Customer Reviews

Meet John Doe/A Farewell to Arms

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Judging by earlier reviews, the DVD that was given to me is obviously a new edition by Marengo Films: digitally remastered and with a different cover picture than the one currently displayed here. This one deserves a 5-star rating both for its excellent picture and sound quality, and for the two marvellous and unforgettable cinema classics. "A Farewell to Arms" from 1932 is based on the Ernest Hemingway novel and is a tragic love story set in Italy during World War I with nice sets and some good and unusual camera work at times. The love affair between the American ambulance driver (Cooper) and a nurse cannot run smoothly due to the war and Cooper's interfering friend, but get your tissues out for the ending! The second Gary Cooper feature, "Meet John Doe" from 1941 is quite different, as is Cooper's character, John Doe, who goes through various emotions and reveals deeper layers of character as the story unfolds. What starts out as a reporter's last desperate attempt to keep her job ends up being a nationwide movement to motivate people to care about one's neighbour and give the average person a voice and power (hence 'John Doe'). Of course, there's always a baddie who wants to take advantage of this people-power, while John Doe struggles with himself, his identity and his feelings for the fiery lady reporter (played nicely by Barbara Stanwyck). I really got a lot out of this movie as well, and I highly recommend this DVD to any general movie fan and especially of classics like these. Just make sure it's the digitally remastered edition: written across the bottom in yellow letters on a red label.

Two great movies for an excellent price. Though some might not like the quality of DVD reproduction, I point out that it is better than my VHS copies which look cartoonish from their afforable, early reproduction. With that having been said. Enjoy MEET JOHN DOE: Gary Cooper is a tossed-away citizen who is chosen by a reporter (Barbara Stanwyck) to man the soapbox on a charity campaign. FAREWELL TO ARMS 1932 film of an American soldier (Gary Cooper) falling in love with his British nurse (Helen Hayes) during WWI. Based on Ernest Hemingway novel.

Marengo Films remastered these two prints in 2006. We have found new film collectors and swapped prints and the new software is much better than it was in 2001 when we originally put this double feature out... We spent much of 2006 re-mastering a fair number of our DVD's and this is one.

I believe you will find both of these prints highly satisfactory and in fact we believe they are the VERY BEST ON THE MARKET.

We appreciate your business.

Best regards,

Marengo Films

For people who love to watch great acting go no further than Meet John Doe and its star Gary Cooper. His style is almost perfect... he is the "everyman" in the USA and he was able to play... not the glamorous Movie Star that he was... he played the Average Guy... he did it here, he did it in Sergeant York and he did it in A Farewell to Arms.

This DVD was nicely done by Marengo Films and well worth the money.

"Meet John Doe" is pure Capra corn, but this time it's a paean to the power of the common people united.

This movie couldn't be made today without cries of socialism and un-American sentiments. Oddly, it's the way he weaves into his message a host of Christian references that feels both lovely and subversive (never mind that much of that may have been the only way Capra could find to wind up this story, an ending he was never really happy with).

Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper are the perfect pair, with Walter Brennan lending his acting genius and James Gleason turning in a really good performance. Sadly, this movie has never been restored and every print I've seen looks like a transfer from a second-generation 16 mm copy, this version included.

Great movies. The dvds are in excellent condition. Fast delivery. Very excited about this purchase. Thanks for the great service.

There wasn't alot of hiss on either movie. The image quality is nothing to write home about. It's just good enough to keep you from straining your eyes.