Desperate to get her newspaper job back after being downsized, columnist Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) figures to create some “fireworks” by contriving a letter from “John Doe”—a man so disgusted with the state of the world that in protest he vows to jump off the City Hall roof at midnight on Christmas Eve. Public reaction to the letter is so overwhelming that Ann not only keeps her job, but she and editor Henry Connell (James Gleason) connive to hire a real John Doe in order to maintain the deception.

Enter “Long John” Willoughby (Gary Cooper), a ball player turned drifter due to a bum arm, and so determined to get his wing fixed that he’s ready, willing and able to play the part. Although his sidekick “The Colonel” (Walter Brennan) disapproves highly of the scheme, Willoughby enjoys the lavish gifts and attention bestowed upon his new-found celebrity in what becomes a “glorious movement”. Trouble soon starts, however, when publisher D.B. Norton (Edward Arnold) decides to use John Doe to further his own ruthless political ambitions, running roughshod over Ann and John, or anyone who gets in his way.

Based on Richard Connell’s 1922 short story “A Reputation”, director Frank Capra chose Meet John Doe as the first release for his newly-formed Frank Capra Productions, which he established with longtime writer-collaborator Robert Riskin, who wrote the screenplay for Doe. A box office success, the film would also garner an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Story (for Connell and Robert Presnell, Sr.).

For thoughts on Meet John Doe, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Meet John Doe makes its long-awaited Blu-Ray debut thanks to ClassicFlix with a 1080p master from a restoration of the best available material preserved at the Library of Congress, which was a 35mm nitrate print. This was supplemented by additional 35mm nitrate material from the British Film Institute to round out sections of extreme damage. This was a massive project that took hundreds of hours of work, and the results are quite impressive given the limitations. The black-and-white photography shot by George Barnes radiates in high definition with natural grain intact and resolved consistently save for some source fluctuations.

We watched this film on streaming a couple of years ago, and the upgrade is astounding. This is also backed up by a restoration comparison in the supplements. The new transfer shows off a pleasing amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. You will find a world of texture on display within the clothing and production design. Density fluctuation is kept to a minimum outside of a handful of softer shots and opticals. Black levels are respectable with no serious occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is capably defined, and the restoration keeps any lingering damage reduced to its most nondescript state. It will never be perfect, but ClassicFlix has given it more life than it has since it first debuted

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with an agreeable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that makes the most out of its source limitations. The music from Dimitri Tiomkin is a bit boxy and fragile when it comes to fidelity with occasional harsh inflections and distortion. Exchanges of dialogue sound slightly hollow, but typically they sound formidable and distinct. These words and background noises work together with all competing elements to create a semblance of balance. Outside of the expected age-related wear and tear, ClassicFlix has done a good job of providing a graceful experience for this one. Optional English SDH subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

Restoration Comparison: A nearly four-minute look at the dramatic difference between how the film looked before the restoration and after. These demonstrations are always some of the most interesting and enlightening.

Trailers: There are trailers provided for Black Magic, Blonde Ice, I The Jury, The Long Wait, and T-Men.

Final Thoughts

Meet John Doe is another holiday season favorite from the great Frank Capra. The story is not as masterful as something like It’s A Wonderful Life, but Gary Cooper brings a steady heartbeat that keeps you invested in this journey. It is always rewarding to take in a narrative that puts love into community and connection over corporate greed. Barbara Stanwyck is as great as ever as a successful woman who is given the morally complex role typically held for a man. The movie runs a bit longer than it needs to, but when it works, it really works. ClassicFlix has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a sparse array of supplements. If you are a Capra fan, you are lucky to be living in a time when this restoration is available. Recommended

Meet John Doe is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: ClassicFlix has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.