It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

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It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – F. Capra

I guess I am an old softie because tears still well up in my eyes when I watch this old classic. Something about the disappointment that George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) feels when he sacrifices his own desires in favour of helping the community (again and again) combined with everything coming horribly unstuck when the old Building and Loan is finally going to be destroyed by evil old man Potter (Lionel Barrymore) that then sets the stage for that incredible ending when that same community comes together to save the day.  They are happy tears or perhaps something similar but different (seems as though there could/should be research on this). Of course, as a film noir fan, I’m always impressed that the scenes where George’s guardian angel Clarence (Henry Travers) shows him what Bedford Falls would be like if George had never been born are as dark as many noirs (although Amon pointed out that some of the plot seems stolen from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – a person has a sort of awakening after a spirit shows him an alternate reality). Of course, there’s also a heavy dose of sentimentality (a Frank Capra speciality) and perhaps more time than is necessary spent on George’s romance with Mary (Donna Reed) even if we never do get to know their kids.  Yet, the film somehow never seems to descend into true sappiness -- at least not for me (and the millions of other people who watch this at Christmas) – and I feel more optimistic about life having watched it.