Director: Frank Capra
Screenplay: Frank Capra, Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, Joe Swirling (based on the book by Philip Van Doren Stern) Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore
Music: Dimitri Tiomkin
Time: 130 minutes
Bottom-line: A wonderful heart-warming experience; a classic film
As Christmas approaches, I revive a classic film that tells us about God’s greatest gift to humans: the gift of life. Ranked by the American Film Institute as the most inspirational film ever made, this 1946 film starring James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore also has one of the greatest heroes and villains in Hollywood film history. If there was one film you watch that tells you how to live a good life, it is this great film.
The film begins with a family praying to God, asking Him to save someone from committing suicide on Christmas Eve. Two head angels listen to their prayers and summon an angel, Clarence, for the purpose. As the angel agrees, the two head angels brief the other angel about the life of the person he has to save, George Bailey (Stewart), and the viewers also get to see the life of George, and what made him to take the grave step of committing suicide. We see that George, when a small boy, saved his brother Harry from drowning, but this lead to deafness in George’s left ear. George has a desire to travel around the world. He later marries Mary Hatch (Reed). The richest man in town, Mr. Henry F. Potter (Barrymore) is a fierce competitor to George’s bank, and is bent on ruining George. The rest of the film covers the other incidents of George’s life till the eve of Christmas.
The story is not that of an ordinary drama. It is the story of someone’s life, as the title says. So, unlike other drama films, this film actually shows all the ups and downs of a person’s life, like a biography, only this time, the person is not famous, but he is like you and me. The film is one with a deep meaning, so it might feel boring and slow to many, but if you watch it till the end, it will have a great impact on you. The nature of George is something we should all emulate to become better people.
The acting is first-class. Stewart’s famous films may have been the ones directed by Alfred Hitchcock, but he has not acted that well in any of those collaborations, mainly because the story has enough thrills and suspense to keep people engaged. But here, the acting of both Stewart and Barrymore drive the film. The character of George Bailey is that of a generous, completely unselfish, and kind-hearted person, while that of Mr. Potter is everything that George is not. He is mean, selfish and miserly. Stewart has done brilliantly to express all types of emotions: happiness, sadness, anger… one particular scene where George’s goodness is shown, is when people crowd in his bank demanding their money back. He has only 2000 dollars that he has reserved or a honeymoon trip, but yet, he willingly gives the people how much ever they need. Stewart’s acting towards the end of the flashback is also excellent. Barrymore is on a wheelchair throughout the film, but his acting makes him a great villain. George Bailey was voted the 9th best hero and Mr. Potter was voted the 6th greatest villain of all time, by the AFI. The film also has several memorable lines by the characters. The villainous nature of Barrymore is revealed only through dialogues and his fantastic acting.
The camera work or the background score are not great, but the story and the characters are what make this film a classic. We often hear people saying, ‘God’s greatest gift’, or ‘What is the real meaning of Christmas?’ or ‘Is Christmas only about gifts?’ and many other things. This film answers all such questions.
Christmas is not only about giving gifts and stuff, but is about helping others around us. Throughout the film, George puts others’ lives before his in all aspects and situations. He decides to take charge of the bank – though it will ruin his dream of being a globetrotter – because his brother got a better job. He is tempted to accept Potter’s offer of traveling around the world, but declines it when he realizes that it will lead to Potter’s overtaking of his bank, which will result in higher loans charged on poorer people.
All of us should be (and will be, after watching the film) like George. No matter how good you are, you will always have someone like Mr. Potter: someone richer or stronger or more powerful than you, who will always try to win over you. Yet, you should remain firm in your decisions and continue in your own way. There are some people like Mr. Potter who win respect by inducing fear into the people, but we should be like George, who wins others’ respect and love and kindness by being respectful and loving and kind to them. As the saying goes, “The world treats you in the same way you treat them.” Another message the film gives is the very importance of our lives. There are hundreds of people committing suicides every month, for some reasons of their own. This film tells you what a great life each of us have, and how God has blessed us with a life. The way in which the message has been portrayed is very moving.
To sum up, Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a film that everyone on the Earth must watch before they die i.e. when they have a wonderful life. A wonderful message, great acting and terrific characters make this film a classic. This film definitely needs an annual viewing, just to remind us of how good God has been to us. Watch the film and you will definitely feel like thanking God for the greatest gift he has given us: our lives. What better time to watch the film than before Christmas?
My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%
Screenplay: Frank Capra, Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, Joe Swirling (based on the book by Philip Van Doren Stern) Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore Music: Dimitri Tiomkin
Time: 130 minutes
Bottom-line: A wonderful heart-warming experience; a classic film
As Christmas approaches, I revive a classic film that tells us about God’s greatest gift to humans: the gift of life. Ranked by the American Film Institute as the most inspirational film ever made, this 1946 film starring James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore also has one of the greatest heroes and villains in Hollywood film history. If there was one film you watch that tells you how to live a good life, it is this great film.
 |
| Reed as Mary (left); Stewart as George, with his youngest daughter Zuzu |
The film begins with a family praying to God, asking Him to save someone from committing suicide on Christmas Eve. Two head angels listen to their prayers and summon an angel, Clarence, for the purpose. As the angel agrees, the two head angels brief the other angel about the life of the person he has to save, George Bailey (Stewart), and the viewers also get to see the life of George, and what made him to take the grave step of committing suicide. We see that George, when a small boy, saved his brother Harry from drowning, but this lead to deafness in George’s left ear. George has a desire to travel around the world. He later marries Mary Hatch (Reed). The richest man in town, Mr. Henry F. Potter (Barrymore) is a fierce competitor to George’s bank, and is bent on ruining George. The rest of the film covers the other incidents of George’s life till the eve of Christmas.
 |
| Clarence the angel |
The acting is first-class. Stewart’s famous films may have been the ones directed by Alfred Hitchcock, but he has not acted that well in any of those collaborations, mainly because the story has enough thrills and suspense to keep people engaged. But here, the acting of both Stewart and Barrymore drive the film. The character of George Bailey is that of a generous, completely unselfish, and kind-hearted person, while that of Mr. Potter is everything that George is not. He is mean, selfish and miserly. Stewart has done brilliantly to express all types of emotions: happiness, sadness, anger… one particular scene where George’s goodness is shown, is when people crowd in his bank demanding their money back. He has only 2000 dollars that he has reserved or a honeymoon trip, but yet, he willingly gives the people how much ever they need. Stewart’s acting towards the end of the flashback is also excellent. Barrymore is on a wheelchair throughout the film, but his acting makes him a great villain. George Bailey was voted the 9th best hero and Mr. Potter was voted the 6th greatest villain of all time, by the AFI. The film also has several memorable lines by the characters. The villainous nature of Barrymore is revealed only through dialogues and his fantastic acting.
 |
| Lionel Barrymore as Henry F. Potter |
The camera work or the background score are not great, but the story and the characters are what make this film a classic. We often hear people saying, ‘God’s greatest gift’, or ‘What is the real meaning of Christmas?’ or ‘Is Christmas only about gifts?’ and many other things. This film answers all such questions.
Christmas is not only about giving gifts and stuff, but is about helping others around us. Throughout the film, George puts others’ lives before his in all aspects and situations. He decides to take charge of the bank – though it will ruin his dream of being a globetrotter – because his brother got a better job. He is tempted to accept Potter’s offer of traveling around the world, but declines it when he realizes that it will lead to Potter’s overtaking of his bank, which will result in higher loans charged on poorer people.
All of us should be (and will be, after watching the film) like George. No matter how good you are, you will always have someone like Mr. Potter: someone richer or stronger or more powerful than you, who will always try to win over you. Yet, you should remain firm in your decisions and continue in your own way. There are some people like Mr. Potter who win respect by inducing fear into the people, but we should be like George, who wins others’ respect and love and kindness by being respectful and loving and kind to them. As the saying goes, “The world treats you in the same way you treat them.” Another message the film gives is the very importance of our lives. There are hundreds of people committing suicides every month, for some reasons of their own. This film tells you what a great life each of us have, and how God has blessed us with a life. The way in which the message has been portrayed is very moving.
To sum up, Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a film that everyone on the Earth must watch before they die i.e. when they have a wonderful life. A wonderful message, great acting and terrific characters make this film a classic. This film definitely needs an annual viewing, just to remind us of how good God has been to us. Watch the film and you will definitely feel like thanking God for the greatest gift he has given us: our lives. What better time to watch the film than before Christmas?
My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%
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