Did this goof actually watch the movie? Potter had the misplaced funds in his hands; it was because of Potter's malevolence that Bailey was in trouble. Potter wasn't "offering" anything; he was essentially operating a blackmail scheme -- "do what I want, or you'll go to prison for stealing money that I in fact stole from you".
That said, it does appear that the only thing holding Bedford Falls back from an era of unprecedented prosperity was George Bailey. In the world with Bailey, Potterville was a boom town. Sure, some of George's pals weren't all that happy but all those thriving businesses surely brought a lot of folk security they never knew in Bedford Falls.
The writer is over thinking a fine film. I just dream about a tropical vacation with Donna Reed.
George just wanted travel and see the world.
While Marry lured him away from a life of adventure Bing provocative by putting on a record of Buffalo Gal.
Not to mention talking close on the phone when “hee haw” Sam called.
All this drove George to drink and he became suicidal.
The love of a good women can do that to a man.
BTW Carl Dean Switzer..otherwise known as Alfalfa..was in IAWL.
Edit:
George just wanted travel and see the world.
While Marry lured him away from a life of adventure.
By beiing provocative and putting on a record of Buffalo Gal.
Not to mention talking close on the phone when “hee haw” Sam called.
All this drove George to drink and he became suicidal.
The love of a good women can do that to a man.
BTW Carl Dean Switzer..otherwise known as Alfalfa..was in IAWL.
Utter crap
It’s not what the movie is about.
So this yob is tabling rousing for a thief ...and a bitter old man at that
In 1945, Frank Capra visited Seneca Falls in the state of New York to look for inspiration for the town of Bedford Falls.
-snip -
In Seneca Falls there was a local businessman named Norman J. Gould, who owned Gould Pumps, and was one of the richest men in town. He drove his car with license number NJG1. Norman Gould also had great control over politics and economics of the area, much as Henry F. Potter did in the movie.
The name Bedford Falls derives from both Seneca Falls and a hamlet in the Westchester County of New York called Bedford Hills.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_Falls_(It%27s_a_Wonderful_Life)
In the film, the Bailey Savings and Loan Association builds low-cost housing in an area called Bailey Park. In real life, 19th Century factory owner John Rumsey helped immigrant workers in Seneca Falls by lending them money and building low-cost housing in a neighborhood that is still called Rumseyville.
A local Seneca Falls businessman named Norman J. Gould owned Gould Pumps, and in the late 1800s and early 1900s was one of the richest men in town, controlling much of the economic and political activities in Seneca Falls, much as Mr. Potter did in Bedford Falls. The company still exists.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2000-11-26-0011250135-story.html
Didn’t read it. This is a classic plot. Potter is a classic villain.
Only in the contemporary warped by Harry Potter view is a villain a hero (in Harry potters case an anti-judeochristian specifically)
Waste of time. All of it
OK - It’s a movie. As I told my boys growing up who were too smart for the movies (That car wouldn’t bounce off that building like that) - “You are buying that Superman can fly and throw a car, but not the way it bounced?”
In other words, if you buy the story, you buy the WHOLE story. When George fails to save his brother, Potterville proves to be a horrible place. So - keeping the Building & Loan out of his hands is a GOOD thing.
When “Wonderful Life” came out, people were still alive who had lived in or remembered monopoly towns - those owned by a mine, etc (”I owe my soul to the company store.”) People were alive who had outlived the depression. People were alive who remember the anti-trust days. This movie reflects that, and I think it’s a good one.
I seem to remember an article with a version of this thesis coming up every couple of years.
And don’t forget Freedom is Slavery; up is down and out is really in. Another schmuck with way too much time on his hands.
Oh, for God’s sake! What a stupid article. Mr. Potter steals the bank funds from Uncle Billy - was he sleeping during that scene?!
What’s this guy’s next article...how Scrooge is the real Santa Claus?
In the alternate universe Bedford Falls becomes Pottersville and it looks like Berlin 1920 where everyone turned to live sex shows and prostitution and drinking.
I’m 60 and I’ve never seen this movie. I’ve tried to watch it 4 or 5 times but even as a kid it seemed saccharin and very calculated and I’d bail.
Crap like this makes me ashamed to be a conservative capitalist.
The author of this article seems to think that a savings and loan bank operates like a huge piggy bank where the Bailey Savings and Loan merely holds its customers money safe until such time as they as need it back. He concentrates on the “savings” portions of the name but completely ignores the “loan” portion of the name because of his ignorance. The savings and loan model used by the company is that deposits from savers are loaned to borrowers and they only need to keep a small amount on hand, usually around 5% to 10% of the total deposits for the extraordinary needs of their customers’ limited withdrawals spending. They were not a check based bank. . . But a savings account, cash based bank. The money they held was not intended for day-to-day expenses but for life savings, retirement, college accounts, Christmas clubs, saving to buy a car, etc. George Bailey explained it quite well to the first customer who demanded everything in her account who wouldn’t listen despite her signing an agreement for demand deposits and still wanted it all.
There is zero evidence that Bailey’s made sub-prime loans. . . If they had the banking examiners would have shut them down.