Sacked by her newspaper, spunky scribe Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) hatches a hoax to keep her job. In her final column, she pens a missive from "John Doe," a fictitious hobo planning to leap to his death from city hall. When the letter triggers a public flap, the paper -- looking to boost readership -- cons a suitable stooge (Gary Cooper) into posing as Doe.
Little does he know the paper's owner plans to use him as a ticket to the presidency.
Watching Meet John Doe. Barbara Stanwyck's just one of those old movie actresses that doesn't seem like an old movie actress to me. (Confusing enough for ya?)
Best of the Capra flicks, if you ask me. That speech gets me every time. Stanwyck is spot on! Great performances from all...even Gary Cooper, who usually seems wooden to me.