It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

 

Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers.

Directed by Frank Capra.

Screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra.

Based on “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern.

Music by Dimitri Tiomkin.

Cinematography by Joseph Walker.

 

The first scene I ever saw of It’s A Wonderful Life was a clip used in the 1984 film Gremlins. At the time I saw it in 1985 I didn’t know what the film was, or even that it was from another film. Nowadays I would just Google it to find out. My first introduction proper to It’s A Wonderful Life was about a year later when my Dad bought a vhs tape of it. I’d never heard of it, but I can clearly remember him saying that it was a brilliant film and that I would like it. It was the colourised version, which thankfully does look so much better now than it did then. I still do prefer the original black and white version though, as it gives the latter scenes much more of a film noir feel which better reflects what George Bailey is going through psychologically.

Well, we all settled down to watch it. I wasn’t exactly excited to be about to watch a black and white colourised film from 40 years earlier. Boy have I never been more wrong in My life. What unfolded over the next two plus hours was amazing. It totally changed my attitude to “old black and white films”. It is now one of my favourite films and I also completely fell for Donna Reed as Mary, George’s wife.

It’s an absolute masterpiece. One of the best film ever made. It depicts perfectly how one person tries to be a decent human being and in so doing touches so many other lives without him even realising it. As Clarence the angel says “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” The quote totally sums up the idea at the heart of the film. George then eventually comes to the realisation that what you need for a fulfilling life is actually closer than you may think, maybe right in front of you. It is the one film I can think of that defines better than any other the ideas of Altruism, Karma, and “what goes around comes around.”  The saying under the photo of George Bailey’s father in the office perfectly sums this up “You can only take with you that which you give away”

The film flawlessly covers all the highs and lows of life that everyone can relate to on some level. It depicts absolutely perfectly, and better than any film before or since, an individual’s worth in this world. It shows how by being more selfless and less selfish you will gain more than you realise. Add to that it also shows how a person’s worth can never be measured in monetary terms, but in their actions. As in the film, when it comes down to it the people who truly love, care for, and appreciate you will always be there for you and support you when you feel life has gotten too much. It shows that suicide is absolutely never the answer. And finally “No one is a failure who has true friends.”

It is hard to believe now, although the film was not a flop on its initial release, it was a major disappointment to the studio because of its large budget and it’s poor box office returns. The problem at the time was that World War 2 had only ended just over a year before It’s a Wonderful Life’s general release in 1947.  Audiences just weren’t ready for a film that, for many, was pretty downbeat in its subject matter for some of its running time. Which is probably understandable really. There were also apparently accusations at the time of communism aimed at it because of the way banks and big business were depicted in it in the form of the character of Mr Potter. This was after all the era of the communist witch hunts. This may have been a contributing factor in it being almost forgotten until the 1970s. Thankfully It’s a Wonderful Life was rediscovered when it was bought as part of US TV package deal. It was re-shown many times on TV over the years and since then it has been reappraised and is now one of the most popular and best loved films at Christmas.

Some have said it has touched them profoundly and even changed their lives. I think everyone involved would be very proud of that achievement. Frank Capra lived to see it being rediscovered and was amazed. “It’s the damnedest thing I’ve ever seen,” Capra said in 1984. “The film has a life of its own now, and I can look at it like I had nothing to do with it. I’m like a parent whose kid grows up to be president. I’m proud … but it’s the kid who did the work. I didn’t even think of it as a Christmas story when I first ran across it. I just liked the idea.” James Stewart said in 1973 it was the favourite of all his films he made.

There is no doubt about it that it is the best film ever made never to have received any of the main Oscars. Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay. To name some of them it fully and justifiably deserved to win. It did however receive one for its innovative snow effects.

The screenplay is superb and every character no matter how small is written beautifully. It moves from comedic to tragedy perfectly. The humour is beautifully juxtaposed with the serious side of the film. In actual fact it does contain some fairly adult humour that is common place in family films nowadays in, for example, the likes of Pixar’s films. It has been referenced and has been an influence on many films and directors including Steven Spielberg. It’s influence can be seen clearly in the Back to the Future trilogy in its depiction of the Hill Valley town of 1955 and in the alternative Hill Valley in Part 2. Gremlins look and dark edge is a clear reference to It’s a Wonderful Life. Perhaps the reason a clip was used in it.

The casting and acting is absolutely faultless. James Stewart, in probably, a career best performance. Certainly among one of the best ever by anyone never to have won an Oscar. He has always seemed to me in his depiction of George Bailey to be speaking from his heart, especially in the speeches he gives. He was a pilot during World War 2 and was greatly affected by his experiences which was maybe a contributing factor to this. His films post World War 2 do have a much more cynical and darker edge to them than those he made before.

From the opening shot of the Bedford Falls sign and the voices of the family, friends and people George Bailey has touched and made their life better praying for him to the beautifully poetic, uplifting, life affirming ending, and everything in-between, it is absolute cinematic perfection. A filmmaking master class. It is a film that is being discovered and loved by each new generation year by year. Which is an amazing tribute to everyone involved in its creation.

The blu ray version looks and sounds absolutely amazing. Better than it ever has. As it rightly should because this is a film that will live on for years to come and will only get better with age. If You’ve never seen it before be prepared to be blown away by It’s a Wonderful Life. If you have you will know exactly what I mean.

And Remember “Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings”