‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ is one of the most beloved holiday films ever. In fact, it’s said to be one of the best films ever - period. And, it’s hard to believe that this 1946 classic was considered a box office disappointment when it was initially released.
Over the years, this Frank Capra classic has garnered a lot of love and appreciation. And, once again at the Dietrich Theater, you can see this beloved classic on the big screen!
If you need a little refresher on the plot: George Bailey has so many problems he’s thinking about ending it all - and it’s Christmas! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback.
As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence - who then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn’t been for all his good deeds over the years.
There are several holiday classics that everyone watches every holiday season. And, ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ is one that has to be watched every season. This is a timeless and sentimental classic that is a must watch - even if you have seen it dozens of times. And no matter how many times you have seen this timeless classic, you will feel moved by the end (I know I was)!
James Stewart did a superb job as the film’s main character, George Bailey. Bailey is a very relatable character who is always there for other people and the community. And, he eventually goes through a rough spot.
His performance in the film is simply amazing and can cause you to shed a tear or two. This entire film will easily make you feel a little emotional, especially when the film is near its conclusion. When Clarence shows George how the town would change if he ended up getting his wish of never being born, it can be quite empowering. The entire sequence where Clarence shows George how the town would change can also be quite thought-provoking and makes you wonder what things would be like if you were in George’s position.
The ending of the film is simply the best part. Seeing a small community help out George Bailey is truly amazing. There are so many moments of the film that will really move you. The scene where George is praying in the bar when things got really bad is probably one of the most emotional scenes in the film. And, in between all the dramatic moments, there are indeed a few that will really make you chuckle.
Don’t forget, when a bell rings, an angel gets his wings!
Some of the amazing cast includes: James Stewart as Gerge Bailey; Donna Reed as Mary Hotch; Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy; Beulah Bondi as Mrs. Bailey; H.B. Warner as Mr. Gower; Gloria Grahame as Violet Beck; Henry Travers as Clarence and Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter, among many others.
‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ is written, produced and directed by renowned filmmaker Frank Capra.
The set for Bedford Falls was constructed in two months and was one of the longest sets that had ever been made for an American movie at the time. It covered four acres of RKO’s Encino Ranch. This beloved film was added to the US Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1990.
‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ was also nominated for five Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Recording.
You can see this beloved classic for FREE on December 17th at the Dietrich Theater at 2 pm, 7 pm and 8 pm.
For the scene that required Donna Reed to throw a rock through the window of the Granville house, director Frank Capra hired a marksman to shoot it out on cue. To everyone's amazement, Reed broke the window by herself. She had played baseball in high school and had a strong throwing arm.
As Uncle Billy drunkenly leaves the Bailey home, it sounds as if he stumbles into some trash cans on the sidewalk. In fact, a crew member dropped a large tray of props right after Thomas Mitchell went off-screen. James Stewart began laughing, and Mitchell quickly improvised, "I'm all right! I'm okay!" Director Frank Capra decided to use this take in the final cut and gave the stagehand a $10 bonus for "improving the sound."
While filming the scene in which George prays in the bar, James Stewart was so overcome that he began to sob. Frank Capra later re-framed and blew up the shot because he wanted to catch that expression on Stewart's face. This is why the shot looks so grainy compared with the rest of the film.
Films made prior to this one used cornflakes painted white for the falling snow effect. Because the cornflakes were so loud, dialogue had to be dubbed in later. Director Frank Capra wanted to record the sound live, so a new snow effect was developed using foamite (a fire-fighting chemical), soap, and water. This mixture was then pumped at high pressure through a wind machine to create the silent, falling snow. 6,000 gallons of the new snow were used in the film. The RKO Effects Department received a Class III Scientific or Technical Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Academy Award aka Oscar Award) for the development of the new film snow.
The set for Bedford Falls was constructed in two months and was one of the longest sets that had ever been made for an American movie. It covered four acres of RKO's Encino Ranch. It included 75 stores and buildings, a main street, a factory district and a large residential and slum area. Main Street was 300 yards long--three whole city blocks.
During filming, James Stewart was actively suffering from PTSD and depression due to his service in World War II. Stewart told friends that he related a lot to the character of George Bailey, some of the scenes where George acted out in anger was considered "cathartic" for Stewart and his struggles with mental health. Stewart's acting became notably darker after the war as he knew he had killed civilians in Germany and occupied Europe.
Ranked as the #1 Most Inspirational Movie of All Time by the American Film Institute (2006).
James Stewart cited George Bailey as being the favorite character he ever played, but stated in several interviews that Harvey (1950) was his favorite movie he starred in. The part of George Bailey was originally developed at another studio with Cary Grant earmarked for the role. When Frank Capra inherited the project, he rewrote it to suit Stewart.
This film was added to the U.S. Library of Congress' National Film Registry in 1990 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
At $3.7 million, this was a very expensive independent production. In its initial box office run, it only earned $3.3 million.
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