages, leading with "Love thy neighbor." I was very impressed with Barbara Stanwyck's speech near the end, noting Jesus' words to that effect while pleading to Gary Cooper. By the way, having Cooper and Stanwyck as the leads isn't all bad, either! Adding actors like Walter Brennan, James Gleason and Spring Byington make it all the better.
Photography-wise, the film has an almost-eerie look to it in parts and is very interesting to view. Why this has never been put out DVD wotj a decemt tramsfer. I don't know.......and it's a crime. As far as I know there is NO good print available for fans of this great film.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
