Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946)


"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he? " - Clarence, the wise old fool...

Coming in at #56 on The List is Frank Capra's uber classic, feel-good holiday-time movie, "It's a Wonderful Life".
Would you believe that despite it being aired on television at least once or twice per year at Christmas time, I still had never seen this? (I think perhaps my love of Christmas cartoon movies - Peanuts, Burl Ives' Rudolph, etc. trumped this film when networks air multiple movies during the XMass season.

Alas, it's not anywhere near Christmas (though it is chilly here in Melbourne), but I picked this up the other day and watched it yesterday.
I liked it. I indeed liked it. Very nice little old film. Some BEAUtiful close ups, of Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed (a gorgeous one of Reed when her husband comes home all disturbed).
I appreciated the storytelling device of an angel looking down upon the important snipets of someone's life. It makes you sort of take stock of your own important bits, which evidently is the point. To love & cherish the life you've been blessed with. To realize that we're all important, in the grand scheme of life.

"Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends."

A great little love story, holiday movie meets Death of a Salesman.
I liked it. 4/5 monkeys

1 comment: