It's a Wonderful
Life (1946)
Directed by
Frank
Capra
Writing credits
Eli Roth (written by) and
Randy Pearlstein
It's A Wonderful Life
is one of the greatest classics of all-time,
in my opinion. I've been watching it ever since
I was a little kid. Jame Stewart
plays one of his greatest career roles as George
Bailey, a man with passionate dreams of a beautiful
future. Dreams that take him far away from the
small town of Bedford Falls, to college, and
adventures around the world. But, instead he
gets stuck fighting for everything he has ever
believed in.
And though he marries
his sweetheart Mary, played by the gorgeous
and magical Donna Reed, and has several gorgeous
children, living in their dream home, something
goes wrong, and now George faces prison at the
hands of the bank examiner and the evil Mr.
Potter, played excrutiatingly well by Lionel
Barrymore.
After hitting rock bottom,
George runs out of the house in a fit of rage,
runs to the bridge in the snow with the intention
to throw himself over, hoping the insurance
movie will save his family, even if he has to
sacrifice himself to do it. When another man,
throws himself in first, and George goes from
victim to rescuer just like that. But, this
man, Clarence threw himself in to save George
from jumping in to kill himself... and Clarence
is actually an angel, second class, trying to
earn his wings.
It's A Wonderful Life
is a love story, black and white, full of atmosphere,
and beauitiful music and emotion. The scene
at the highschool dance, where the floor opens
to reveal a swimming pool has been copied in
many contemporary tv and films over the last
half century.
A movie to be enjoyed
over and over and over again.
Soundclips from
the movie
James Stewart
as George Bailey:
| [listen] |
Get me back, I don't care
what happens to me... |
| [listen] |
Help me, Clarence, please. |
| [listen] |
I want to live again. |
| [listen] |
Nooooope, nope nope nope. Now look, Joe.
Now look, I want a big one! |
| [listen] |
Ward Bond: George! Hey, what's the
matter? |
| [listen] |
Now, get out of here, Burt, or I'll hit
you again! Get out of here! |
| [listen] |
I wish I had a million dollars... Hot
dog! |
| [listen] |
Stewart: Well, I know everybody you know...
your brother-in-law, Uncle Billy!
Beulah Bondi: "You know him?"
Stewart: "Well, sure I do."
Bondi: "When dya see him last?"
Stewart: "Today, over at his house."
Bondi: "It's a lie! He's been in the
insane asylum ever since he lost his business.
And, if you ask me that's where you belong." |
| [listen] |
Ya, you want the Moon? Just say the word,
and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull
it down. |
| [listen] |
In the whole vast configuration of things,
I'd say you were nothing but a scurvy little
spider!... And that goes for you, too! |
| [listen] |
Stewart: "Mary, Mary! It's George!
Don't you know me? What's happened to us?"
Donna Reed: "I don't know you! Let
me go!"
Stewart: "Mary, please! Oh, don't do
this to me, please Mary! Help me! Where's
our kids? I need you, Mary!"
Donna Reed screams. |
| [listen] |
Stewart: "Hey, Merry Christmas, Mr.
Potter!"
Lionel Barrymore: "Happy New Year to
you... in jail! Go on home, they're waiting
for you! Heh!" |
| [listen] |
Stewart: "Mr. Gower, this is George
Bailey! Don't you know me?"
H. B. Warner: "No... no!" |
| [listen] |
Beulah Bondi: "Well?"
Jimmy Stewart: "Mother..."
Bondi: " 'Mother?' What do you want?"
|
| [listen] |
Donna Reed: "George Bailey!"
Jimmy Stewart: "This requires a little
thought here."
Donna Reed: "Give me my robe!" |
| [listen] |
Now shut up! Cut it out! You, you're crazy,
that's what I think! You're, you're screwy!
You're driving me crazy, too, I'm seeing
things here! I'm going home to see my wife
and family, you understand that? And I'm
going home alone! |
| [listen] |
Donna Reed: "Have a hectic day?"
Jimmy Stewart: "Oh, yeah, another big
red-letter day for the Baileys."
Larry Simms: "Daddy, the Browns next
door have a new car. You should see it."
Stewart: "Well, what's the matter with
our car? Isn't it good enough for ya?"
Simms: "Yes, Daddy."J
immy Hawkins: " 'Scuse me... 'Scuse
me."
Stewart: "Excuse you for what?"
Hawkins: "I burped." |
| [listen]
|
Donna Reed: "I'll call the police!"
Jimmy Stewart: "They're way downtown.
They'd be on my side, too."
Donna Reed: "Then I'm going to scream!" |
| [listen] |
Karolyn Grimes: "Look, Daddy. Teacher
says every time a bell rings, an angel gets
his wings."
Jimmy Stewart: "That's right... that's
right. Attaboy, Clarence." |
| |
|
Mr. Potter:
| [listen]
|
Charity |
| [listen] |
Lionel Barrymore: "Hee! You're worth
more dead than alive. Why don't you go to
the riff-raff you love so much and ask them
to let you have eight thousand? You know
why? Because they'd run you out of town
on a rail." |
Miscellaneous:
| [listen] |
You've got the I.Q. of a rabbit |
| [listen] |
Mr Gower to young George |
| [listen] |
Clarence about George |
| [listen] |
Frank Albertson: "Hee haw!"
Jimmy Stewart: "Uh oh, Sam Wainwright."
|
| [listen] |
Jeanine Ann: "Help me down?"
Bobby Anderson: "Help you down?" |
| [listen] |
Carl Switzer: "Now to get back to
my story, see... Hey, this is my dance!"
Jimmy Stewart: "Oh, why don't you stop
annoying people?"
Switzer: "Well, I'm sorry -- Hey!" |
| [listen] |
Henry Travers: "How'm I doing, Joseph?
Thanks... No, I didn't have a drink!" |
| [listen] |
Jeanine Ann: "I like him."
Jean Gale: "You like every boy."
Ann: "What's wrong with that?" |
| [listen] |
Henry Travers: "Mulled wine! Heavy
on the cinnamon and light on the cloves.
Off with you, me lad, and be lively!"
Sheldon Leonard: "Hey look, mister.
We serve hard drinks in here for men who
want to get drunk fast, and we don't need
any characters around to give the joint
atmosphere, is that clear?" |
| [listen] |
Thomas Mitchell: "This is a pickle,
George! This is a pickle!" |
| [listen]
|
Sheldon Leonard: "That does it! Out
you two pixies go, through the door or out
the window!"
Jimmy Stewart: "Look, Nick, what's
wrong?" |
| [listen] |
Sarah Edwards: "Mary, who's down
there with you?"
Donna Reed: "It's George Bailey, Mother."
Edwards: "George Bailey! What's he
want?"
Donna Reed: "He's making violent love
to me, Mother." |
"The movie It's
A Wonderful Life is one of a very few classics
fills which can fill a theater even when it
is shown over fifty years after it was released.
Though usually thought of as a Christmas movie,
it is far, far more. The messages which IAWL
conveys –– that of hope, responsibility
to others, personal responsibility, and traditional
values –– makes IAWL not only a
rich movie, but a indeed a cultural experience."
- IAWL Webring
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