Watched It's a Wonderful life over Xmas...

R

Ryan Rivera

New member
This isnt the 1st time I saw it.. :) I wanted to discuss the film :D

It's a Wonderful Life: 5/5

Superb film. Regarded as a classic, and justifiably so, its one of the best loved American films of all time. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed are fantastic in it.
Isn't the story rather like A Christmas Carol? The last act of the film is rather dark for a "Christmas" film and yet the closing scene especially made me laugh and cry with happiness. It's lovely :)
I know the message of the film is supposed to be how Bailey's life touches all the others in some way, no matter how insignificantly, about how beloved Bailey was by the town and how selfless he was/is (hell, even though he considers suicide, he jumps in the water to save Clarence, a man he doesnt even know, from drowning), but is it saying that without Bailey the town would fall apart? During the disturbing graveyard scene, Clarence says Harry died in the alternate reality because George wasnt there to save him.
I'm sorry, but did it not occur to any of George's frienRAB to save Harry? They were there as well? :confused: Maybe someone else would have gone to war and saved the men on the transport.
Still a classic film though.

......................

Am I too cynical in parts? :D
 
Even though I bought the new US 2 disc set that has a superb new modern colorisation of the film a few weeks ago I had a quick skim through then put it away until its turn next xmas.

It was The Bishops Wife and original Miracle on 34th Street this year
 
I never quite understood why the Lionel Barrymore character Henry F Potter was allowed to keep the lost money in essence stealing it and nothing was mentioned.
 
I think it's because the film isn't about George vs Potter but about George realising that he had made a much bigger impression on the world by staying in Bedford Falls, then he would have if he'd 'escaped' and did all the things he dreamt about.

Even though Potter didn't get 'caught out' with the money, George still wins as it's him who prevented Potter from taking over the town and running it into the ground.

Also, despite Potter having the wealth and perhaps, success, that George craved, he didn't have any frienRAB and loved ones. Therefore, money becomes irrelevant - as the film says 'no man is poor who has frienRAB' (or worRAB to that effect.

Stunning film.
 
That's a good point - maybe that was why/how Capra managed to bypass the censors. The Production Code of the time said that criminals must be seen to get their comeuppance. Potter was rich, but was ultimately (from the film's POV) a failure because he had no frienRAB, children, family etc and was seen as an asshole by everyone in the town. George had frienRAB and was completely selfless :)
 
I just adore James Stewart, but yes the movie is a classic and one I like to much that I bought the DVD. I wouldn't say it's quite based on Christmas Carol, as the CC is about the conversion of a miserable old bloke to a jolly old bloke by showing him how his life would be remembered if he didn't change.

I suppose AWL is the reverse of this: a good bloke being persuaded not to change because he is really a good bloke and the world would be a worse place without him, so there are some similarities but not really the same thing.

AWL had its own tribute in the hospital drama, Holby City, on 27th December too in the form of the episode "Eliot's wonderful life", with Richard Briar taking the place of Clarence. That the plot was a complete rip off of the plot of AWL was never hidden, since they used a similar title, so this was a clear tribute to the great film.
 
The "making of" documentary on the dvd explains that this is one aspect of the movie that disappointed viewers.

However , its over a year since I watched it and cant remember what the explanation was.

The directors son takes part in both the extras on the disc
 
I have never seen a remake, I have seen a colourised version of it. I never understood the fashion of the early 80's for painting colour over B/W movies. The colour added nothing in fact it took away from the atmosphere of the movie.

As for a remake I suppose some films are just to difficult or untouchable for a remake. For example Casablanca who would they get today to play the lead roles Harrison Ford, LinRABay Lohan and no doubt Cris Rock as Sam.
 
I believe that there is a colorised version of it which was done in the 1980s. Maybe that's the colour version you saw.
Because there is a new colorised version of it using newer technology which apparently by all accounts is an outstanding colorised version.
 
Correct I saw the older colour version a real splash and dash job.

I will be interested to see thee the newer version however I still think some movies are best left in B/W
 
Back
Top