Meet John Doe (1941): cast, story & where to watch
1941 · Film · ★ 7.3
Released in 1941, Meet John Doe is a comedy, drama and romance film directed by Frank Capra, running about 122 minutes. “All America wants to meet the “Mr. Deeds” of 1941!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it's worth, until the made-up "John Doe" philosophy starts a whole political movement.
Who’s in it. Meet John Doe stars Gary Cooper as Long John Willoughby, Barbara Stanwyck as Ann Mitchell, Edward Arnold as D.B. Norton and Walter Brennan as The Colonel, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.3/10, Meet John Doe has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on fuboTV, Philo, Brew and YouTube TV and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Fandango At Home and FlixFling. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Meet John Doe page.
If you liked it. Fans of Meet John Doe tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Meet John Doe (1941)?
- In US, Meet John Doe is available to stream on fuboTV, Philo and Brew, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Fandango At Home and FlixFling. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Meet John Doe worth watching?
- Meet John Doe holds an audience score of 7.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy, drama and romance. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Meet John Doe?
- Meet John Doe stars Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan and Spring Byington.
- When was Meet John Doe released?
- Meet John Doe was released in 1941, with a runtime of about 122 minutes.