I have read posts by a number of FReepers over the years who don’t like the movie, and are irritated by what they view as a anti-Capitalist tenor.
I understand their point of view, but I believe that is mistaken, because that means you have to accept Old Man Potter as the definition of a “Capitalist”, and I don’t believe it is an accurate definition.
But I watched it again the other night, and there were some parts that really stuck out at me.
One of them was the scene where a young George Bailey working in the Drug Store realizes that the old man (Gower) compounding things has accidentally put poison instead of medicine in some pills for a young girl. I have seen the movie a few times now, but somehow that scene presented to me in a different way this time. A very deep and moving scene. One of the strongest components of that whole scene is where George Bailey is trying to find a way to tell him he has made a mistake, but is told by Mr. Gower to get those pills to the girl. Then, he is rebuffed and put off trying to tell his father about the mistake. Finally he goes back, and is slapped around by Mr. Gower before convincing him of the mistake.
What got me watching this time was the acting by the character playing the young George Bailey (and the obvious good direction of Frank Capra) where he is frantic with the kind of frustration that can only be felt by someone who sees with a certainty the terrible thing that will happen, only to find nobody either sees it or cares to know.
A very powerful, and emotional scene.
Very true. I cry everytime I see this movie.
The script and direction are genius.