Posted on 12/25/2010 12:26:27 PM PST by re_tail20
George Bailey was driving the old black car the last time you saw it. He was drunk and crashed into the big tree on the outskirts of Bedford Falls, and then he ran to the bridge, where he was going to jump off and end it all.
That’s how the story began.
One of the most popular Christmas movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life” has been televised every year since 1970. The movie, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, was made in 1946.
And Friday, the old car that crashed into the tree arrived in Johnstown. Keith and Marilyn Smith bought the old 1919 Dodge that was featured in the movie, and they’re adding it to their collection of classic cars.
The fender of the Dodge, which was dented in the movie, has been fixed. As part of his hobby/retirement job, Keith Smith repainted the old car in the early 1990s, and this month, the couple bought it from a California car collector. It was delivered to their home west of Johnstown on Friday afternoon.
According to Smith, the movie wasn’t that popular when it was made, but because of a copyright problem, it was released again without restrictions in 1974.
“Every television network grabbed it and started showing it,” Smith said. “That’s why it became so popular.”
(Excerpt) Read more at greeleytribune.com ...
I'm glad they did, It's a Wonderful Life became one of my all time favorite movies.
The best Christmas movies ever made:
1. It’s a Wonderful Life
2. White Christmas
3. Holiday Inn
4 Christmas in Conneticut
5. The Bishop’s Wife
A 1919 Dodge Brothers? That’s great. I suspect that it was chosen for authenticity. It was prudent at the story’s time setting, to buy what was known as incredibly great and reliable cars, and buying a 2nd, or 3rd, or even 5th hand Dodge was still a better buy than buying a Ford or Chevrolet of the time.
The Dodge Brothers built what was then the best, the most reliable, most durable, or at least very close to it, that money could buy. After the Dodge brothers died, the company went downhill.
It’s awesome to see the depth of thought and authenticity that went into movies back then... When they wanted to.
I agree with your list. I love all of those. Merry Christmas
I’d have to add “A Christmas Story” to that list.
I have to agree. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is one of my if not my most favorite Christmas movie. Interesting about the 1919 Dodge touring car.
Pancho Villa was killed while setting in the back of a Dodge Brothers car.
I saw it at the Pancho Villa museum in Ciudad Chihuahua.
The bullet holes through the back seat rest still there!
Neat place to see but I would not recommend it as a travel destination.
I just couldn’t get into that one.
I guess I just like the old fashioned ones. LOL
I just couldn’t get into that one.
I guess I just like the old fashioned ones. LOL
Thanks, and a very Merry Christmas to you as well!
Thanks, and a very Merry Christmas to you as well!
I wonder why it was not very popular upon its first release?
I’d have to bump 2, 3 or 4 for “Scrooge” with Albert Finney. It just isn’t Christmas for me until I see that, thank you very much!
The reason It’s A Wonderful Life was not a hit upon original release in 1946 is interesting.
WWII had just ended. Director Frank Capra had formed a production company with fellow director William Wyler who made “The Best Years of Our Lives” the same year Wonderful LIfe came out... which did deal with the issue of returning veterans from the war.
People were not nostalgic that year for Americana or yesteryear, they were in transition. There was also some problem with the release schedule and dates, I can’t remember... but Capra had separated himself from the Studio System and any long term contracts with the Big Studios at that point and I believe distribution for his film and Wyler’s film that year were some problem.
Another partner in Capra’s independent “Liberty Films” with Wyler was director George Stevens.
Stevens was busy during the war taking color film. He went to the concentration camps.
When Stevens came home after seeing the death and destruction of the Nazis in Europe, he declared he would never make another comedy again.
All this added up to a lousy box office, in that first post war year of 1946.
By the way, the car may have been licensed to Fox studios, but the Bedford Falls exteriors were shot at the old RKO ranch in Encino, California. I heard this from Capra’s son himself, Tom Capra... I asked.
Capra had slaved for many years on the story for IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, hiring and firing many writers along the way. He considered it his best film and was crushed at its lackluster box office. He lived to see the resurgence of his film on tv, but abhorred the colorization process that Ted Turner utilized on public domain films in the 80’s.
Oh and the reason IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE fell into public domain was because it was produced and owned by Liberty Films, Capra’s independent company, and copyright was not renewed after 28 years. RKO pulled a fast one by claiming music copyright on the soundtrack. Tricky deal. I don’t know if I believe it is actually kosher, but the studios have pulled a lot of “fast ones’ with the copyright office in the past. For example. Mickey Mouse should have fallen into public domain quite a long time ago. Disney pulled a lot of strings to keep the Mouse under copyright.
In any case, Capra was thrilled, in later life, to see his masterpiece resurrected, though personally I believe Mr. Smith Goes To Washington is even better.
All great movies and if I could add one more:
A Christmas Carol with Reginald Owen made in the 30’s. The original english version of scrooge. Fantastic movie and the special effects....awesome especially considering the era it was made.
Jimmy Stewart said he agreed to do the movie without reading the script. Said he was convinced when Capra told him the plot. Stewart said this was his all time favorite movie.
Stewart said this after the resurgence of the film in the 70’s. I am a bit of a Capra afficianado; and met Stewart several times in the 90’s.
Capra reported that in the 60’s Stewart barely gave him the time of day. Nothing against Jimmy, but Capra nosedived after Wonderful Life bombed. He was later graylisted by the US government because he had hired so many Red screenwriters. Capra himself admitted he “lost his nerve” as a director, started doubting himself and making story compromises after 1946.
In his own private papers, Capra was suicidal after the late 1950’s and sought the Lord for his solace. His life really picked up after he penned his autobiography in the early 70’s and college filmstudents started re evaluating him.
In the 90’s a scallawag named Joseph McBride wrote a completely insane autobiography of Capra. McBride cheated with many of his notations about Capra’s life. McBride was so insanely P.C. that he basically stated that because Capra was a Republican, he didn’t understand the message of his own movies!
Joseph McBride. You are a skunk. Even the Capra boys know it, and don’t be fooled they let you partake in their own documentary about their dad. What a ridiculous leftwing liar McBride is.
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