This movie has a scene that happens today – December 24. I hope you will
enjoy this film and watch it tonight.
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
In heaven, after many requests to help George Bailey are received, it
is decided to send Clarence, an angel in training to help him. Clarence is
shown the events of George’s life, starting with George saving the life of his
brother Harry, at the cost of his hearing in one ear. Then George prevents his
distraught boss, Mr. Gower, a pharmacist from accidentally putting poison in a
prescription. George plans a trip to Europe before he goes to college. He meets
Mary Hatch and is attracted to her, but then his father has a stroke and dies. Mr. Potter, the towns leading citizen and
banker wants to kill the building and loan that George’s father ran. This is
only prevented when George agrees to run the company. He uses his savings to
send his younger brother Harry to college. Instead of taking over so George can
go to college, Harry returns married and with an industrial research job offer.
George renews his relationship with Mary Hatch and they get married. However,
they have to use their honeymoon fund to save the building and loan during the
bank run crisis of March, 1933. George eventually makes inroads into Potter’s
control of the town by financing houses for people who used to have to rent
from Potter. Potter tries to hire him to kill the building and loan, but George
refuses to be bought. During the war Harry Bailey became a pilot, saved a
transport from a Japanese kamikaze and earned the Congressional Medal of Honor.
On December 24, 1945 [1:16:40 to 2:09:34] George’s absent-minded uncle
Billy who works with him at the building and loan, accidentally hands $8,000.00
in cash to Mr. Potter on the day a bank examiner is in town. Since this would result in a prison term for
embezzlement, George eventually becomes suicidal. Before he can jump in the river,
Clarence jumps in first and George leaps in and saves him. When George says everybody would be better
off with out him, Clarence grants his wish. He shows George what the world
would be like if he had never been born. Things are very different. Since
George wasn’t there to save Harry, the men on the transport died. Mr. Gower
went to jail for murder. Potter controls the town and has converted it from the
wholesome American town George knew into Vegas east. George’s wife is an old
maid and his Uncle Billy went insane.
When George finally recognizes that he had a wonderful life, Clarence
returns him to his reality. The townspeople are so grateful for everything
George did for them that they raise $8,000.00 to make up the shortage. Clarence
gets his wings.
A fantastic film. Just right for
the Holiday season. Won’t be dated 100 years from now.
Date given in the film at 1:17:04
Producer - Frank Capra
Director - Frank Capra
Awards – The movie won a Technical Achievement Oscar. It was
also nominated for the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Stewart), Best
Film Editing and Best Sound Recording Oscars at the 19th Academy
Awards.
Screenplay - Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Jo Swerling
and Frank Capra
Runtime – 2 hours 10 minutes
Released – December 20, 1946
Starring –
James Stewart as George Bailey
Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey
Henry Travers as Clarence Odbody
Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter
Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy Bailey
Beulah Bondi as Ma Bailey
Frank Faylen as Ernie Bishop, the cab driver
Ward Bond as Bert, the cop
Gloria Grahame as Violet Bick
H. B. Warner as Mr. Gower
Todd Karns as Harry Bailey
Samuel S. Hinds as Peter "Pop" Bailey
Lillian Randolph as Annie
Mary Treen as Cousin Tilly
Frank Albertson as Sam Wainwright
Virginia Patton as Ruth Dakin Bailey
Charles Williams as Cousin Eustace
Sarah Edwards as Mrs. Hatch
William Edmunds as Giuseppe Martini
Argentina Brunetti as Mrs. Martini
Bobby Anderson as Little George Bailey
Ronnie Ralph as Little Sam Wainwright
Jean Gale as Little Mary Hatch
Jeanine Ann Roose as Little Violet Bick
George Nokes as Little Harry Bailey
Danny Mummert as Little Marty Hatch
Sheldon Leonard as Nick, the bartender
Frank Hagney as Potter's mute aide
Charles Lane as Potter's rent collector
Jimmy Hawkins as Tommy Bailey
Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu Bailey
Larry Simms as Pete Bailey
Carol Coomes as Janie Bailey
Carl Switzer as Freddie (Mary's annoying high school suitor)
Max Wagner as Cashier/Bouncer at Nick's Bar
Dick Elliott as man on porch
No comments:
Post a Comment