Possibly the greatest Christmas film ever made, and a classic on every level. The Characters and situations are very relatable. The writing directing, and acting, all come together perfectly. A must watch every Christmas season.
It's A Wonderful Life was the first film to be made for Frank Capra's Liberty Films studio. The original first film for the studio was going to be another Christmas themed movie called It Happened on Fifth Avenue. However Capra fell in love with this story and gave It Happened on Fifth Avenue to the Allied Artists studio and to director Roy Del Ruth.
It's A Wonderful Life started it's life as a short story called The Greatest Gift written by Philip Van Doren Stern. RKO had bought this story in 1944, and showed it to Cary Grant's agent, to turn it into a vehicle for the actor. However they could not come up with a suitable script. So they sold the rights to Liberty Films.
This film was also important because it was the first film Frank Capra directed after WW2. During World War 2, Capra had not been making his usual films. He instead was enlisted by the army, to make films for the army, and these became the classic, Why We Fight series. The only non-army movie he made at this time was Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). While other directors who were enlisted in the army such as William Wyler and George Stevens, had begun making films that related to their war experience, Capra's film hardly changed and rarely reflected his war experience.
Capra had trouble casting many of the parts, and went though many people, but for George Baily, he knew the actor had to be Jimmy Stewart from the beginning, and he was right, Stewart was perfect. In fact it is hard to imagine this movie without Jimmy Stewart. His performance is a very complex one that adds many layers to George Baily. He gives the character a lot of warmth and humanity. Yet he also perfectly captures the dark side of the story. When he loses his temper or considers suicide the result is just as powerful and yet this always feels like the same character we see in the happier scenes of the film. In many ways this looks forward to the darker roles he would take in the future in films directed by Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Mann. The rest of the cast is just as great. Especially standing out is Henry Travers as Clarence. Though he would be in many movies this is his defining role and movie fans will always associate him with this character. Despite this movie being best known for its uplifting and inspiring message, it certainly has its share of darker moments. The film is often heartbreaking and never shies away from the harshness reality can bring us. Despite its reputation no one after watching this movie can call it sugar coated. This however does not make the film any less joyous, but actually more so. The happy scenes become all the more happier because of what the character have to go through to get there. The famous scene of George running down the street telling everyone "merry Christmas" as well as the "teacher says every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings" scene are among the happiest moments in the history of movies and they would not be so if we didn't have to go through the dark scenes to get there.
Oddly enough when this film came out it lost money at the box office, and received mixed reviews from critics. Not quite the welcome back Capra was expecting. However through various TV showings this film has earned it's rightful place as a classic.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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