IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
US, 1946, 130 minutes, Black and white.
James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Beulah Bondi, Gloria Grahame, Ward Bond, H.B. Warner.
Directed by Frank Capra.
The first of Frank Capra's films after his discharge from the services in World War II. In the thirties he had directed many successful films with a light touch - social comment and criticism with optimistic humour. He won Oscars for It Happened One Night (1934) and You Can't Take It With You (1938). He also made Mr Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Meet John Doe.
Capra also made many war documentaries during the duration of World War II. After the war he had less success but made such films as State of the Union, Riding High and Here Comes the Groom. In the late fifties and sixties he was to make only A Hole in the Head and A Pocketful of Miracles and his career came to an end.
Frank Capra's films are generally Americana fantasies, an egalitarian promotion of human values and a critique of capitalism and big business. They veer towards the sentimental but are sustained by warmth and the good performances from a regular group of actors and actresses. James Stewart was Mr Smith and was in You Can't Take It With You. Here he sustains It's a Wonderful Life. Lionel Barrymore embodies villainy. Donna Reed is most attractive as the American heroine. The film is genial, made an impact after World War II but seems somewhat dated now. Nevertheless, it is still one of the favourite films of the American people, possibly the most quoted film in other movies.
1. The style and impact of Frank Capra's films? The American tone, sentiment, optimism and hope? The ugly side of America seen within the light of hope? The style of his thirty films and his bringing it into the forties and the post World War II era?
2. The post war tone of the film - the experience of the war and its not really changing anything basic in the American way of life? The film as a fable for the United States? The title, encouragement? The basic meaning of the story and the acceptance of the gift of life? The device of the prayer, the discussion amongst the angels, the device of showing George Bailey what life would have been like had he not lived? The parable and preaching tone of the story? Convincing for the audience of its time? Now?
3. Black and white photography, the studio re-creation of the American small town and its atmosphere? The score, the popular song? The period atmosphere? The contribution of the stars and their styles and presence?
4. The structure of the film: the angels and their celestial talk, Clarence and his wanting to get his wings, his study of George Bailey and the events of his life and his character, Clarence's arrival with the overtones of the 18th century, the leap into the river, the tour through the alternate town, the leaving of the copy of 'Tom Sawyer'? The fantasy aspects, sentiment, unreality and audience accepting of this?
5. The contribution of the flashbacks and the illustration of George as a boy: the saving of Harry from the ice and the injury to his car, his helping Mr Gower, his thoughts about his fortune, his dreams of getting out of the town and all his achievement, the relationship with Mary? Sufficient to establish the characters, the atmosphere of the small town, American history?
6. Pa Bailey and the building and loans firm? The uncle and his genial help? The attempts to run the business well, exercising kindness to people in need, the lack of business sense, Pa Bailey's death and its repercussions?
7. Mr Potter as the embodiment of cruelty and evil, his cynicism and bitterness, his frustration? The way that he spoke, the way that lie treated people? Board meetings, his ruthlessness and relentless business sense irrespective of feelings? The rebuff about the firm and George becoming an opponent? His attempts to own the loans firm? Threats, jealousy? His shrewdness with the collapse of the stock market and his ability to buy the bank and the town? His devices to tempt George to be employed by him and so control him? The evil of his taking the uncle's money at the bank and not returning it? His being prepared to ruin all the Baileys?
8. The portrait of the young people at home? Ma Bailey and her genial approach? Harry and his sporting success? George at home, going to college? His deafness? The girls in the town especially Mary and Violet?
9. George about to go somewhere else -the theme of his life? The hopes for the trip to college, Europe, education and travel, South America? His being trapped in the town? The dance and his encounter with Mary and their falling into the pool and the ironic twisting of what was meant to be humiliation? His about to go away and his father's death and its necessitating his presence taking over the firm? The confrontation with Mr Potter and Potter's evil control as being a motive for staying? The years passing and his hoping that Harry would take over and Harry's return with wife and job? His sense of being trapped and the way this was played on later by Potter?
10. Mary as attractive heroine? Her presence at the party, the falling into the pool, the walking home, the wishes and the breaking of the windows (and the onlooker's advice for them to kiss?)? Her hopes of marrying George, his courting, the telephone call about the plastics and the decision to marry? The almost honeymoon and the stock market crash? Her rising to the occasion? Taking over the old house and decorating it? The strong supportive wire? George's reliance on her?
11. The importance of the sequence of the run on the bank, the uncle's desperation? Potter's contrivances and George's brazening it out? The appeal to the people not to be greedy? Mary's giving the honeymoon money? The saving of the bank and its repercussions for George's reputation in the town? his helping such people as Ernie, the Martinis? The establishment of Bailey Park?
12. George's family life as he stayed in the town, the children and their growing? Potter's temptation for more money and control in this light? father's death and its necessitating his presence taking over the firm? The confrontation with Mr Potter and Potter's evil control as being a motive for staying? The years passing and his hoping that Harry would take over and Harry's return with wife and job? His sense of being trapped and the way this was played on later by Potter?
13. The time passing, World War II and so many men going away, Potter and his presence for those going to war? George having to stay at home? His helping people? Vi and her need for money and going from the town? The build-up to the return of Harry and his Congressional Medal? The possibility of a happy post-war period?
14. The tension with the loss of the money, the Christmas atmosphere, the auditor and his presence? The search for the money everywhere and Potter watching? The uncle and his desperation? George and his abuse, the possibility of arrest and his desperation? The angels and their discussion of George's plight?
15. How convincing was George's desperation - his drinking, prayer, its being answered with his being punched? The crash of the car and the tree? The looking at the water and the question of suicide?
16. Clarence's arrival and his device of going into the water? George and his scepticism? The credibility of an angel arriving? Clarence and his disappearances and appearances, his 18th century style especially for a drink, his admiration for 'Tom Sawyer'? His decision to take George through an alternate town? The device of having George never exist? Looking at all the people that he know in that light - the town being Pottersville and controlled by Potter, its licentiousness and exploitation, the bitterness of such people as Ernie and his policeman friend (considering their kindness for the honeymoon night?), Vi and her being a prostitute, his mother and her boarding house, the disappearance of all his old friends, Mary and her being the spinster librarian and her fears of him? His believing the reality of his life, his going home and finding how much he had achieved?
17. The friendship of all the people he had helped and their collecting the money. the good spirit? The significance of being satisfied with one's life?
18. How did the ending justify the title? Its raising the question of whether people are really like this? A film with its warmth encouraging people to be good and better?
