It’s A Wonderful Life…
Review by Eric Renderking Fisk -
Christmas 2010
Throughout all the years of writing
for websites, including this one, there’s been one challenge
that I haven’t meet. It should be obvious to everyone by now
that challenge is writing this “Flicks To Hold You Over”
review of this motion picture. It’s a classic staple of the
Christmas season; to many people it doesn’t “feel” like
Christmas until this Frank Capra has been watched.
Or at the very least it’s been in the background while the
tree or other parts of the house is being decorated.
What about the actual film? What is it about this movie that
is so special and essential for the season? Would it stand up
to non-holiday nostalgic?
The actual story of “It’s A Wonderful Life” is on the surface
simple but with epic over-tones. Three angels review the life
of James Stewart’s “George Bailey’s” life, from the moment he
saved his brother’s life after he fell into a break into the
frozen lake, to the minute his life almost comes full circle
and George is about to jump off the bridge on Christmas Eve
because everything he worked towards and sacrificed for was
taken away because of a few thousand dollars that were
misplaced by his uncle.
Two of the biggest life-defining moments in his life involve
ice-cold water in winter. That symbolism is no accident.
During the angel’s review of
George’s life, we meet his dad who sacrificed his own health
and emotional well-being for the people of The Bedford Falls
Savings And Loan. His biggest adversary was Mr. Potter, the
richest man in the town, and the most spiritually poor. George
has to take over The Savings And Loan for his dad after his
passing, sending his brother to college in his place. Every
time there’s a new opportunity for George to live his dream as
a builder and traveler, the rug is pulled underneath him to
keep the institution his father and his absent minded Uncle
Billy started.
There is some happiness in George’s life, with his wife Mary and his friends Burt the cop and Ernie the cab driver. There’s also Violet who wants to be more than just friends, and there’s Mr. Martini the local bar owner who is one of a few other numerous friends in the backdrop that makes Bedford Falls seem like a real place.
George’s hard life is complicated when Uncle Billy loses the
bank deposit on the same day (Christmas Eve) that the bank
examiner shows up. In a series of events that make this
horrible situation go from bad to worse, George discovers that
in the eyes of people like Mr. Potter that he’s worth more
dead than alive…
Thus bring us to the scene when
George is about to take his own life. He meets Clearance, the
angel that doesn’t have his wings yet who is sent to Earth to
help. While having the I.Q. of a rabbit and the faith of a
child, he shows George what Bedford Falls would have been like
if he hadn’t been born. The alternate version is grittier and
louder that’s full of vice. Not the kind of place where you
would want to raise a family, but if you’re a single man out
on the prowl it might be just the location. George discovers
through seeing this alternate version of his home town that he
had quite an impact, the only thing that kept old man Potter
from turning it into New York State’s answer to Las Vegas.
Knowing that George might go to jail because of his uncle’s
mistake, he tells the angel that he wants to live again and
that things should be put right. Once again at the bridge,
everything is returned to normal and George runs through the
restored town like he hadn’t seen it in ages. Obviously
everyone else thinks he’s gone insane. The final scene of the
motion picture reveals that the town does appreciate him, and
pitches in to help him and Uncle Billy set things right.
We don’t know for sure what happens to Mr. Potter, to our
knowledge he never had to face his crimes and misdeeds in this
life time. Any epilogue to address that issue might seem to
trivialize the joyous ending with all of the people gathering
around George and singing “Auld Lang Syne” as he reads the
inscription that Clarence wrote inside his dog-eared copy of
“Tom Sawyer.”
“Remember, George: no man is a
failure who has friends.”
I have an enormous sense of satisfaction each time I see that
this guiltless man who sacrificed his own needs and dreams for
the betterment of his whole town is finally recognized. While
evil isn’t vanquished this time, it’s at least deterred. The
Devil and Greed aren’t going to win this time, not on this
holiday at least.
For me, from the perspective of someone who has felt such
deep despair that I’ve actually debated taking my own life and
wished I was never born, this motion picture really speaks to
me. I know what it’s like to be caught up in something bad and
been on my knees asking God to grant me mercy this time. I
know what it’s like to have done something wrong and known
that those I love will suffer more than I will. I’ve repented
and learned from my mistakes, the biggest lesson is to allow
time to sort things out. Nothing is as bad is it originally
seems, don’t do anything rash.
I know what it’s like to be standing on the proverbial bridge
looking into the water while thinking about jumping, and I
know the sense of euphoria that comes from knowing I’ve been
forgiven or that everything was all a genuine mistake
and understanding with the whole event forgotten.
Why can’t that happen more often? How many times have honest
mistakes been made and lives were ruined as the result. Or
one’s foot slipped and because someone did something that felt
good at the time and turned into a horrible quagmire that
person couldn’t have gotten out of and wound up setting that
person back or destroyed what was precious to them?
How many times has that been us?
I want to believe that we are all a little “George Bailey.” We all do a little something to make the world better; that none of us really know the positive effects we’ve had in the lives of others. While we have all done things that we later regret or been falsely accused of malfeasance, we have tried to do good and be better people. The lives of those around us are better because we’re in our lives. I demand and insist that we are more “George Bailey” then “Mr. Potter.”
I couldn’t stand to live in a world where that isn’t true.
If there’s anyone for whom we should feel sad for, it is Mr.
Potter. Yes, he’s greedy, manipulative and perhaps evil to his
core. Worse yet, he’s unrepentant. There is no love in his
live, besides that of money. No one would shed a tear if he
died that night. If anything, Mr. Potter is in a desperate
need of a visitation from his own “Jacob Marley” and the three
spirits of Christmas.
In a tongue and cheek way I can note that this motion picture
is essential for Retrocentrics because of the obvious time
period and Mr. Stewart’s fedora that rivals that of Mr.
Bogart’s. That’s obvious, that’s a given. It also has the
message of a traditional value; the need for forgiveness,
understanding, and peace. There is no hope for peace without
forgiveness and understanding. All of us have someone we need
to forgive, if not for them but for ourselves before moving
on.
"It's A Wonderful Life" is also a message about persevering in trying to make this world a better place. It’s hard work and often thankless, but rest assured that someone is watching and taking note, somewhere.
