Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Contentar Best movie of this year hands down!

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Geraldine The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

mark.waltz City hall wouldn't be my choice as where to jump off a roof on Christmas Eve. A highly guarded tower in mid Manhattan would be my choice if I was inclined to do something like that. A big wealthy blowhard proves that corruption is king, and with political ambitions decides to run for President. But it's not quite time for the Antichrist to take over, and no amount of journalistic manipulation will change that, whether it's through social media or their own newspaper. Edward Arnold is the ruthless D.B. Norton whose obsession with power causes him to take over a dying newspaper, turning it around with sensation, but underestimating the power of the people: the real people. That's where the stars of this Frank Capra classic comes in, them being fired journalist Barbara Stanwyck and jobless baseball player Gary Cooper, hired by rehired Stanwyck and editor James Gleason to represent the average American man who will fulfill Stanwyck's column to represent the man who intends to jump off the roof on Christmas eve.There's been constant discussion over this film for its message and especially over its conclusion. It's a masterpiece in many ways, certainly nor flawless, and exceptionally well acted. It's a reunion for Capra and Stanwyck, their first together in 8 years, coming at the height of her popularity, with three classics in one year, and one of two she starred in that year with Cooper. Stanwyck is feminine but tough, no namby pamby broad, ruthless in her ambitions, and yet with a strong ethical code that the promise of a ton of cash cannot buy. Cooper continues his continuation of the all American hero. Supporting the two are imperious Arnold, wise cracking Gleason, and ornery Walter Brennan, giving his all as Cooper's sidekick. Spring Byington, Regis Toomey, Sterling Holloway and Gene Lockhart are secondary players who stand out amongst the usual assortment of Capra's regular ensemble players. It dies get a bit corny at times, but there are many moments that are really truth telling and honest. It's a movie that still provides hope in a difficult time and reminds us who really is running the show. Even in the most difficult times, it will be the real people who "trump" the tyrants.

vincentlynch-moonoi Capra-corn. This moniker is often used for many of the films of Frank Capra. Are his films a little corny? A little too homespun? Perhaps a bit. But I see them as being a balance on the scales of Hollywood, which has a tendency -- all too often -- as painting Americans as less than admirable people. Of course, some of us Americans are less than admirable, and we see a lot of those types in movies. But some of us are a little corny and homespun. We don't see those folks in many films. So Capra and occasionally other producers and directors toss a few films on the scale to balance out our view of American life.This is a fine film, although not my favorite Capra flick; I prefer "Lost Horizon" and "It's A Wonderful Life". But this is so good. I find the early part of the film a bit slow, but the film continues to build and is ultimately quite inspirational.Gary Cooper is excellent here. As he career matured, and particularly because of "High Noon", we sometimes tend to think of Cooper as a star of Westerns. This film is a good reminder that he was in plenty of other types of dramatic films. In fact, at least for me, it was his films that were not Westerns that I tend to enjoy most. Some people jump to the conclusion that Frank Capra should have used Jimmy Stewart here. I disagree strongly, although I very much like Jimmy Stewart's work. Cooper was perfect for the role. Stewart could have done it, but it would have been that Stewart that we sometime saw as sneering that would have marked a Stewart appearance here.Barbara Stanwyck is also excellent here. In fact, I would have to say this was one of her better roles.James Gleason has the standout supporting role here. I always enjoy him, but here -- as the newspaper editor -- I think he had one of his best roles, and he really shines in the scene where he's drunk...and honest with John Doe.Edward Arnold made a fine villain. I think Walter Brennan got the short end of the stick here. He's too much an old grump in this film; I didn't find him very likable. Spring Byington is here in a small role as Stanwyck's mother; a rather typical role for her. Gene Lockhart has a significant role as a mayor, but gets little screen time. Regis Toomey doesn't have much screen time, but he has a fine role in a supporter of John Doe. J. Farrell MacDonald has a small role here as "Sourpuss", and he's a character actor we never saw enough of. Interesting that Ann Doran has a small, but significant role, but got no billing.

moonspinner55 Gary Cooper is the pigeon set up by crooked politician Edward Arnold to embody the downtrodden Everyman: friendless, out of work, suicidal; but after the public overwhelmingly responds to 'John Doe' and his wholesome pleas to love thy neighbor, Cooper realizes he's been duped and the politico threatens to expose him as a fraud. Preachy, though well-acted drama about the fickle heart of humanity leads to woebegone conclusion which no one behind the camera was quite satisfied with. The original story from Richard Connell and Robert Presnell was nominated for an Oscar, but only in the film's vibrant first-half do we get a sense of something fresh and exciting happening. Director Frank Capra once again settles for sentiment over substance. ** from ****

palmiro This movie couldn't be more salient and relevant to our times. The "John Doe Clubs" had the appearance of embodying the disgruntled sentiments of the "Little Man", just like the "Tea Party Movement" today (which one quipster rightly has called "an exercise in mass false consciousness"). These movements of the "little man" have a long history in the US and Europe (in the US, the "Know-Nothings" of the 1850s & Father Coughlin of the 1930s, in France, the "Poujadistes", in Italy the "Qualunquisti"); and all of them end up diverting attention away from the real enemies of little people, the fat cats at the top--in Capra's movie wonderfully incarnated in Edward Arnold's character, D.B.Norton (the real-life counterparts today to D.B. Norton, and who've done a fab job of manipulating "the little people", are the Koch brothers). Capra rightly sensed that the little man's rage at being buffeted about by forces bigger than himself was exploited by the fascist movements of Europe to create right-wing mass parties which, in the end, served to protect the privileges of the wealthiest social classes from revolutionary egalitarian movements.