It really shows how he’s come a long way to never change at all, his very nature is to help people get back up on their feet ever since he rescued Harry, and now that he’s given a chance to help someone again he literally *Jumps* at the opportunity
It's A Wonderful Life was named the Most Inspirational Movie of All Time by the American Film Institute. The themes of this film relate to everybody. Many of us who have been through hard times and disappointments have wondered how their lives may have turned out if not for these things happening to them.
I love that when we're first introduced to the angels in the beginning, they're perceived as stars. Now that we see Clarence in form, someone sees Clarence doing something supernatural, we hear the jingle "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"(such as in 0:42)
My mum and I watch this movie every year and it never gets old. My mum’s a 60 year old woman from Germany and she doesn’t speak English fluently but we recently started watching it in the original English, just because it’s awesome. Much love from Germany. This movie means a lot to me ❤.
Me and my family have watched (and still watch) this movie every year on Christmas. We adore this film so much that when we got a new puppy, we named him Clarence ❤
I remember seeing this film during 9th grade English. (The teacher didn't show it to us, but we had to complete a minimum number of creative writing assignments and he didn't suggest any topics). I was going through school related anxiety and depression and my Mama Llama thought this film could help. So she tried to convince me watch it. I didn't like the sound of it from the beginning, but I had no alternative ideas about what I could write about to please the teacher. And I reluctantly decided to watch the film. After all, although I had some preconceived notions, I couldn't judge a film based upon its title alone. Sadly, the movie was as bad as I thought it was going to be and Clarence's behavior thoroughly annoyed me. Now if he had dissuaded Bailey from committing suicide by responding with true compassion, this could have been a great film! The part which got under my skin was the moralistic talk, half truths, and imitative behavior. And my teacher thought that this film was a favorite of mine, just because I wrote about it. I decided not to tell him my true feelings about the film, out of fear that I might be referred to guidance. But he couldn't have been more wrong about my favorite movies.
The virtues & the vices are on full parade in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. This film has influenced so many Christmases & of course from soup to nuts it is one of Hollywood's finest films ever.
I’m 30, been a fan of this classic since I was in high school and wish I had a Guardian Angel like Clearance! Lucky for me I never attempted to harm myself or land in an emergency room. I live with my mom and dad. Sometimes I don’t know if it’s enough. One brother I have recently moved back with us. The other brother lives out of state.
The first time I watched this masterpiece of a film, was in December of 2002. I was in grade 8, and sneaked into the living room, to stumble upon it by sheer coincidence, on TCM, and I’ve loved every bit of it ever since. Mind you, I’m all the way in Eastern Arabia, in West Asia. It’s Marcus Aurelius and George Bailey for me, whenever I feel down, or face any predicament in life. Especially those hefty ones, that come with them moral inclinations of what ought one do and what not?! You know, the big questions that life throws at ya. I think I’ve never been a cynic, or God forbid a misanthrope, because of Mr. Bailey. Now I’m all grownup, a man in his 30s, with a PhD, and a company of my own. Which means, I run into those dilemmas all the time. A whole lot of them if you ask me 😅 oh well, I’ll always try to do my best, and ask myself the usual pondering question of: “What would Marcus Aurelius or George Bailey do?” 💭 🤔 What a masterpiece. We’re all so fortunate, that the Sicilian who made it, had parents who moved to America. I always tear up a bit, whenever I remember what his dad told him, when they first saw the Statue of Liberty. Frank Capra was the man. May everyone who worked on this film Rest in Peace 🪦 🫡
This 6 minute by two greats is as good as it gets. Stewart is angry, sarcastic, sardonic, playful, caring, depressed and hopeless and believable with every emotional twist. Travers is a perfect foil. Amazing
Clarence: -claims he’s a guardian angel -babbling that he saved George’s life -wears outdated clothing he even says he died in -seems to almost magically cause a series of odd coincidences George: huh……Wanna go grab a drink?
I appreciate the guard/extra in the hut. His reactions are spot on in acting. And speaking honestly, anyone and everyone would react the same way to everything here.
One of my all time favorite movies! Jimmy Stewart a war hero that actually gained weight so he could serve in the military. What a MAN! They don't make actors and films like this anymore! RIP Mr.Stewart.
@@theCarbonFreeze: Are you serious? It's a difference as big as night and day to jump in with depressed, sick, defeating, self-destructive thought-feelings and having all engines set on pro-life thought-feelings and intention! Our body and energy change instantly by the thought-feelings we have. It's ingenious of Clarence, since one can't switch from low to high suddenly without working for it and knowing how to, but the intervention got him OFF his clouded mindset, which freed it to focus on saving that life, which is good since we can easier see the value of life in someone else than ourselves i dark moments, so Clarence was a sot´rt of alter ego, too.
I wishing the same George, I also wish my problems were something simple like money, I haven’t spoke to my family for 10 years and that’s just the start of it..But I was as popular as George at one time in my town and now I could walk through there now and be invisible....I won’t be the first and I won’t be the last I just wanted to get it off my chest...I hope and pray I get one visitor this year cos it’s my 10th Xmas alone...My name is Michael I’m 52 years old, Merry Christmas everyone ❤️
I almost lost my angel still praying i havent . This has always been ny favorite Christmas movie. Hard yo find any jimmy Stewart movie that is bad to be hones
Real life, I met a Clarence on cedar Grove Bridge on upper current river. That summer mè and spouse separated, 26yrs. We became friends, hè a Navy vet, me a Marine. He was pretty self destructive, I tried giving him advice to save him, especially from drinking. Couldn't reach him.
Englishman Henry Travers played the AS2. I had always assumed that Capra knew from the first that Travers would make the perfect odd angel, but it wasn't so, as Travers at one point was being considered for the Mr. Potter role.
I just wanna say this. I understand this may sound unpopular. But the way George was acting after realizing he lost the money is a feeling I can relate to. Most people often underestimate their value and self-worthiness in life. Why? Because good deeds aren’t meant to be pinned to a wall for memory. Good deeds are based on love, not achievement. Which can easily confuse a person into thinking that their humble actions are completely irrelevant to the story. But they are relevant. Always remember that!
One thing that doesn't get talked about much is the cinematography of this movie. Notice that George is positioned under the clothesline while Clarence is above it to symbolize an angel from heaven coming down to Earth.
Because it would ruined the point of the movie. Clarence's job was not to help George find the money, it was to help him realize how important his life truly was, and how much it impacted the world around, that's why he granted George's wish of never being born and showed him how the world was like if he never existed, it helped George not only realize that his life did matter, not just to him but to those around him as well, and to helped him realize that he truly has a wonderful life. Had Clarence told George that Potter had the money, George might have been less stressed or panicked, but I think he would have still resented his life and have been unhappy, but since Clarence did not tell him and instead showed him the alternative timeline, it helped George realize that his life does indeed matter, and finally be happy with and know he truly has a wonderful life.
I confess I'm always asking angels to help me out.... "...these holy beings have sanctified themselves from every human limitation, have become endowed with the attributes of the spiritual, and have been adorned with the noble traits of the blessed, they therefore have been designated as "angels." " ~ Baha'i Faith
@@noellealdi881 I didn't say I only pray to angels. But I know that they are of God and totally submissive to His Will and it is acceptable to commune with them.
@@francismausley7239 but according to the Bible that would be blasphemy and idolatry to pray to anything but God. The people in the days of Noah wanted to worship God in their “own way” but the Bible says to worship God in spirit and TRUTH and truth you’ll find in the Bible Angels won’t hear your prayers, they’re only God’s messengers, meaning God can tell them to do the things he wants, but angels don’t know the hairs on you head as God does. A man in the Bible once bowed down to an Angel and the Angel quickly rebuked him saying that kind of act is only reserved for God. Don’t think I’m trying to demean you by any means, but it’s very very important to know these things. The Bible says “my people perish from a lack of knowledge” Are you a born again Christian?
If this film was to get a remake this would be my cast: George Bailey Colin Farrell Mary Bailey Scarlett Johanssen Clarence Jim Broadbent Uncle Billy Wallace Shawn Mr Potter Kelsey Grammer Pa Bailey Christopher Lloyd Ma Bailey Meryl Streep Mr Gower Mandy Patinkin Young George Bailey Benjamin Aimsworth
I just had to watch a few clips of this as people (mainly people on American shows) talk highly of this movie. I'm going to be watching it this Christmas. Along with Die Hard and Home alone (Which are Christmas Movies)
Although the character Clarence gives Messengers a bad rap for being dim witted, he nevertheless fulfills his pledge and saves George bailey from self destruction! Unfortunately in reality Messengers can't be so direct!
Clarence knew, as we did in 1st scene where 2 twinkling stars , w/rep "Boss angel" telling "insecure, childlike, & thus very-extra-worried /wingless Angel in training " Clarence that:1) He MUST go 2 earth 2 SUCCESSFULLY save this HUGELY LOVED/much needed/selflessly kind hero--poor George--f/ his "deep- despair-& FAMILY LOVE -based" awful/tragic/100% WRONG AND pointlessly unnecessary plan 2 end his life. ESP bc of WHY: To save others...as per always. Bc he was willing 2 die 4 the life ins $ he felt his family would need so badly just 2 survive the poverty he thot would DEF DESTROY HIS FAMILY in near future. And Clarence knew his sweet/insecure/childlike little wingless heart would have 2b as confident/effective/powerful as they could POSSIBLY become...if he's the kind of "well-deserving 2b OFFICIAL/WINGED earth angel" he'd HAVE 2b 2 save a man as special/unique( but equally stubborn/hard 2 work with when he's passionate in his feelings/emotions) young man like poor, poor George Bailey. So poor, FRANTIC/self-doubting Clarence knows HE, HIS ANGEL-SKILLS, & even his precious long-awaited wings , had 2 become MORE CONFIDENT/CAPABLE/POWERFUL than they'd/he'd ever had 2b ...2 save this challenge of a wonderful but very strong-minded & very hopeless man George from making a TERRIBLE MISTAKE: ending his most precious gift--his wonderful life.😇👼🙏🏻🥰👍🙋♀️👋
And I know it’s a movie and we are supposed to suspend disbelief... still... it doesn’t make sense when Clarence says that he didn’t go through with it, when he literally jumped in the water from the same exact distance it would have been - he did go through with it. I suppose we are to believe that his will to live superseded his will to die and went into “fight or flight” mode. Idk though... that was still a hell of a distance and doesn’t make much sense that you could survive it if your intention is not to kill yourself. Many things to nitpick throughout, but nonetheless, it’s a classic.
Bad movie that has virtually nothing to do with Christmas. Way too long, poor acting, boring as hell, and romanticizes a man with a wife and children wanting to kill himself over money (aka...coward). No idea why everyone loves it
Wrong perspective. The movie is bad because it adheres so much to Christian altruism. The author was so poor at delivering this message that they end up showing why altruism is bad. Nobody is truly altruistic in the film, except Georgie who endlessly suffers and sacrifices himself to others. In the end, the only thing that saves him is a miracle. The lesson ends up being "Altruism is suffering and sucks but do it anyway because sacrificing yourself is good."
