National Box Office Digest (Feb-July 1941)

8 BOX OFFICE DIGEST Money Already in the Bank for Capra's 'John Doe' WARNERS-FIRST NATIONAL The Digest’s Box Office Estimate 165% Meet John Doe Current Reviews WAR We Est. 165 Road to Zanzibar PAR 145 Topper Returns UA 90 The Round Up PAR 80 Man Betrayed REP 80 Sleepers West FOX 75 The Penalty MGM 75 Back in the Saddle REP 75 Mr. Dynamite UN1V 70 Producer-Director Frank Capra Screenplay Robert Riskin Based on a Story by Richard Connell, Robert Presnell Stars Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck Featured: Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, Spring Byington, James Gleason, Gene Lockhart, Rod La Rocque, Irving Bacon, Regis Toomey, J. Farrell MacDonald, Warren Hymer, Harry Holman, Andrew Tombes, Pierre Watkin, Stanley Andrews, Mitchell Lewis, Charles Wilson, Vaughan Glasser, Sterling Holloway, Mike Frankovich, Knox Manning, John B. Hughes, Hall Johnson Choir. Photographer George Barnes There is no news, and not even critical judgement, in stating the fact that Frank Capra has delivered a money picture to Warner Brothers. "Meet John Doe” will be tinkling box office automatic machines with a merry tune. That leaves a reviewer little to talk about except his personal reactions to the picture as a whole, and particularly to the performances the director has gained from the troupers. So we guess we will have to approach the picture that way. Well, as to the personal reactions — we had a heck of a good time for most of the running time, but we also had our moments when we thought Capra was going overboard to deliver a message, with the result that proceedings were on the off-edge of being too talky. This "message” stuff is a sort of combination of "God Bless America” and a homespun biblical tapestry "Love Thy Neighbor.” It is a very good idea. We all believe in it. But this time it is laid on with laquer, and it is told in the life of a confused dumbell, John Doe, who is supposed to be typical of the real America. If that John Doe class takes the lesson one way, we will not have any arguments; if they realize the truth that Capra and Riskin are telling them what saps they are, then you still don’t have to worry, because they are probably just those saps. By this time you have probably gathered the idea that your reviewer is trying to say that he enjoyed a great picture, a bit overlong and talky, but with too much underlining of the poor man’s Stars and Stripes. And, frankly, while this picture is in — and definitely set — for big money, we still have our doubts about letting talk run away with motion pictures for the sake of selling a "message.” About this time a reviewer is compelled to decide that he is just a bit pixillated to be even a trifle captious about a Frank Capra picture. The Capra touch is there in the handling of the scenes; the stars, Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck, are great and the support, in Capra manner, is excellent. Gary Cooper has the toughest part since he is representing John Doe — in other words, the average American. It is a confused and never very well defined role. We are never very certain whether Gary is just a dumbell, or someone with qualities that should cause Barbara Stanwyck to fall in love with him. Barbara Stanwyck has the meaty role of the piece, the characterization that must give its heart to override the speeches. She is a smart aleck newspaper gal who inveigles Cooper into a frame-up deal for circulation purposes, then finds she has been a dirty trickster, and also has the worry of having fallen in love with the victim. She gets a topper scene at the climax that will be remembered as long as picture-makers remember pictures. Cooper and Miss Stanwyck carry the picture— plus the directorial touches that Capra can give to any scene. And then there is the support. The opportunities for the supporting cast are spotty, since the thin story line must carry on with Gary and Barbara. Flowever, they give a fine opportunity for Edward Arnold, for a repressed heavy characterization— with a flash reformation in one speech at the end — and it is a welcome new Arnold. Jimmie Gleason puts his teeth into a casual role that develops into an actor’s delight scene when he plays about half a reel of a drunk, and boy, he goes to town. We may have used the phrase a few times before, but are going to repeat it: They will start rediscovering that Jimmy Gleason is an actor. They will probably also discover Regis Toomey. He has a long speech — too long a speech, to tell the truth, on the "Love Thy Neighbor” theme, but what a job he does with it. Spring Byington is in a mother role, as Miss Stanwyck’s parent, so neatly handled that you are willing to vote her the universal mother. With sparse footage, it is one of the most appealing characterizations Miss Byington has given the screen. Walter Brennan is present as a hobo pal of Gary Cooper, with his usual efficiency, though he hasn’t the opportunities one expected from the advance ballyhoo. Gene Lockhart, who never misses, has a good spot. He is a fluttery mayor who just flutters in and out of the story, but he never misses selling his scenes. It was a treat to see that grand old trouper — who also teaches at USC — J. Farrell MacDonald, show the youngsters how to get every inch out of an eighteen inch role Robert Riskin has written a screen play that will combine with the picture’s values to make it probably the top money picture of the year, despite our worries about the fact that it isn’t the best picture Frank Capra has made. But it will do, and do plenty, until a more symmetrical whale comes along. The story: Well, it starts on a screwy basis, which is part of the reason for the trouble in keeping it moving after the first three reels, and that basis consists of Barbara, discharged and disgruntled newspaper columnist, concocting a fake letter in which a certain John Doe promises to jump off the highest building in town on Christmas Eve. She finds Gary Cooper, who is a lamearmed baseball pitcher, willing to promise anything to get treatment for his ailing wing. The heavy is Edward Arnold, publisher of the newspaper, who suddenly realizes that the John Doe movement might transport him to the White House on a sort of Hitler program. So — Gary is the dupe for most of the way, Barbara the girl, who suddenly realizes that she has done her man wrong, and all ends happily. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion: Has had the greatest build-up of any picture of the year. Can’t miss for top money. So don’t get too concerned about this critic’s worries. Previewed March 12th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: "It is to be enthusiastically re ported that Frank Capra and Robert Riskin have turned out another modern-day film masterpiece. 'Meet John Doe’ is a courageous social document, perhaps the most courageous ever attempted on the screen. Likewise, it is a great entertainment, emotionally stirring, magnificently enacted and stunningly presented. It will earn millions at the box office.” VARIETY: "Frank Capra produces another of his great film documents and great popular entertainments. It will be a prodigious moneymaker and a showman’s pride.”