The reason this movie flopped when it first came out was because it wasn't originally intended to be a Christmas movie and the Christmas elements are just incidental. It wasn't even released around Christmas. It did so poorly that no one bothered to keep up the copyright and it went into the public domain fairly quickly. After that a lot of TV stations started playing it around Christmas and that's why it became a Christmas classic. It's kind of funny how the movie follows the same trajectory as its main character. At first it gets a raw deal but then it gets a last-minute save.
It really didn’t fail. It just didn’t make a big profit. I think that the issue was that it came out right after the war where people had been to hell and back and were looking for something lighter.
It’s an inversion of A Christmas Carol. Scrooge helped nobody and didn’t want to die, while George helped everyone and didn’t want to live. An angel gave both of them a new outlook on life, at a gravestone, covered in snow…
Oh there has been some world-hopping. Look at the Mandela Effect. Scientists are out there theorizing the opposite end of a black hole and wormholes but they're like "alternate world-hopping by a small population? can't be"
@@shadowpathfinder7723 It's more plausible that this phenomena is something similar like déjà vu. (Just because some ppl, have bad memory doesn't mean we need to turn existing physics upside down. lol. Extraordinary theories require extraordinary evidence.)
@@nealsterling8151 Existing physics already doesn't work. You have two separate rules for quantum and non-quantum instead of one rule with an exponential gradiant and scientists keep adding mass and energy via dark matter/energy to a closed system. Hell, the speed of light has changed at least twice since 1980. Dark matter/energy are the "god of the gaps" of science. Have you seen Quantum Immortality theory?
My Dad cries every year we watch this. His life plan was thrown off with the death of his father at 18, being the only son at home he had to stay back and take care of his mother who was on the spectrum. He put himself through the local college. I think this movie speaks to him more than most.
My grandfather lost both parents in a car accident when he was 17, in the middle of the Depression. He never gave up, either. I learned so much from him.
He cries out of love I'm sure, not sadness. Hope you give him big hugs like you might have as a toddler, that's probably what he loves more than anything.
@@steelerfreak1977 This is one thing that taught me that Hollywood , msm and feminists lied. They said that women were enslaved and oppressed. One viewing of Doris Day in Calamity Jane put paid to that utter lie.
@@steelerfreak1977 I think that’s almost entirely down to changing fashions and beauty standards. As an active hater of jeans and joggers I have to agree with you. Not like men only wear suits and act like gentlemen either. Maybe we should all just get in a time machine back to the 40s/50s minus all the war and lack of human rights, and definitely take modern plumbing standards with us.
Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Hedy Lamarr, Elizabeth Taylor etc, etc. We'll never experience that ridiculous amount of class and beauty ever again in Hollywood. Those were the days.
The lesson I take from that movie is this: George never got a chance to do great things, but he did a million small things that accumulated over time into something great. Everyone's life has an impact, and we ourselves don't always see the impact we have. We can't all be the hero. Some of us have to be the supporting characters who help the heroes become heroes. George was the ultimate supporting character in the story of life.
That scene and when they read Sam Wainwright’s telegram. Both scenes get me. The telegram scene is the pre-game and the toast scene is Game Over! I never get outwardly emotional watching a movie even though I am deeply moved. This is one of the very few movies that moves me outwardly and the only one that does it every time I watch.
One thing that always gets me. When George comes back to his home and yells at his kids... its actually kind of funny initially. The contrast between his deep cynicism and his kids innocent optimism almost makes me laugh. But then, as he starts to tightly hug his daughter and can barely hold back the tears, the scene instantly but seemlessly becomes much darker. By the time he starts kicking over furniture, all humor is gone. That scene just slays me everytime. A masterpiece in writing, acting and cinematography.
Yep, because every grown man can relate to it. We've seen our fathers have moments like that and we were scared, confused. Then you grow up and see it from your Dad's eyes. We understand. We're fighting the same battle now, and we're just as pissed. But like our Dad, we don't ever want our kids to think of us as the monster. We so desperately want our children to know we love them, and we never want to fail them.
I didn't find it funny at all from the beginning of the scene. It hits too close to home. Taking out your anger on your kids for minor things they might have done or not done, while in reality, you're just so miserable inside. This is the hardest part of the movie to watch for me. This feeling of having failed your kids despite so desperately trying to do right by them.
When I learned that James Stewart was suffering from PTSD due to his time in WWII & wasn’t “acting” in some of the scenes, it gave me a new appreciation to this film
You can see the PTSD and trauma in how his persona and career changed. Before the war his characters were suave, funny, and confident, even cocky. After the war his characters are anxious, damaged, and angry, just trying to get through. It's poignant in context.
As George falls into despair he begins fighting and arguing with everyone Everything becomes magnified. Even the loose banister is cause for fury and proof of ones failure. This is absolutely real behavior and Stewart’s slow building anger is so realistic that it’s scary. Capra and Stewart just understood people so well.
“Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn’t there to save them because you weren’t there to save Harry”...that line even after hearing it a hundred times still hits me like a Mac truck.
It's also one of the best arguments in support of individual liberty vs equality. "For want of a nail the horse was lost; For want of a horse the knight was lost; For want of a knight the battle was lost; For want of a battle the war was lost; For want of a war the kingdom was lost; All for a horseshoe nail" George mattered because Harry mattered. Harry mattered because Harry saved the men on that transport, who then went on to stop the Wehrmacht. Or the Imperial Japanese, I forget where Harry was deployed.
Him running through the town and yelling, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!” To everyone, even his very worst enemies, is where the waterworks start and I cannot stop especially after Harry says, “to my big brother George, the richest man in town!” Truly a masterful buildup and payoff to the point that my emotions cannot take much more.
I love it when Harry says that. To Harry, it was about all the money George received. But to the viewer, and of course George, it was about being rich in life. I absolutely love this movie
A wonderful life isn't just a Christmas movie, it's the Christmas movie. It's the promise of hope in the darkest and coldest hour. It's to see the glory just beyond the veil of your misery. The magic hidden in the mundane. It's both simplistic and yet as deep as one can go. Its heart, true, and its wonderful
As much as I love this film, it's weird how people seem to have forgotten about the ultimate Christmas classic: Miracle on 34th - the original from 1947. Frank Capra's classic deals with tons of dark and social subjects to be a "pure" Christmas movie.
Jimmy Stewart, unlike most Hollywood stars, was a combat veteran: he served in the USAAF during WWII, piloting a B-24 (corrected - I originally wrote "B-17") out of England in some of the most dangerous missions of the war. He came back home with a bad case of what we would now call PTSD. I can't help but think that his performance was shaped by his experiences during the war. And when he prays "Let me live again! Dear God, let me live again!", I can't help but think that he was praying for all those men, his friends and comrades, who were killed before his eyes - men who just wanted to live. Of all the scenes in all the movies I've seen over the last seven decades, that moment for me is the most powerful.
“Good movies are timeless.” Good story telling is timeless, period. Not stories choked by agenda politics, data analysis or what ever is trending at this particular moment.
@@Carfalog exactly. Movies/novels that deal with social or political topics cannot be defined with a single conversation because they are far too complex and nuance. These are the stories that stick with us. Good stories define an age, not a momentary fad.
I'm now 56 and I "made" my children watch this movie every Christmas Eve since about 2000. Even though we'd gone from a VHS tape to colourised Blu Ray, I always find something enlightening every time I watch it. The Drinker often talks about pacing, and I find the pacing perfect in this film. Well, it's Christmas Eve here in Australia and it's now just my wife and I watching it and it's still a brilliant film. Happy Christmas everyone 🎄
I stumbled across this on TV as a teenager, coming in at the bridge/suicide scene, and I was hooked. Took a year or two to catch it from the beginning to see it all. Truly a masterpiece of story-telling, with some of the best actors to ever grace a screen. It should bring a tear to every eye in Hollywould-if-they-could just to think how low they have sunk, even with all the technology at their fingertips.
@@oldgettingolderhopefully6997 The problem is that Hollywood has basically become Mr. Potter. I think they're mostly incapable of being truly moved by anything outside money and power.
I watched this movie for the first time this year's christmas. I knew it was a christmas classic but never watched it because I thought it was some cheesy old movie. When I finally got to see it, I thought it was the best movie I've watched in 2020. Tearing up again watching this video man. God bless you all.
I watched it for the first time last year (2021), too. I hadn’t sobbed that hard and that deeply in… well, I’m not sure how long. It’s easily an awakening that I needed watching this film to help me onto the right path. After I watched this, I applied to a faraway out of state school for my doctorate. And they accepted me. Without this movie, I don’t think I would’ve made the move and believed in myself and the power I have to help people ❤
I was the same way when I was younger. My parents always watched it but I was never interested because it was in black and white. Finally watched it with them about 5-6 years ago and it’s now one of my favorite movies, and definitely my favorite Christmas movie. In fact, I even insisted we watch it this year when they wanted to watch something else. Of course, after the movie they were glad they did
So here is a story for you: it's 18.12.2020, 02.00 a.m. here in Romania and my second daughter, Emilia, is to be born in a few hours, as planed by the doctor. My wife and i couldnt sleep and thats when i saw this recomandation from "my drunked scotish movie critic". So we decided to watch the movie. It was a beautiful movie that we would had never got to see if it wasnt for you. We laught and cryed and had a great time. And now we have a nice story to tell our kid, about the day she was born. We thank you, my dear drunken scotish movie critic!
That's a nice story, so thanks for sharing. Congratulations on your daughter. If you and your wife think you couldn't sleep _before_ she was born...haha
For as much as you all claim to be wise to the attacks on traditional life you sure seem to embrace this modern day pansy crap that it's "cool to cry", and brag to everyone about it. Pathetic.
@@mattstorm6568 I think you confuse showing emotion, with being a sensitive crybaby and professional victim. No one has ever complained about Will Smiths character crying, in I am legend, when he has to choke his dog, his only friend for years, to death, because she's changing into a zombie.
I know Christmas is passed and the video is years old at this point but, fuck it. I had the pleasure of seeing this movie for the first time at my local theatre this Christmas with my mother who also had managed to never see it in six and a half decades of life. This was exactly the movie I needed to see after the year I had. Miserable work, watching dad relapse into using drugs again after surgery, watching my friends get married while I can't even get a date, losing a good majority of my other friends, failing at my college major courses for a third semester despite my best efforts. It really had me down and considering doing the worst to myself. But after seeing this movie I was incredibly moved, and I walked out of the theater with the same lesson George got and I had a new perspective on life and a new appreciation for what I have as opposed to what I missed out on. When we got outside my mother, and I hugged and said we loved each other. It was a magical experience that I was very lucky to have and will never forget.
I'm so glad you didn't put your dark thoughts into action. I've been there, too. Several times. Fuck, I'm crying now. I can tell you that it's always worth going on and trying again. You're still so young, you have so many time ahead of you to turn things around. Success is not what society tells us. Otherwise, Mr. Potter would be the most successful man in this movie.
This movie hits me deeper and deeper as I age, not only with the story, but the acting and filming. I notice more with the story each time, like the uncle used to drive me nuts with his silly finger strings, weird animals, and so on. Then we get a hint at his character when George's life starts to collapse: He's actually a widower, who hasn't even entered rooms in his own house since his wife passed, and gets comforted by those animals. I can't be mad at him anymore. I feel sad. George and his wife, turning down money for goodness multiple times, and you don't pick up on all of the moments at once, but over time. And you realize that it's his wife's support that has helped him do the right thing over the years. Through the downs, she has helped bring him back up. George is able to press on, until he loses all hope and his wife (faintly) doesn't show support (because she doesn't support his current actions, but she still supports George). But it's the moment, in his extremely sensitive and vulnerable state, where George begins actually consider giving up. What was first perceived as somewhat over acting, I now see it as more pure, terrific acting. James Stewart was terrific. And what's even better, they used filming to compliment the scenes. The initial look at the bank run and him running against the crowd... George running at the camera realizing that he actually doesn't exist anymore... the bar scene... him attempting to leave the bank and loan before the board says he needs to take over... such simple filming moments that embrace the moment just as much as the actors: not any more, not any less, just right. I used to only cry at the end. Now I cry at the pharmacist scene. At the phone call scene. At the bar scene. When he first comes home to his family before he considers suicide, and watching his slow, emotional breakdown with the angel. Simple. No fluff. Just a simple, great story, with simple, great filming, with simple, great acting, with simple and affective effects. This one hits me.
My theory is Uncle Billy has severe undiagnosed ADHD, which leads to his eccentric hobbies and forgetfulness. His whole experience losing the money, retracing his steps, tearing his office apart, and getting yelled at and breaking down afterward is honestly too relatable as an ADHDer.
"To my big brother, George: the richest man in town." This line gets me EVERY time, no matter how many times. Going through the journey of George Bailey, to have such symbolism expressed at the final moments of the film is absolute genius!
It does summarize - in one line - the ultimate truth of this story... that wealth can’t just be measured by money and that the value of having friends and family surpasses material wealth.
Imagine a time in movie history when a single, simple line of dialog was this powerful. "Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn’t there to save them, because you weren’t there to save Harry."
Mary is the true hero of this movie. It’s her idea to use the honeymoon money to save the business. She completely remodels the house almost completely on her own while raising four kids, it’s seeing her without him alone and sad that finally gets through to him, and she saves the day at the end by telling the town what’s happening and getting them to help. She’s the best, and I’m not just saying that because I played her in a production last year. I only add this because you didn’t mention her at all, but Mary truly is the reason he has as good of a life as he does. That being said George Bailey is such a wonderfully complex and well developed character and Jimmy Stewart’s performance really makes it the classic that it is
So much this. Watched it the other day and the whole time I'm thinking "Wow what an amazing wife and partner she was to him. That's the type of female I want in my life." True love right there. Those types seem hard to come by these days..
I like to think that since WW2 was almost over, George used the raise he got at the end to take Mary on the honeymoon they missed out on. They've got loving friends and family who can care for the kids while they're away. He can use leftover money to help The Building and Loan be better. George can save for when or if his kids attend college too.
Fun Fact: This was Jimmy Stewart’s first movie role after coming back from bombing the shit out of Nazi Germany for over two years. By 1946 Jimmy Stewart had risen from Private to Colonel in the US Army Air Force; commanded a bomber group; flown over 20 combat missions including many that he did not have to go on; received a chest full of medals including the Croix de Guerre and Distinguished Service Medal; and was respected by men and officers alike for his cool and friendly demeanour, skill both in piloting and command, and fairness and generosity. All around Jimmy Stewart is one the most badass, kindest, and genuinely good people in Hollywood history.
Same with the actor Christopher Lee, who was even more "badass" than Stewart, having served in the SAS during the war, even though he started out as a RAF pilot. In fact, story goes that Lee had advised the movie director Peter Jackson on the finer details of killing people for authenticity.
DSWynne Christopher Lee was truly an incredible man. Who else could make a metal album in their 80’s? Also if I recall correctly that story about Lee and Jackson was specifically about what a person getting stabbed sounds like. Which is just about the most terrifying and hardcore thing ever. Also he was SOE not SAS, which is even more badass.
See also: the 2019 BBC version of "A Christmas Carol," a 3-hour slog of bleakness and depravity designed exactly for everyone who f'n' hates Christmas.
Agree completely on the modern cinema comment. I think part of it is that, unlike today, those older movies had to tread REALLY carefully when they took their main characters to really dark mental and emotional places. They needed the audience to actually invest in what they were seeing, not just getting popcorn-entertainment value out of it. My personal favorite of all time is "Casablanca," where Bogart masks his depression and sense of rejection by Ilsa, and actually the entire Western world (as he can't ever go back to the States for unclear reasons), in a facade of absolute neutrality and light quippy sarcasm - and is smart enough to never touch alcohol, as it removes the filter between his brain and his mouth. When he finally DOES get drunk after Ilsa reappears in his life, we REALLY see the depths of bitterness, ugliness and anger festering in his soul. And the filmmakers trust the audience to connect those dots and realize he's much worse off than we're even seeing, as the scene is short. It hits HARD because they had to write carefully and avoid certain concepts at the time, but trusted the audience enough to do some work to appreciate everything. So...when he's redeemed (mostly, anyway) at the end of the film, the audience is fully on board and emotionally investment in that redemption. Today, it's easy for filmmakers to show literally anything on-screen. But that means they don't have to make the audience think for the reward anymore. It's often just a sound-and-light show. Sure, there are good movies being today, but I can't think of a single truly great one. Some are thought-provoking (just off the top of my head, I think "The Truman Show" is very underrated in that regard), but they don't hit that "great" category.
@@lonelocustoftheapocalypse3700 Looks like I'm in the right place. While I've always maintained that "It's a Wonderful Life" as my favorite film, I recently had the pleasure to see Casablanca on the silver screen. I was reminded why Casablanca is in my top 5 of all time. And I know what you're talking about with Rick and the scene where he gets drunk. The look on Bogart's face is amazing to the point I've tried to find a print of that very scene/moment.
@@hiredgun7996 man, Casablanca and It’s a Wonderful Life are both in my top three movies. I tell ya, you guys are alright. Let me know if you want to start a movie club ha ha
The part that hits hardest for me is one of the elements that drove him to suicide which is the loneliness and helplessness he felt over the missing money. He was 100% certain that all his friends, all the people he sacrificed for over the years, either couldn't or wouldn't help him. What drove him to crawl to Potter was the fear that the moment the missing money went public everyone would scream "Scandal!" and hang George out to dry without a backwards glance. This is a very genuine fear that resonates with me because it's one that I struggle with as well. As a kid I had the misfortune of experiencing George's fears become reality, in a way. Suffice to say, I hit some low points and my "friends" at the time didn't hesitate to double-cross me. Now as an adult I am haunted by the nagging doubt over whether my current friends will try to help me if I hit a crisis or abandon me. This is why the ending is so beautiful to me as everyone proves George wrong and rallies to him. My favorite bit is a comment Uncle Billy makes, saying that when they started recruiting people to gather money, they didn't even ask any questions. All it took was for them to say that George was in trouble to spur them into action. Such a beautiful movie...
I think he felt guilty for endangering the people who trusted him. People then cared about more than their own skin but Millenials who are totally self absorbed will never get that.
Drinker, just watched this for the first time ever today. This movie brought me to tears and Jimmy Stewart was phenomenal. From the disappointment and sacrifices he made, his constant drive to help others, and his actions to try and do the right thing, it speaks volumes about him. seeing him breakdown, pray, and end holding his family with a smile when his friends pour in was such a great emotional payoff.
I wish they could make Movies like this again. Not overly Stupid, cynical or political, just honest and genuinely opitmistic movies that do not make you want to kill yourself. Man, we really need that kind of Movies these days.
Actually there are still these kind of movies. For example, some movies I recently watched: Flipped - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-92SgWpDYjlo.html No reservations - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-APNTQlcbNAI.html Bumblebee - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fAIX12F6958.html Alphas - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-uIxnTi4GmCo.html Chef - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FF_rYNupPwg.html Try watching them.
IIRC Stewart was on the bombing mission that set Dresden on fire, unintentionally. Now it's shrugged off as the misfortunes of war, but a lot of innocent people were killed, horribly. That haunted him for the rest of life and he used the angst to give his roles and an intensity and passion he didn't have previously.
@@daniel8181You don’t hear anything about the bombing of the UK, Poland or the mass murder committed by the Nazis. Nazis have no right to complain about “war crimes” because they started it.
I put this movie on for my kids one afternoon before Christmas last year. I hadn’t seen it in probably about 20 years, not since I was a teenager, and my memory of it was as a simple, feel-good Christmas movie. Seeing it for the first time as an adult with nearly grown children, I was absolutely blown away at how deep, how powerful, how incredible the movie is. Every scene works toward the conclusion and serves the story. It takes its audience seriously and doesn’t treat them like children. And anyone who has lived any amount of time as an adult can emphasize with George Bailey. And it’s so incredibly satisfying. It is a flat out amazing film.
He was an amazing actor. I forget his airport / plane movie, but Rear Window (?) was awesome. Like Christopher Reeves, he used himself, his body, mannerisms, ect etc for bringing that character to a new level. Like in Wonderful Life, he channels and converts that pain and suffering into an art form. He's not only an inspiration but should he a standard in Hollywood
This review is one of the reason you are far more credible than all these other pretentious film critics in our media. It's not everyday we are reminded that our lives have purpose even if we think we are failures. We won't have a perfectly happy life but they are meaningful whether we can see it or not. Merry Christmas and please watch this movie!
"The brightest light is invisible. It shines through our deeds, and warms the universe." ~ Chronicles of Courage and Conviction by Captain Dylan Hunt(Ret), CY 9817 - Andromeda, Season 4, "The Warmth of an Invisible Light"
A lot of the negative comment about this film down the years has focused on its being "sentimental". Watch it again. It isn't sentimental in the least. It's optimistic. But it also has a firm grasp on real human nature. George's breakdown is painfully real because for a brief moment he stops being heroic and becomes his own worst nightmare. Stewart was the perfect choice for the part and I think it's his best performance ever. Thanks, Drinker.
There are so many moments that movie that are almost too real. Like when he has a nightmare day at work and comes home and his kids are playing in their innocence and as much as he tries he just cannot reconcile the horrible reality he faces in the adult world with the play of his own children.
I think it becomes received wisdom that it's a sentimental movie, from people who have never watched it. It's like the critics who complained that "Red Dawn" was a pro-American gung-ho movie. Sure, it had some of that. But it was a freakin' tragedy of kids who sacrificed themselves before they should have, who never knew if their sacrifice was worth it.
I'm a year late to this video, but not only is Drinker spot on with his analysis. I want to point out that his wife Mary is a great example of a feminine hero. She's George's rock and support through the entire film and is the one who put in motion the huge playoff at the end with the entire town.
That could be due to various reasons, like for example, media was lot more controlled back then compared to now. And nowdays businessmen being good-old businessmen, trying to profit from LGBTQ popularity and get positive reception from media.
@@Luca-bv5ic You're just assuming, I watched good and great modern movies that had depth with great storyline, I just made an example don't get too serious about it.
@Haven Yeah, I mean nobody thinks that people who likes to shove politics down our throat and cooperatives makes for the most best the storytellers out there. But that former example only applies to political propagandists.
Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sim is THE Christmas movie. Wonderful Life close 2nd. Christmas Vacation strong 3rd....followed by Elf.
Won't lie, hearing Drinker highly recommend a classic such as It's a Wonderful Life gives me a sense of bliss. My opinion, recommending a classic such as this is very respectful, and tells me Drinker REALLY does care about films.
actually what made me realise he cared is that he doesn't just dismiss ALL modern movies, and actually recommends some of the good ones like the Lighthouse and Le Mans 66.
@@Luca-bv5ic I have the feeling that Drinker did not make videos about "Schindler´s List","the Pianist" or "The boy in the Striped pyjamas" is because even he does not feel worthy of actually reviewing and critizicing them,not only because they are great movies,but also because the Drinker seems to be someone who knows just what kind of impact a review can have,and that a video about the mentioned movies can never truly pay tribute to the kind of terror and horror they depict
What a coincidence I just got back from a theatrical showing and the theater had more than a few people. To me, the most incredible scene is when Bailey comes back home to his family after losing the 8 grand. He's lower than low but it's percolating with the love for his family. His pain is palpable but he is still so loving he is able to keep it together for a few minutes until he totally breaks down. The way he hugs his son while crying breaks me up all the time.
I don't have a wife or kids but that scene made me wish I did, just so I could give them a hug and tell them how grateful I am for them. Beautiful scene
So the myth has been generated. Next you'll be telling me that Jack Palance had PTSD and channeled it in his performance in "Shane" and that Sir Christopher Lee had PTSD from his wartime experiences which he channeled in to Saruman.
@@Hiraghm Stewart's wartime actions - including piloting multiple high-risk bombing missions over Germany - are no myth, but factual and well-documented history. After the war, Stewart decided to retire from acting, and to run his family's tiny store before Capra convinced him to star in this film. By all accounts, Stewart was suffering from fairly-severe PTSD at this time. His depression, rage and self-loathing (that is very obviously displayed in this film) was not a performance, but an expression of his true feelings after experiencing the horror of the second world war. Bear in mind that Stewart was always an empathetic man, and experiencing the death of his friends in the Air Force, as well as his guilt for flying bombing missions over Germany (which certainly killed many, many Germans) affected him deeply. Fun fact: Jimmy Stewart was so dedicated to joining the military to contribute to the war effort that he hired a personal fitness trainer to gain weight in order to meet the military's minimum weight requirement for enlistment. Stewart volunteered and hoped to be enlisted several times before this, but was rejected because his weight was below the minimum requirement of the armed forces. Jimmy Stewart was a TRUE f*cking hero, and not a Hollywood hero like John wayne. He piloted numerous missions over Germany during WW2, and is perhaps the greatest American hero of all time.
@@donaldtusk2678 that whole behind the scenes clip of him explaining what a man sounds like when he’s being stabbed to Peter Jackson, and Jackson’s reaction to Lee’s nonchalant attitude, is absolutely hilarious to me. Then again, the more you learn about Lee and his life, the more I’d want to see an entire miniseries dedicated to it, or at least a highly dedicated biography (I’d say autobiography, but It seemed like Lee didn’t like to talk about himself as much as he’d rather learn about others, but that’s just my opinion)
To the point that she became a mousy spinster because Jimmy Stewart's character wasn't there to marry her. Probably not the most impowering woman movie ever made. Hard to imagine Donna Reed as a mousy spinster. Maybe there was more backstory to be revealed that led her to that point (the town going to hell and her being abused in some fashion?). Zemeckis borrowed heavily from this movie for Back to the Future II.
Watch the scene on the train platform. The tight framing on Jimmy Stewart's face as he processes the full impact of Harry's marriage and new job is incredible. From shock to resignation to forced good humor - George Bailey can't help putting others first, even as his dreams are dying in front of his eyes.
"To my big brother George, the richest man in town" makes me weep. Even just thinking about it makes me start crying. It's a perfect moment. The only other moments that always get me is when Atreyu says "You're my friend, I love you" when trying to save his horse in 'The Neverending Story', and when Rocky says "Yo Adrian! I did it!" in 'ROCKY II'.
There’s so much honest emotion in this film that watching someone’s reaction to it would be a reasonable substitute for a Voight-Kampff test. And a psychopath test, too.
"All you can take with you is that which you've given away." -- Quote under Peter Bailey's picture. it summarized the feel and point of the entire movie George gave his future, his passions, his talent away for the sake of the people of the town. Drinker, you have given away a shit ton of great content, and we thank ye for it! Hats off to you, good sir!.
In so many ways that slapping would later take his manhood and perhaps the last chance to fulfill his dreams. The slapping is what caused his bad ear, which in turn made him unfit for military service in the war. No D-Day, no Remagen Bridge, no gold wings and ironically no bomber missions over Europe. IMO the military service would have given George Bailey his opportunity to go out into the world and build those bridges and dams and railroads and airports that he dreamt of doing. Pardon if this comment may hijack this thread, all I want to do is to share this with you.
One of my top-5 favorite movies of all time. Still is after 50 years. You are right, this is a gem of a movie that has a timeless message and sober morality that is nearly extinct in Hollywood now. Yes, the woke crowd would never dare to make a film like this. They could never write a script that depicts God as existing and that he actually cares about his creation let alone a man that prays.
Always loved the Married With Children episode where Al, thru Sam Kinison as his guardian angel, discovers his family would have been better without him. So he resolves to stay alive and keep making them miserable. :-D
@@AnnoyingMoose the list changes person to person, but these are constants: Glory Toy Story 3 Old Yeller Up Saving Private Ryan The Dirty Dozen Rudy The Green Mile
@@AnnoyingMoose I'm going to say: Field of Dreams Old Yeller Shane Turner and Hooch Rudy Lord of the Rings Remember the Titans And if you don't cry at the little girl's tearful speech in Man From Nowhere then you have no heart.
@@magnificus8581 I completely agree with Toy Story 3, Old Yeller, and especially UP. I watched Up with my wife after we had our 3rd miscarriage and after she herself died Dec. 3, 2016 even the thought of the opening montage starts to bring a tear to my eye.
When men can cry: their mother's passing, their spouse's passing, and watching It's a Wonderful Life. From one broken man to another, Merry Christmas Jimmy S.
Life can be hard, and no one asks for pain or disappointment. But everyone matters to someone, and we should try to remember that year round, not just at Christmas.
@@SSingh-nr8qz That is a sad reality, I'm only 45 but I do see lots of people with kids, gradkids, etc getting shoved in homes and forgotten, heck I'm only an uncle, what's in store for me?
@@SSingh-nr8qz Agreed. Success has many parents, but fail, and you fail alone. Watch how fast they run away. On Christmas Day 2015, I emigrated to a different country. Did not speak the language. Had no one with me. Just some cash, and my spirit. Five years later I am self-employed, running a growing business, and optimistic about the future. I still don't speak Czech.
This movie has even more depth when you know the backstory of both Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart. Both men were quite successful in Hollywood before the war. And both men joined the war of their own volition. Stewart, by 1942, could have been exempt due to his age as well as his physical fitness, but he was an honor-driven man. He repeatedly tried to enlist even when his own studio went behind his back and worked against him. But Stewart, already a licensed pilot, got into the Army Air Corps. At first, they planned to just use him making propaganda or instructional films, but Stewart wouldn't have it. He wanted to serve. He eventually got into a combat unit and was stationed in the UK flying B-24s. And he was a good officer, rising to operations officer. The war took a toll on him, though. He almost certainly had what we now call PTSD. While flying bombers may not sound all that stressful (if you don't know much about it), it really was horrific. Long hours flying in below-zero temperatures, faced with the ever-present threat of enemy fighters and anti-aircraft artillery (flak), not to mention the fact that you're carrying several thousand pounds of high explosives. Do that twenty or thirty times and it will change you. There are pictures that compare Stewart from when he enlisted in 1945 and when he returned home in 1945 ... it was only 3 years but he aged 20. Anyway, Frank Capra was heavily involved in producing films for the war effort. He devoted himself to the "Why We Fight" series and others. After the war, both Capra and Stewart were considered has-beens. Neither could really get good work. Unlike most of the Hollywood people, both men had seen plenty of war and so they wanted nothing to do with making war pictures anymore. "It's a Wonderful Life" was a healing film for both men. Stewart remained in the Army Air Force as a reservist and later in the Air Force ... he'd retire as a Brigadier General. And he definitely flew at least one combat mission in Vietnam.
Almost remainds history of "Sink The Bismarck!" (1960) - to quote: [..] Esmond Knight as Captain Leach of HMS Prince of Wales. (Knight served as a gunnery officer on board Prince of Wales, and was seriously injured and blinded during the battle with Bismarck.) [..]
“After the war, both Capra and Stewart were considered has-beens...” Me: ...THEY WILLINGLY SERVED IN THE WAR! If that isn’t honorable, then Hollywood has no hon- *oh wait*
@@brainiac.computer Ever heard of American Major General Smedley Butler or his book, _"War is a Racket"?_ He wrote, *“I spent 33 years and four months in active military service...* And during that period *I spent more of my time being **_a high-class muscle man for Big Business,_* for Wall Street and for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, *a gangster for capitalism."* General Butler warned us about this in *_1935,_* kept warning us when WW2 started, and did not stop warning us until his death in 1940. The good general was dead just _four months_ before the McCollum Memo, and its detailed explanation on how to provoke Japan into attacking the US (through aggressive military maneuvers and crippling sanctions), was released. The honor of fighting in these wars has been dubious long before rhetoric like "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction."
It's a Wonderful Life holds a special place in my heart...if only because my Grandma and her two brothers(at the time) were in it for about 5 minutes of screen time. They weren't even suppose to be in the film, they got the pick of the draw because the original cast never showed up.
I didn't watch It's a Wonderful Life for the first time until my mid-30s and grieve a little bit knowing now how great of a masterpiece I was missing out on. The upside is that an adult who has been through some stuff can understand and deeply feel all the pain, anguish, and despair that Bailey portrays. I've seen it half a dozen times since that first viewing only 2 years ago and have been brought to tears each and every time.
Watched it as a teenager. Granted, I'd been through a lot by then and felt useless. But I was also young and less able to hear the point of the story, just thought it was depressing, confirming my own fears, because I was too afraid in youth to Pay Attention. Now I get it. Better you saw it as an adult.
But Drinker this film is far to optimistic for the modern day, I mean there's no diversity, everybody's grey and it shows the unnatural horror of a heterosexual relationship, they even have kids 😱😱
@@johnglue1744 never knew about the remake is it any good? Might track it down and give it a shot, but this film is definitely a classic. I remember watching it every Christmas as it was always on, it's one of them things that makes you feel like Christmas has started if that makes sense, certain songs do it as well.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this movie when I was a child, and I remember being so annoyed with my parents watching it once a year at Christmas. As I grew older, I became more and more fond of the movie. My father passed away in 2010, and every year since then I have watched this with my own family as it has grown over the years. George Bailey's character always reminded me of my father. He always did what needed to be done, even when it was hard and I don't think he realized how many lives he touched and made better while he was alive. This is now my favorite movie. Thank you for talking about it and bringing all the attention to it that it deserves.
Fact of the matter is, the issues adults face arent obvious to kids, and when your main concerns in life change from whatever makes you have fun, or whatever homework you have, to taking care of all those around you, the relatable story of a man worth more dead than alive goes to show the sacrifices men, and adults in general, make in our lives so we all can live happy in ignorant bliss. When youre a kid.. its a funny fairly odd parents skit. When youre an adult... its a reality oh too true.
I've appreciated it since I first became aware of it in the early 80s. I was a little reserved the first time I sat down to watch the colorized version, but I immediately found I can appreciate that version too. Though the nostalgia factor of the black and white has always been the best for me; it makes me feel like I was alive then and can almost 'remember' it. Some years I'm not all that interested in sitting down to watch it, but then every time I do I get pulled in.
Another great review, Drinker. One of the most disturbingly powerful scenes in this movie is when George comes home after learning his uncle lost their money. That is one of the rawest outbursts of rage I think I've ever seen in a movie. Apparently, from what I've read, Stewart tapped his PTSD from his combat experience in WW2. Whatever it was, he struck something deep and primal in that scene.
The detail of the scene where he has a little area of model bridges and designs next to Mary's craft area and he attacks that specifically almost subliminal yet it enhances the moment
One of the nice touches is when George, anxious to leave for college, is talking with his father who points out that working in the Building and Loan and helping people realize their simple dreams is as worthwhile as all the big plans George has. He doesn't listen at the time, but the movie's message is spelled out right there. Through the course of the movie, we do see George take joy in his smaller accomplishments as they happen, but then he'll get reminded of his big dreams.
Individuals should be granted a plot of land without loans if they spend time in honest defence of their land . . the current banker Crown system triple dips into the serfs pocket & leaves them owing the company store . . the property they 'mortgage/death grip' is never owned outright due to if land tax's/council rates / lease hold fee's actual (for efficient tax/theft purpose's) etc . . not paid = confiscation of the plot eventual with caveat's etc . . the triple dip is they still expect you to get your head shot off in the military for one of their grand money making schemes oversea's
Yes, I think fellow like George and his Pop, those not sociopathically selfish enough to bleed people without conscience have had the disadvantage in today's business world outcomes... At least where I live, I can tell about that.
@@spatulasnout Cities & flats & units . . strata titles etc. . it's your business if you want to mire yourself in their world . . physical land itself is not in short supply . . worked around Oz on drillrigs & lived big myself outback , land itself is needed to attempt to farm & be self sufficient from the vampires . . those terms mean hardship but potential survival . . property in cities & flats & units etc . . should only be owned for investment purposes as in renting to those that work there . . never live in' a flat owned unless on deathbed
A movie based around self reflection, appreciation, friends, humility and love of not only yourself but family isn't something that's beloved in our woke society that tells us these things are evil.
@@russelldodd6087 Hi, are you new on earth? if so you are lucky, just keep your head down and stay away of MSM and you wont hear their version of what is evil.
Jimmy Stewart was a fucking legend. This movie is saturated in humanity, and will hit home for many of us in a way modern cinema can't or won't. Absolutely amazing movie. Jimmy Stewart was contesting with his wartime experiences, and when you watch him break it's from a man that has really been to the edge. Ironically, the villain of the movie provided significant moral support for Jimmy who was disillusioned with acting after returning from war.
When he was interviewed by the BBC for the World At War documentary in the seventies, he asked that his intro label on screen should read "James Stewart, Bomber Commander," because of his service.
Well said sir. Perhaps he was suffering from what is now called PTSD. Bomber crews witnessed some of worst horrors of war, watching comrades in arms falling out of sky in flames and not a damn thing you can do to help. Moms oldest sister dated Jimmy for brief time, They lived in same town of Indiana Pa. Wonder what her life might have been had they continued the relationship.
@@roadglide1745 Wow. Yeah, my grandfather was RAF. He lived through the war, but many of his fellow officers did not. Going down in flames is not a nice way to go. Those men were unbelievably brave.
@@roadglide1745 He remained on the Air Force reserve and held general's rank at one point, even did some short tours in Korea and Vietnam I believe. I gather he viewed his service with a mix of pain and pride, pride at his having served and gotten to know so many brave men, and pain from having known and doubtless watched so many lose their lives, or suffer mental and physical scars. Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg were supposed to have been working on a series about the 8th Air Force, in the vein of The Pacific and Band of Brothers, over the past few years. I hope it gets made someday
I literally just watched this movie for the first time at my wife’s request. We watched it three nights ago, for her it was like the 1000th time she watched it. For me it was having my eyes opened to a classic that I regret not having watched many years ago. The acting by James Stewart was out of this world. The look in his eyes after the $8000 goes missing is perfect and the tension from that moment on is impalpable. I really loved this movie and will be watching it for Christmas every year. God bless and merry Christmas.
My favorite part is when Bert finds George on the bridge towards the end. It’s such a satisfying payoff to the bleak alternate reality where George never was born. You really feel George’s horror and shock when he realizes how much his life truly mattered, and when he’s called to by name, it feels so great. The ending is one of the best ever put to film.
My father tortured me with this film every Christmas growing up. I dreaded the near 3hr(at least it felt like 3hrs) it would take to watch the film. I would do my best to keep myself occupied while it played because I was a kid and just didn't care about black and white films. I'm 30 yrs old now and I absolutely love that my father made me watch this film as now that I am an adult I can truly appreciate its meaning and worth. I understand my father clearer than I ever could back then and have watched it with him every single year. I tear up every time I see the ending. every. time. it is truly a classic and I'm glad it bombed when it released as now it is synonymous with the Christmas season and others can view it without great issue. It showed me what it means to be a truly selfless person. Thanks for posting this, Drinker, cheers.
I have been trying to get my kids to watch with me every Christmas like your Father but kids being kids now days a black and white (god i'll go medieval on them if they colorize it) just doesn't appeal to the CGI generation :(
I’ve seen every Frank Capra movie. He was a major genius. Every one of his movies has a special spark and at least one “payoff” scene that makes my whole body tingle. It’s a Wonderful Life is off the charts great.
Some things I appreciate the most about the Drinker is that the "critical drinker" doesn't dump on things for the sake of it, isn't playing a character that is pre-disposed to try to get views, but is fair and even-handed in his criticism and his praise. Cheers, Drinker!
My attachment to this movie is very deep, I think. _It’s a Wonderful Life: The Musical_ was the very first play I was ever a part of. I had already developed an emotional connection to the movie by itself because my family and I (still) watch it every year-but now I can hardly think about the movie without tears because of the wonderful friendships made during the late hours spent after school developing our characters and acting and vocals. Some of the backstage inside jokes still live in my brain. Now I’m not a theater nerd (I only know the ones I’ve been in), but I am thankful for my English teacher who pressured me into acting and singing onstage-it genuinely changed my life. I plan to watch this movie every year around Christmas with my own children one day. Thanks for this; it’s a beautiful reminder of how impactful and influential even one seemingly unimportant person can be, and it’s a call to action-it’s a call for each of us to willingly sacrifice our own wants for the benefit of others. And as it’s said, “love is sacrifice.” So essentially this movie tells us to love each other, not with words or shows of affection, but with our actions. Plus, the romance in it is classic!
Another interesting thing about this movie is the fact that it doesn't feel the need to make old man Potter get some sort of comeuppance. It allows Potter to get away with what he did without feeling the need to cheapen George's story by shoehorning in a gotcha moment. Maybe the human heart years for some sort of closure knowing a skunk like Potter would get his due, but the important part of the story is George's redemption so it leaves Potter's story out of it. I can imagine a studio today would insist there be a scene showing Potter finally getting what's coming to him ... but I'm glad the actual movie lacks that.
Agree 100% It made the message of the movie that much stronger too. More often than not, people get away with hurting you, but revenge shouldn't be the end game. Focus on the love of friends and family and the strength they bring. Ironically, I can't think of a better revenge for Potter than to see an outpouring of love and respect from the community he so desires to dominate; which leads to another failed attempt to bring his nemesis down. He's left with the knowledge that no one would ever do that for him, and George's description of him was never more accurate.
The best way to get revenge on someone is to forget all about them and just get on with successfully building a better life for yourself - they will absolutely hate that.
