December 24 - It's A Wonderful Life

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 19^th 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