It’s A Wonderful Life

I didn’t watch this great movie until the late 80s. All it took was one time and I haven’t missed a year of watching it. I don’t tear up very easy..but it never fails at the end of the movie when Zuzu says… Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings…it gets me every time. This movie was released in 1946.

Poor George Bailey. All he wanted to do was travel and get out of Bedford Falls to see the world. Every single time he gets close…so close that it hurts…something happens and George ends up doing the right thing.

Bedford Falls needs George Bailey…every town needs a George Bailey but many end up with only a Mr. Potter. There is one thing about this movie which was unusual. Mr. Potter was never punished for what he did…which drew criticism at the time but it was more in line with reality to me.

This is a Christmas movie but really only the last part of the movie is about Christmas. It is a movie for any time not just for December. We were thinking of names for our unborn child and couldn’t think of one…I was watching this movie in November of 1999 and it hit me…Bailey…so the movie means more than some movies do.

Here is a small summary from IMDB…don’t read it…watch the movie instead. If you haven’t seen it…give it a shot…whether it is Christmas or July.

George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint, Mr. Potter, from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George’s modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George’s Uncle Billy loses the business’s $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage later that night, George realizes that he will be held responsible and sent to jail and the company will collapse, finally allowing Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, their young children, and others he loves will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in a gentle angel named Clarence coming to earth to help George, with the promise of earning his wings. He shows George what things would have been like if he had never been born.

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

14 thoughts on “It’s A Wonderful Life”

  2. I too ‘discovered’ this movie in the mid-1980s. Not sure why I’d never seen it before then. It’s been an annual viewing for me too. Marlo Thomas did a movie based on the same story line, and oddly, I saw that one before I knew of It’s A Wonderful Life. This one is the real deal, though. It’s very neat that it’s where your son’s name came from.

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    1. I have seen the Marlo Thomas one. I did like it…I always liked her since watching That Girl…. Yes it’s something about this movie that I could really watch it at anytime. It’s just a good movie period.
      When I said the name…my wife looked at me and said that was it.

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  4. Frank Capra made movies that showed the better side of humans and this may be his greatest. I didn’t realize Bailey was named after George Bailey. I remember the first time I saw this as a kid. It had a huge impact on me (along with “A Patch of Blue”) as a kid, and I know I wouldn’t be the person I am without having seen either of them.

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    1. I never saw or heard of”A Patch of Blue”…I need to check it out. What you just said…says a lot.
      I do like Capra’s movies…”You Can’t Take It With You”, Lost Horizon, and “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington”

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  5. I don’t think ANYONE watched this movie til the 80s,LOL. It’s a great part of Christmas now but apparently was a commercial flop and somehow was resurrected by some network in the 70s who I think found a legal loophole to run it royalty free. something like that. Anyway, that time, people started to notice it, thankfully. I watched it with the fam a few nights ago and it was on today in the living room with the extended family gathering.
    Movie had its flaws but I’m VERY glad no one’s put out an updated, CGI-heavy, version to ruin it!
    Does your Bailey like it? didn’t know that’s where he got his name from.
    (On names, might interest you, my stepdaughter is Arianna, my sweetie wanted to call her Rhiannon after the Fleetwood Mac song, but the girl’s dad didn’t like that idea.))

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