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Cynics dismiss Frank Capra's films as sentimental and corny, but the work of this auteur is as potent and relevant today as it was 60 years ago. Meet John Doe is a scathing critique of American politics—greedy industrialists, corrupt officials, cynical media moguls—and a vote of confidence in the "common man." Capra saw this innocent brand of populism—a sort of self-styled Marxism—as a solution to pre-war America's malaise, and especially to the dangerous allure of fascism.

After journalist Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) is fired by her newspaper, she concocts a story about a "John Doe" so disillusioned with the system that he promises to commit suicide. Her column sets the popular imagination (and her paper's circulation) on fire, and she is rehired—to find a man who fits the fictional character, and to keep churning out protests for decency and honesty in his name.

When Walter Willoughby (Gary Cooper), an ex–baseball player down on his luck, is chosen for the part, he quickly becomes a popular hero. John Doe clubs soon sprout up around the country, financed by newspaper czar D. B. Norton (Edward Arnold), who plots to use them as a popular power base in his quest for the presidency.

Capra knows how to move his story along—if not subtly, then at least with panache and verve. It's an exhilarating spectacle, even if it hits you over the head a couple of times. As a political parable, the film is a companion piece to Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, but its tone is darker. It exposes the power of the media to create mass hysteria and distort facts, as well as to mobilize people for a worthy cause. It also ridicules the arrogance of the rich and powerful who believe that ruling the land is their birthright. Capra even allows one character (Willoughby's friend, the "Colonel," played by Walter Brennan) to voice the point of view of a dropout from society—that money and status are impositions on the individual that rob him of his freedom.

The acting is superb. Cooper shines as the innocent who must face his personal responsibility for the phenomenon he's unleashed. Barbara Stanwyck is stunning as an opportunist whose heart is nevertheless in the right place.

The transfer, from the original 35mm nitrate material, is uneven, but given the extent of the restoration needed, this is forgivable. The focus wavers, and frames from different-quality sources have been edited together to complete certain scenes. The print is occasionally scratched and speckled, and the sound is either too soft or too loud. But the power of the piece transcends such imperfections and keeps the viewer hooked at all times.