Classic from the Vault: Christmas Edition
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Director: Frank Capra
By Alex Watson
Christmas is always a magic and wondrous time of year and even though it makes our bank balances look bleaker; the happy smile on people’s face as we give them the perfect gift makes it worth the trouble! Aside from traditional adaptations of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, (The Muppets version being my personal favourite), many Christmas movies are deservedly cult films such as Bill Murray’s modern take on Dicken’s tale in Scrooged or Macauley Culkin skilfully evading burglar Joe Pesci in Home Alone. All these films sum up the spirit of the festive season and how it is about being with the ones we love. But none have shown these elements better than Frank Capra’s classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. A tale which showed a man getting truly the best gift there could possibly be!
George Bailey (James Stewart) is a man in a very desperate place, all his life he has strived to get out his hometown Bedford Falls which is run by cruel businessman Henry F Potter (Lionel Barrymore), but due a series of events he has wound up managing the Bailey Building and Loans like his Dad. Although he is married to his sweetheart Mary (Donna Reed) and has four charming children, George has always wanted more in life and now his business is failing which is leading him to contemplate literally throwing his life away! From above guardian angel Clarence (Henry Travers) comes to earth to show George how wonderful his life really is!
When people say that It’s a Wonderful Life is the best feel-good film Christmas has to offer, this is no lie at all because all the way through Frank Capra gives us an uplifting journey of a man who has sacrificed a lot in life and believes that it has all been for nothing, but as views through Clarence what people’s lives would been without him, his eye open wide to what a wonderful gift he has and unlike money grubbing Potter, George is a far richer man than he will ever be!
But the journey is not without its difficulties and George has his fair share of fights to put with throughout life, all of which happen to come during moments where he is destined to finally get out. However even in the face of these adversities, George with the love and support of Mary gets through them and comes out a wiser and more content man (Mary even gives up their honeymoon money to save their business) and these acts of kindness will win him the hearts of Bedford Falls and even in his darkest hour, they will all come through for him.
The best element of Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life comes from its charming leading man and through the magnificent charisma of James Stewart; George Bailey becomes a truly legendary screen character. Stewart brings gentleness which with the genius of Capra’s direction makes the journey of this one man a heart warming adventure and reminds us of the great presence that Stewart was able to bring to his audiences.
He is also ably supported by Donna Reed who gives a tremendous support as Mary, quite possibly the loveliest on screen wife you are ever to find. All the way through Reed gives an emotional strength to her character and she matches Stewart all the way through and their pairing together brings a smile to our faces. Lionel Barrymore is a memorable and utterly nasty antagonist, Potter is a man who sees compassion as way of losing money and has no time for any man but himself, Barrymore play this with much delight and ensures Potter’s place among cinema’s greatest villains!
If you haven’t yet already seen this at least once a year then please make up for lost time, because It’s a Wonderful Life is a film that not only brings Christmas cheer to your heart but will also show you how much effect you can have on someone’s life by a some many simple acts of generosity. By the end I guarantee that like George you will be tempted run through the streets shouting “Merry Christmas!”
On that note- Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope you have a fun and food filled Christmas!!
Closer to the Edge 