Posted on 12/21/2011 5:13:07 AM PST by suspects
This Christmas marks the 65th anniversary of “It’s A Wonderful Life,” one of the most beloved holiday movies ever made. And one of the very worst.
I know, I know. Admitting you aren’t charmed by the story of George Bailey and Zuzu’s petals is like admitting you spend your spare time kicking puppies, but sorry.
The fact is, “It’s A Wonderful Life” is a movie that only an Occupod could love. The story is sweet, but the message is truly awful.
Consider George Bailey. In your mind, you see him after a lifetime of poverty, grief and bad luck, running through Bedford Falls shouting “Merry Christmas you old Building and Loan,” just happy to have a family he loves.
Well I agree that having a loving family can help us all get through crises. (Remember the stewardess in the disaster-film spoof “Airplane?” “At least I had a husband . . . ”)
But the name of the film is “Wonderful Life,” not, “Well, Things Could Be Worse.” And in George Bailey’s case, things are truly tragic.
Smart, ambitious George gets stuck at the modest Building and Loan back in Hickville when his brother marries into a cushy corporate gig and his father dies. After years of dreaming of going off to college, traveling the world and becoming a top engineer or architect, his life is spent scraping by, and helping others do the same.
Somehow the movie — like the Occupiers of today — tries to turn that into a virtue. Despite his wife and kids, George turns down $20,000 a year so he won’t have to work for that “evil banker,” Mr. Potter.
Occupy Bedford Falls!
Then disaster strikes. His addled Uncle Billy accidentally drops the daily deposit into Potter’s lap and guess who happens to show up that day...
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
I guess Graham doesn’t get the gist of the movie. The evil banker angle only supports the basic thrust of the movie that George Bailey’s life really is worthwhile. The money Uncle Billy lost is really incidental. It’s like the McGuffin in the Hitchcock flicks.
The Boston Herald is a conservative paper. You're thinking of the Boston Globe.
I hate that movie. It is just too sappy for me.
All Christmas movies seem to wallow in the sap this time of year except A CHRISTMAS STORY. When it starts to get sappy something happens to stop the sap. (Grownups like to say things like that. We kids new better. We knew it was best not to get caught!).
They should redo it again and this time kick the crap out of Bawney Frank and John Corzine.
This Idiot must have issues with bells and christmas trees..
Couldn’t be Angels that crawled his nape.. could it?..
He’s also struggling with the subversive message that materialism doesn’t matter at all.... Rather then condemn the life that he loves, he’d rather attack Bedford Falls.
My favorite movie is 1984’s George C. Scott “A Christmas Carol”.
It is my favorite as well. Come to think of it I love most versions of A Christmas Carol. The version with Alistair Sim is also very good.
Yes!!!! That’s what I’m talking about. I don’t like the end to It’s a Wonderful Life, because essentially Potter stole $8000.
And if Potter could actually steal $8000, and since Potter had the law on his side, why wouldn’t he have just stolen more of the money? Once you have decided that the guy who has all the power is going to be actively evil, there’s no way you beat him the way IAWL ended.
But that’s how movies used to be. Today, we’d find some way for Potter to get his due.
I will also note that Bailey was pretty stupid to trust his uncle with an important task. Sure, Potter stole the money. But he didn’t SET OUT to steal the money — The stupid uncle could have just as easily dropped the money into the trash, never to be seen again, and the same story could be told (except Potter wouldn’t be so violently evil then).
Not PC, huh?
Out of respect, for the multitude who love the movie, I don’t usually voice that opinion.
*crawling back under my rock*
(And yes, I recognized your sarcasm - and enjoyed it)
I disagree with you.
The people helped by Baily Savings and Loan were just ordinary working folks.
Taxi drivers. House cleaners. Whatever.
Just people with jobs and growing families trying to get a piece of dirt with a house on it that had a couple bedrooms, running water, and a fireplace.
There is ZERO socialism or liberalism about that.
specially pottersville....
LLS
Oh I so second that emotion.
Never regarded it as a Christmas story- felt the same way about the ‘shoot your eye out’ kid movie. I like the Hallmark TV stories. There was a made for TV movie in the mid 90s about the Rockefeller Christmas tree [Sister Anthony] that was very good. For fun Christmas Vacation.
Yes, a point I made when I mentioned that he didn’t return the “lost” money.
Sorry, my FRiend. I missed that point.
Great minds think alike.
Merry Christmas!
No worries, FRiend. Merry Christmas to you!
If George Bailey was an occupier, he would have selfishly taken Potter up on his offer. Occupiers do not impact others lives positively, they are a drain on society. They are liberals.
Well, he does make me wonder what “It’s a Wonderful Life” would have looked like if Ayn Rand (who was in Hollywood in those days) had written the script ...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.