'It's a Wonderful Life'

[snopes]

It is arguably one of the most magnetic moments ever captured on film. This enduring celluloid juncture from 1946's "It's a Wonderful Life" can be summoned to mind by merely mentioning "the prayer scene." In it, a tearfully reduced George Bailey — played by Jimmy Stewart — sits at a bar and contemplates taking his own life, then clasps his hands and quietly asks for God's intervention.

And while filming this key moment, this pivotal point in the picture, Frank Capra goofed — big time.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,4332540.story

[Jay Temple]

"Capra shot much of the film on a specially constructed quaint-town set located at RKO's ranch in the San Fernando Valley — a site that has long been overtaken by property development."

Isn't it ironic that "property development" was George Bailey's line of work? These days, he'd be reviled about as badly as Potter, for destroying the environment.

[TrishDaDish]

Never mind the yuletide flavor, the wintry snowdrifts in Bedford Falls and the holly wreath George Bailey carries slung around his arm

I can't help it - that gaff drives me nuts every time I see it. He comes into the office with it on his arm, he puts it down on a table or counter, someone says the phone's for him, and when he answers it...the damned wreath is on his arm again! GAH!!!!

[Brad from Georgia]

I read a biography of Stewart not long before Christmas in which the author says Stewart always attributed his weeping during the prayer scene to the fact that It's a Wonderful Life was his first movie after returning from World War II. Stewart was a pilot, had some close calls, lost some of his crew members, and suffered from something very like post-traumatic stress disorder for quite a while. He had bad insomnia, deep depression, and was afraid that his movie career was over (he toyed with the idea of launching his own regional airline). His friend Jack Benny talked him into doing some radio broadcasts, which he found he enjoyed--and Capra told him the movie had been written especially for him (not true).

Stewart said that when he was playing Bailey breaking down in the bar, all his own insecurities just crashed in on him. It is a moving scene.

Oh--and in the original script, there was a scene in which Clarence appeared to the evil banker Mr. Potter and scared the bejeezus out of him, making him return Uncle Billy's lost money.

Everytime I see this film, I can't help but think how depressing the ending actually is... and how 'tacked-on' the happy ending seems. I'm not going to get into it but... all the way through the film George Bailey is trying to escape Bedford Falls but he is constantly being held back and is essentially made to stay where he doesn't want to be. Hmm. I gues it just annoys me a little bit how people hark on about it being this great uplifting and heartwarming Christmas film but I disagree.

But that's just me and my film studies-oriented brain...::

[Brad from Georgia]

I've always read the ending as George's recognizing that he has indeed had a wonderful life--that given the chance, with the knowledge he now has, he wouldn't trade his life in Bedford Falls for a life of adventure and globe-trotting.

[hoitoider]

Originally Posted by Jay Temple

Isn't it ironic that "property development" was George Bailey's line of work? These days, he'd be reviled about as badly as Potter, for destroying the environment.

I think he'd be praised for building affordable housing. In one scene Potter's accountant(?) tells Potter that the houses in Bailey Park are selling for half of what they could get.

[Christie]

Originally Posted by Brad from Georgia

I read a biography of Stewart not long before Christmas in which the author says Stewart always attributed his weeping during the prayer scene to the fact that It's a Wonderful Life was his first movie after returning from World War II. Stewart was a pilot, had some close calls, lost some of his crew members, and suffered from something very like post-traumatic stress disorder for quite a while. He had bad insomnia, deep depression, and was afraid that his movie career was over (he toyed with the idea of launching his own regional airline). His friend Jack Benny talked him into doing some radio broadcasts, which he found he enjoyed--and Capra told him the movie had been written especially for him (not true).

Stewart said that when he was playing Bailey breaking down in the bar, all his own insecurities just crashed in on him. It is a moving scene.

Oh--and in the original script, there was a scene in which Clarence appeared to the evil banker Mr. Potter and scared the bejeezus out of him, making him return Uncle Billy's lost money.

Could I ask which biography you were reading? I'm a huge Jimmy Stewart fan and I'd love to read this one.

As to the film - that scene is incredibly moving and I admit I've never noticed any goofs. I guess I just get too involved in the story to the point where it could suddenly be transported into the Gobi desert and I wouldn't notice or care.

[Christie]

Originally Posted by Brad from Georgia

I've always read the ending as George's recognizing that he has indeed had a wonderful life--that given the chance, with the knowledge he now has, he wouldn't trade his life in Bedford Falls for a life of adventure and globe-trotting.

Isn't this how we are supposed to feel? I think reading a different meaning into the ending of this film is really reaching. I love this movie but it can hardly be described as subtle. What you see is pretty much what you get.

[Little Pink Pill]

Originally Posted by Tequila Mockingbird

Everytime I see this film, I can't help but think how depressing the ending actually is... and how 'tacked-on' the happy ending seems...But that's just me and my film studies-oriented brain...::

I don't see how realizing you should be thankful for the life you have and quitting the mopey 'grass is greener' thing is tacking on a happy ending--unless you believe happiness is solely dependent on circumstances instead of perspective.

Angst might be cooler and deemed more artistic, but sometimes simplicity really is profound, enough so to keep a silly old movie relevant long after the "angry young men" of that generation have died old and bitter, anyway.

[Lydia Oh Lydia]

I never liked that movie. I didn't even think the happy ending was all that happy.

[Christie]

Originally Posted by Little Pink Pill

I don't see how realizing you should be thankful for the life you have and quitting the mopey 'grass is greener' thing is tacking on a happy ending--unless you believe happiness is solely dependent on circumstances instead of perspective.

Angst might be cooler and deemed more artistic, but sometimes simplicity really is profound, enough so to keep a silly old movie relevant long after the "angry young men" of that generation have died old and bitter, anyway.

I like the way you put that!

It's fine to sneer at this movie and if you don't like it, you don't like it - but please guys don't try to make something of it, that was never intended and is irrelevant anyhow.

[KingDavid8]

It's one of my all-time favorite movies (I just watched it again last week, and still teared up in the last few minutes), but I've always wondered two things about the ending:

1) Could they technically have thrown George Bailey in jail at the end? I realize that after what happened, they didn't have the heart to bother doing so (even those who came to arrest him gave him money), but George was suspected of embezzlement, and it was never proven that he didn't do it. Does recovering the money through other means make the suspected crime go away?

2) After Sam Wainwright agreed to give George the entire sum he was short ("up to $25,000", and he was only short $8000), did any of those who had given George money earlier decide that they wanted it back, now that George didn't really need it anymore? I mean, some of those people were pretty darned poor. If I'd given my last $20 to help out ol' George, and then found out that a millionaire was offering him oodles of money, I might think of taking my $20 back.

David

[vison]

Nearly everyone in the Known Universe likes this movie, it would seem.


It creeps me out so bad I almost can't explain how bad it creeps me out, or why it creeps me out, but believe me, it creeps me out. There. Now fling me to the wolves, if you will. I could say much on this subject, but shall refrain the interest of good taste and the desire of making friends in the strange (to me) land o' Snopes.

The greatest Christmas movie ever made, and IMHO the greatest movie ever made in any genre, is "A Christmas Carol" with Alastair Sim, in the original black and white. A masterpiece.

Jimmy Stewart, actually, creeps me out all on his own.

Sorry.

[Nana M]

The greatest Christmas movie ever made, and IMHO the greatest movie ever made in any genre, is "A Christmas Carol" with Alastair Sim, in the original black and white. A masterpiece.

My husband would agree with you on that. He watches this moie every christmas, and if I can, I watch it with him.

Of course, it was made shortly after we were born, so it's in our era

[Amigone201]

Originally Posted by vison

The greatest Christmas movie ever made, and IMHO the greatest movie ever made in any genre, is "A Christmas Carol" with Alastair Sim, in the original black and white. A masterpiece.

Sorry.

No, the best Christmas movie ever made is clearly Reindeer Games with Ben Affleck

There, now see? And you thought you were the most screwed up person on this board!

The movie doesnt creep me out, but I just dont care for it. I have friends who go every Xmas to see "its a wonderful life" at a small independant cinema, and I tend to just meet them afterwards for a drink rather than going with them.

And the best Xmas movie of all time is probably "Scrooged" with Bill Murray.

[lunchlady]

Originally Posted by Little Pink Pill

Angst might be cooler and deemed more artistic, but sometimes simplicity really is profound.

LPP, may I use this as a sig, and to say to my 17 yo DD?

lunchlady

[Faith]

Originally Posted by Amigone201

No, the best Christmas movie ever made is clearly Reindeer Games with Ben Affleck

Well it does contain one of Cinema's great putdowns, namely "I had better sex in prison!".

[Ramblin' Dave]

Originally Posted by KingDavid8

1) Could they technically have thrown George Bailey in jail at the end? I realize that after what happened, they didn't have the heart to bother doing so (even those who came to arrest him gave him money), but George was suspected of embezzlement, and it was never proven that he didn't do it. Does recovering the money through other means make the suspected crime go away?

Good point. I've always interpreted it in the sense that, when the investigators saw how everyone in town came to George's aid, they concluded that he couldn't be a criminal, even if no one knew what became of the $8000.

2) After Sam Wainwright agreed to give George the entire sum he was short ("up to $25,000", and he was only short $8000), did any of those who had given George money earlier decide that they wanted it back, now that George didn't really need it anymore? I mean, some of those people were pretty darned poor. If I'd given my last $20 to help out ol' George, and then found out that a millionaire was offering him oodles of money, I might think of taking my $20 back.

Keep in mind that many of those people considered him the only reason why they weren't living in hovels. (At least one guy actually says so.) It could be that they just saw this as their own little way of giving back to a friend in need, even if the need wasn't as great as suspected after all.


Now, while I love the movie, I can never help recalling that he may be the richest man in Bedford Falls, but when he wakes up on December 26 he'll still be stuck there!