In the early 1940�s, screenwriter Philip van Doren Stern sent a Christmas card to his friend, director Frank Capra. In it he wrote, �Every man�s life is important because it touches so many others lives�. It was this sentence that inspired Frank Capra to write and direct what is widely reputed to be his greatest work; the 1946 classic It�s A Wonderful Life.
Set before, during and just after World War II, the film starts with a group of individuals praying about a suicidal man named George Bailey (portrayed in his best and most well-loved role by the irrepressible James Stewart). The frenetic prayers are overheard by the Archangel Gabriel and Saint Peter, who then send for Clarence, (played by Henry Travers), a clumsy, accident-prone but gentle hearted apprentice angel whose only wish is to finally get his wings! The angels then show Clarence the life of George Bailey and his unselfish acts to help others, (namely saving his younger brother from drowning as children, losing the hearing in his left ear in the process and saving his grief-stricken pharmacist boss from poisoning a customer). It was whilst working in this pharmacy after school that George met what was to be the love of his life, Mary (later portrayed by Donna Reed). It was also at this time that he met his nemesis Henry F Potter, �the meanest man in town� (Barrymore)
The film then forwards ten or so years to see George as an adult, preparing to go to college and see the world. He meets up again with Mary at his brother�s school dance but as he romantically walks her home, he is summoned by his brother, who informs him that their father had died. Again he has to sacrifice his hopes and dreams to help out others, namely foregoing his education and travels and taking over his father�s duties at the Building and Loan company that his father created. Life takes a turn for the better as he romances and then marries Mary, but inevitably plummets again as, leaving on their honeymoon; they witness a mob riot outside the Building and Loan. Using his hard-earned savings as collateral, he once again sacrifices his hopes to bail out others in need. With their honeymoon plans, now in tatters, Mary decides to fix up a wedding night banquet in the run-down dilapidated house that they saw on the night they first met at the school dance.
George worked solidly through the war years, whilst Mary raised a home and family, herself making sacrifices to help out the man she loves. His brother, Harry became a war hero, saving the lives of many soldiers by shooting down an enemy plane as it was heading for a troop ship, thus earning himself the Congressional Medal of Honour.
Potter, bitter with jealousy at Georges increasing prosperity and success, finally finds the way to cripple George�s company when George�s forgetful Uncle Billy (played by Thomas Mitchell), misplaces $8000 at Potters bank. This loss finally breaks George and after a confrontation with his youngest daughter Zuzu�s teacher (because Zuzu was sent home from school with her coat undone to protect a rose that her teacher had given her as a prize). He placates the crying child by placing the roses fallen petals in his pocket, pretending he had pasted them back on! He argues with Mary and his other children and storms out of the house, towards the nearest bar, depressed and suicidal. As he drowns his sorrows in the bar he is overheard by the husband of the teacher he yelled at, who promptly hit him, splitting his lip. He runs to the river bridge and contemplates jumping into the icy waters below. He is startled when another man leaps into the water, screaming because he cannot swim! George dives in after him and saves his life.
As they dry off in a boathouse, the man introduces himself as �Clarence, Angel Second Class!� and that he was sent down from heaven to help George and if he succeeded in showing George the errors of his suicidal tendencies, he would finally get his wings! George, unsurprisingly doubts him, but goes along with the ruse of what he sees as an eccentric old man. He tells Clarence how he�s screwed up his life and how everyone would have been better off if he was never born.
After consulting silently with the Archangels, Clarence grants him his wish. George Bailey was never born! At that point George regained the hearing in his left ear, and his split lip had stopped bleeding. Clarence pointed out that because George was never born, he wasn�t there to save his brother from falling through the ice as a child; his old boss at the pharmacy was a broken-down jailbird because he wasn�t there to stop him poisoning his customer. Potter had taken over the town, Mary was a shy, mousy, librarian spinster instead of the loving, dynamic wife and mother she should have become, and Zuzu�s petals were missing from his pocket, thus proving that he was indeed, never born. After pursuing Mary, he was chased down by the police who cornered him on the river bridge. Broken and apologetic at his actions he �wanted to live again�. As he said these words, the policeman caught up with him. George, by now ready for a fight, approached the policeman, who promptly told George that he had been searching for him all night and to go home straight away. He checked his pocket. Zuzu�s petals had returned and he was elated to find that his lip was bleeding once more! He was alive again.
As he returned home, he was greeted by virtually the whole town! Mary had warned everyone that George was in trouble and hey all rallied around to help. Everyone donated money to George, recalling the many selfless acts he gave during his life. His heroic brother returned from the war and led the toast, �to my big brother George�The richest man in town�. As he was being toasted, a bell rang on the Christmas tree. Zuzu told George that �Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings�. George, looked skywards and said quietly �Atta boy Clarence�. Clarence finally got his wings!!!
This is the ultimate feel-good movie, primarily shown over the Christmas holiday, but enjoyed at any time of the year. |
