Meet John Doe Page #3

Synopsis: A reporter (Barbara Stanwyck) writes a fictitious column about someone named "John Doe," who is distraught at America's neglect of the little people and plans to kill himself. The newspaper then hires a ballplayer-turned-hobo (Gary Cooper) to pose as John Doe. In a series of radio addresses written by a publisher with fascist leanings, Doe captures the public's imagination. When he finally realizes he has been used, Doe comes to his senses and becomes the man he never knew he could be.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Production: Madacy Entertainment
  Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.
 
IMDB:
7.7
Rotten Tomatoes:
89%
NOT RATED
Year:
1941
122 min
1,270 Views


DISSOLVE TO:

INT. SPENCER'S OFFICE

MED. SHOT:
SPENCER is on the telephone

SPENCER:

Yes. Yes. I saw it, Governor . . .

and if you ask me that's a phoney

letter. Why, that gag has got

whiskers on it. Huh? Okay, I'll

get the Mayor and maybe the Chamber

of Commerce to go after them.

(into dictagraph)

Get Mayor Lovett on the phone!

INT. MAYOR'S OFFICE

MED. SHOT:
Of MAYOR's secretary.

SECRETARY:

(picking up phone)

Hello? Sorry, the Mayor's busy on

the other phone.

CAMERA PANS over to the MAYOR who is fatuous and excitable.

MAYOR:

(into telephone)

Yes, I know, Mrs. Brewster. It's a

terrible reflection on our city.

I've had a dozen calls already.

SECRETARY enters scene.

SECRETARY:

Spencer of the Chronicle .

MAYOR:

Hold him.

(into phone)

Yes, Mrs. Brewster, I'm listening.

The SECRETARY lays down the receiver.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. CORNER OF A BEDROOM

CLOSE SHOT:
Of MRS. BREWSTER—stout and loud. She is propped

up in bed—a breakfast tray on her lap—the newspaper by her

side.

MRS. BREWSTER

Insist that this John Doe man be

found and given a job at once. If

something isn't done. I'll call

out the whole Auxiliary — yes, and

the Junior Auxiliary, too. We'll

hold a meeting and see—

CUT TO:

INT. MAYOR'S OFFICE

MED. SHOT:
Of MAYOR. He lays the receiver down and we

continue to hear MRS. BREWSTER's voice. MAYOR picks up

SPENCER's phone.

MAYOR:

Yes, Spencer. Who? The Governor?

Well, what about me? it's my

building he's jumping off of! And

I'm up for re-election, too!

SECRETARY:

Shh!

MAYOR:

(to Secretary)

What are you doing? Get Connell at

the Bulletin !

(to Spencer)

Why, he's liable to go right past

my window,

(suddenly—to

Sec'y—excitably)

What was that?!

SECRETARY:

What?

MAYOR:

Out the window! Something just

flew by!

SECRETARY:

I didn't see anything.

MAYOR:

(semi-hysterical)

Well, don't stand there, you idiot.

Go and look. Open the window. Oh,

why did he have to pick on my

building?

The SECRETARY, telephone in hand, peers out window.

MAYOR:

Is there a crowd in the street?

SECRETARY:

No, sir.

MAYOR:

Then he may be caught on a ledge!

Look again!

SECRETARY:

I think it must have been a sea-

gull.

MAYOR:

A sea-gull? What's a sea-gull doing

around the city hall? That's a bad

omen, isn't it?

(picks up Mrs.

Brewster's phone)

SECRETARY:

Oh, n-no, sir. The sea-gull is a

lovely bird.

MAYOR:

(into telephone)

I-it's all right, Mrs. Brewster.

It was just a sea-gull.

(catches himself)

Er. nothing's happened yet! No,

I'm watching. Don't worry. Ju-just

leave it all to me!

The SECRETARY holds out another phone. The MAYOR drops

MRS. BREWSTER's phone again, and her voice is still heard.

MAYOR:

(into Spencer's

phone)

Spencer, I'll call you back.

Secretary has gotten CONNELL on the phone—hands phone to

MAYOR.

MAYOR:

Hello! Connell! This is—

(TO SECRETARY)

What are you doing?

(back to phone)

This is the Mayor.

INT. CONNELL'S OFFICE

FULL SHOT:
CONNELL is on the phone. POP DWYER is draped in

a chair nearby.

CONNELL:

Yes, Mayor Lovett! How many times

are you gonna call me? I've got

everybody and his brother and sister

out looking for him. Did you see

the box I'm running?

He picks up the front page of the Bulletin; we see a four

column box on the front page.

Rate this script:3.6 / 7 votes

Robert Riskin

Robert Riskin (March 30, 1897 – September 20, 1955) was an American Academy Award-winning screenwriter and playwright, best known for his collaborations with director-producer Frank Capra. more…

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    "Meet John Doe" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Jul 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/meet_john_doe_492>.

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