Meet John Doe

Meet John Doe
Released Date: May 3, 1941
Director: Frank Capra
Actors: Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, Spring Byington, James Gleason, Gene Lockhart, Rod La Rocque, Irving Bacon, Regis Toomey, J. Farrell MacDonald, and Warren Hymer

     I would like to start this post by saying that after long searching, there is no longer version of this picture. A lot of film historians went through files and could not find a longer version. What actually happened, and the reason so many believed there was a longer version, was that when this movie was first released, it was said that the movie was 132 minutes long. It wasn't, the movie is 123 minutes long. Which just simply means that the last two numbers were switched. This movie is so well made though, that you don't feel like it is too long. Despite there being a nine minute difference in time, the movie is still a little over two hours long. It was neat to find out that the director didn't want anyone to play John Doe, except Gary Cooper. Cooper said yes to playing the part because he loved working with Capra (which he already worked with in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town) and he also always wanted to work with Miss Barbara Stanwyck. All made a deal in this movie, didn't they. Miss Stanwyck always said that Frank Capra told her to act, not just with words, but with her eyes as well. Something that she always believed to be the best advice she was given.

     Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) has just been fired from her newspaper job. And to give her boss a piece of her mind, and a great parting gift, she writes a letter. The letter states that this man, a one John Doe, is jobless and wants to commit suicide on Christmas Eve. Ann makes sure her boss gets the letter, and not only that, but has it published for the newspaper. Ann goes into her bosses office a few days later and tells him the truth. But because the story is so big, what will they do to tell the public? Ann recommends that they look for a regular American who won't give their secret away. Her boss enjoys this idea, not at first, but after some heavy thinking (smoke coming outta his ears and everything) he decides to do it. There is a huge line of men outside of his office, all claiming to have written the letter. Ann says that they should interview them all and pick out the right John Doe. They decline the first bunch when the perfect man walks through the door. Their John Doe (Gary Cooper). Not only is he tall and handsome, also in need of money, but he use to play baseball. What could be more American than that? He agrees to be Doe. He also needs his arm fixed, he stopped playing baseball after a major arm injury. His arm can be fixed and better yet, he can play baseball again. Everything looks great, but what about one small detail, once it is finally out that he lied, he probably won't be playing baseball after that. Will he go through with it? Find out, by watching Meet John Doe!!!

     This movie is super cute and also has a warm Christmas feel at the end of the movie. With a black and white Christmas, you can never go wrong.

The Pride Of The Yankees

The Pride Of The Yankees
Released Date: March 5, 1943
Director: Sam Wood
Actors: Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, Babe Ruth, Walter Brennan, Dan Duryea, Elsa Janssen, Ludwig Stossel, Virginia Gilmore, and Bill Dickey

     "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth!" Lou Gehrig said these words on Tuesday, July 4th, 1939 to millions of fans. It was to be his retirement speech, his farewell. He was loved by so many young boys across America. As a matter of fact, as seen in this film, a young boy at the beginning of Lou Gehrig's career was visited by this great athlete at the hospital. The boy had been severely injured and looked as if he may not walk again. The boy asked Lou Gehrig to hit three home runs in the game that night, Gehrig said he would try awful hard but that it was difficult, he could promise one, but three? He may have been able to hit a lot of home runs, and usually was able to hit at least one a game. Lou Gehrig asked the boy to do him a favor as well, to one day walk out of the hospital. Gehrig hit the three home runs, and boy did end up walking again. For the young boy was at the farewell speech that day and threw down his crutches to show Lou Gehrig that he was able to walk on his own two feet without any problems.

     Henry Louis 'Lou' Gehrig (Gary Cooper) was born a baseball player. Playing all through his childhood, his play buddies even called him "Iron Horse." This movie is based on the amazing Yankees baseball player. We see him begin his career, we watch his amazing mother as she supported his career choice. We watch as Lou Gehrig took a wife, Eleanor Twitchell Gehrig (Teresa Wright), and we watch as she struggles with knowing her husbands fate and trying to hide that fact. Babe Ruth, actually played Babe Ruth in this movie. Lou Gehrig was actually left handed and played that way, and Gary Cooper, who was not a fan of baseball, therefor did not really know how to play, was able to play left handed, even though he was right. This movie is very sweet. I cried while watching this movie, and felt that Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright and the rest of the cast and crew did an amazing job.

     Gary Cooper is actually in the baseball hall of fame along with Teresa Wright. The year Teresa Wright died (2005) she was honored at a baseball game when they showed all the players that died that year. She did a great performance.