he's a business man. my dad would always go off on how this old man got away with so much, but in the end of the film mr potter is a crabby old scamp, stewing in his venom, while George bailey got the recognition and love of his friends and family.
The sad part is that your dad is right. George Bailey is the only thing in his way, everyone else just lets him d whatever. The second Bailey slips, or isn't in town on a day he acts, it's over.
@@KutWrite true but as someone who's worked as a CNA, too many of these ppl live the end of their days alone, with ko visitors and with only us caregivers at their side at the end. If I had family left, I would feel terrible if not one felt enough for me to comfort me in the end...
Maybe so, but I'm a firm believer in karma, and he should of got his in that movie. I hate it when the bad guy gets away with things, like a certain former president. Theirs a lot of similarities with those two.
@Greg Elchert They also brought in a marksman to shoot out the window Donna Reed was supposed to take out with a rock. She played baseball all her life. She nailed it in one take.
I personally think that the fact that we don’t see what becomes of Potter is actually important to the story itself. I think he is there to act as a force of negation, nature and opposition - he is an obstacle. The story isn’t about how George wins and Potter loses… the story is about how George is renewed in his faith in life… after all, that’s the name of the movie. As an obstacle, Potter isn’t important… George has overcome the obstacles he faced by the end of the film, and is renewed. Potter, in effect, is a literal allegory, and is incidental to the plot. It could just as easily have been a dragon, a plague, a war. He is in opposition to George, and that - not the man himself - is the important part to the story as it is told to us. Just an idea.
@@alicianelson1252 I don’t think the fact that he is a villain is the main point. It’s that he’s an obstacle. That’s the point. That’s why it doesn’t matter whether or not he gets his comeuppance, it’s actually not the central thesis of the movie - which, for me, is having faith in oneself and the people who love you, regardless of what is put in your way. Fair play though - it is just my opinion.
Part of what makes the film so compelling is how easy it is to relate to George. He is a regular guy struggling with his own emotions and feelings, not wanting to do what is right but who knows he has to do what is right or else he would regret it later. It is the tension between doing what we want and doing what we know is best that makes him relatable. He is a good man who is not perfect - this is what makes it a classic story.
Plenty of more physically and vocally imposing actors were considered for the role of Mr. Potter, including the great Vincent Price, whom I adore, but I'm glad that wheelchair-bound Lionel Barrymore won the part. It reminds us that evil comes in all shapes and sizes, including deceptively diminutive ones. Fun fact: Potter was supposed to keel over from a heart attack while the town came to George Bailey's aid, but the scene was deemed too dark and shocking for such an otherwise wholesome film, so it was cut. In the live stage production, there's now an added scene where Clarence uses his powers to expose Potter to the police. There is one crucial scene I feel you overlooked: when Potter becomes head of the draft board during WWII. Maybe I'm reading too deeply into this, but the rate at which he approves drafting countless citizens of Bedford Falls while barely glancing at their files strongly suggests to me that he knew many of them should've been rejected 4F but enlisted them anyway because he was looking forward to seizing their assets once they died overseas. And even if their surviving estate holders managed to stop him with George Bailey's help, Potter still saw their deaths as a benefit because it meant fewer people to hate and oppose him. Being head of a draft board with no oversight committee despite the obvious conflict of interest, he'll never be held accountable for essentially committing mass murder and war profiteering, which is far more egregious than stealing the $8,000 later on. If you're looking for another great Frank Capra villain, you should do Jonathan Brewster from Arsenic and Old Lace.
I figure that the fact of Potter being in a wheelchair is the key to his character. Most likely from an avoidable accident than an illness. He possesses all of his mental facilities, yet is never even seen standing, much less walking with the aid of a cane or crutches. His infirmity must have been complete and happened in the prime of his life, its cause leading him to be permanently angered and embittered toward humanity itself. And, of course, Barrymore was one helluva an actor.
A favorite detail about that is in certain scenes, you can see Potter slightly elevated above everyone else. Even though he is always sitting in a wheelchair. Like when George was seeing him in his office and the guest chair was way lower than expected. It might have been something he did on purpose to give himself an ego. The only way to defeat that was to stand up to him. (Literally and figuratively)
Apparently it was a decided that Potter was in his chair due to Polio- of course Lionel Barrymore was disabled due to other circumstances but that was the decision made to explain Potter’s predicament.
I've always felt like I'm living in the world where George Bailey doesn't exist and Henry Potter got his greedy mits on the ol Building and Loan. Wonder what life would be like with him here.
This is the same thing as "I wish I had a Samwise Gamgee in my life, carrying me up Mount Doom in my hardest moments". I sympathize, but it's up to us to try and be the Sam or the George, man. They're not gonna pop out of nowhere😅
Meanwhile the people keep waiting for salvation, whether from Jesus or from the Government. Heaven knows that the Bedford Falls town council was full of progressives trying to rein in Mr. Potter with various ordinances and taxes that he only turned to his own use.
Like a lot of the villains covered on this channel probably the scariest thing about Mr Potter is that he was very much real during that time and you can definitely say there are people still like him now causing misery to anyone and everyone. We need more George Bailey's in the world.
Mr.. Potter is very real NOW. Ever end up a few bucks short of making a payment and you'll find yourself face-to-face with someone just like him in real life.
Imagine he found out he doesn’t go to jail and throws a huge angry tantrum and suffers a stroke in the middle of it and has to go to the hospital. Then he won’t have a Happy Holiday indeed.
I always envisaged Mr. Potter as being the future recipient of a Christmas Carol-style ghostly visit, after which he finds redemption, because maybe someone in Bedford Falls was out there praying for Mr. Potter, too.
Same here; I see this film as a companion to A Christmas Carol. It would be interesting to see someone make that film. But knowing filmmakers today, it would be dogshit.
@manny022 there would be loads of praise, with art exhibits and educational programs praising him for decades… Society hates learning life is great for many people, even past the end of it.
I know that we're suppose to hate Mr. Potter, but I hate the fact that he stole $8000 from the Baileys's hands, put out an arrest warrant for George Bailey, and technically got away with his crimes. Sure, with the help from the town's residents George was able to get the money, and in term was no longer going to jail, but the fact remains is that Mr. Potter stole the money so that he could bring down George, and still kept the money on his person. Rot in Hell, Henry F. Potter.
@@pointysidedown But wouldn't it be a bit more satisfying if Clarence revealed that to George that it was Potter who has the $8000? In fact, why couldn't it end with George, who's happy with his life turn out, goes to the window of Mr. Potter, and says; "Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter! And as for my Christmas gift, you can have the $8000 you stole from Uncle Billy!" Just imagine the state of shock and confusion on Mr. Potter's face.
@@OmnicidalClown1992 that would undercut the theme and message of the movie though. It’s about how even the smallest of lives can touch thousands of people.
You too, Vile Eye! I LOVE your analysis videos and I always look forward to them! Could you analyze Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series in a future episode?
I just want to say here how great Jimmy Stewart's acting was, and how much he deserved an Oscar for this film. In the boardroom scene where Potter motions to dissolve the Building and Loan, Stewart's character George tells Potter that he wants what he "can't get his fingers on". When he says the line "can't get your fingers on", his voice creaks, as I think commonly happens when we're really angry at someone and stressed.
Great video. I always loved Potter as a wonderfully realistic type of villain. As a practicing Christian, I also really appreciate the respect with which you treat the religious aspects of this film.
One of our close family friends is a retired financier and last year around xmas, he said "Aside from keeping the envelope of money, I wouldn't have done much different from Mr Potter"
Both Potter and Bailey were businessmen but Potter was a corporatist driven only by immediate profits and matket share. The business model of Bailey actually lifted people up by giving them a chance when their credit score was less than stellar. Their benefit ultimately saved Bailey when there was a run on the bank and the people actually returned the favor to Bailey and helped him stay afloat. By seeing people as only dollars and cents Potter forced people to their worst and caused them to do desperate things. That's why Pottersville was full of cabarets and saloons while Bedford Falls was a place to raise a family.
1) I see Pottersville as what happens when you get people to be slaves through their own desires, which is something that Potter must have understood given his cynicism. By getting people to “live for themselves”, they become easier to control. This is also ties into despair, misery and loneliness. 2) Relatedly, Potter never being married and having a family is indeed a strong contrast to nearly everyone else at Bedford Falls, who are married and have families. For Potter, people should be a “thrifty working class” (and he could even be quite derogatory by calling them “garlic eaters”). Owning a home, to him, is a privilege, not a necessity to both present families and to their future. 3) I was actually thinking of the very criminal act that Potter does commit, which would be grand larceny ($8,000 1945 is about $120k 2020) and malfeasance as well as a gross violation of his duties as a B&L stockholder and the *president of a bank*. 4) Until I heard “alternate Violet” knowing Potter personally, I always thought that Potter had already died in “alternate 1945” and “his spirit lives on in the town”. 5) Potter is what happens when you treat economics and commerce as a system to be used and manipulate rather than humans interacting with each other to everyone’s benefit. Furthermore, he is also happens when you let people with ambitions for power, control and dominance “have their way”. George Bailey, even with his flaws, is truly the bulk-wart against him.
There were once people in Germany who treated his people with the contempt and punishment they deserved. This kind of thing has been going on for over 2000 years.
I saw the movie recently and yes I agree, this guy was totally a douche, I just never expected him to get a spot on this channel 😂 but hey, you're the pro man.
Great video for the holidays. One of my favorite Christmas movies, that and die hard. A lot of people would say all Mr. Potter did was play the system to the best of his abilities, but he was an evil wicked man. After he took the 8 bands I was like he had no redeeming qualities
Love this movie, easily the best Christmas film ever made and one of the best movies ever, period! Makes me cry every time ❤️ And I HATE Mr. Potter! As much as I love this movie, the fact that he never got any comeuppance or suffered any kind of punishment for his actions is the one major flaw I have with the movie.
In the original planned ending, Clarence in the alternate timeline confronts Potter and he dies of a heart attack. This happened at the climax when George was realizing he never existed, and starts to cause a bit a a riot and Mr Potter happened to be there. My guess for why they cut this was for being too dark juxtaposed with the rest of the ending, which is joyous and uplifting.
Here are a couple of suggestions for Analyzing Evil: 1. Hal Stewart/Tighten from Megamind 2. Rasputia Latimore from Norbit 3. Jafar from Aladdin 4. Zira from The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride
Bedford Falls was a family town, where George Bailey was raised and where Mary wanted to raise their children. The Bailey Savings and Loan helped keep the town that way as we see with the family that the home warming gifts were given to. Look at what Hill Valley became under Biff (who also did not have his own children) in Back to the Future 2.
Happy Holidays. An interesting insight of a Scroogy styled villain. As suggestions for more videos in the future; 1. Ned Trent - The Specialist 2. Vicious - Cowboy Bebop (Anime) 3. Dorian Tyrone - The Mask 4. Simon Phoenix - Demolition Man 5. Athena - Noir (Anime) 6. King Haggard - The Last Unicron
I can definitely agree with Simon Phoenix, though I'd add in the movie's other main antagonist Raymond Cocteau in the same analysis as well since they are two sides of societal extremity. Simon is a barbaric sociopath, an anarchist who does whatever he wants because he knows he cannot be stopped, he is chaos and freedom taken to its most extreme form, with his core beliefs being along the lines of "survival of the fittest" and "might makes right". Cocteau, meanwhile, is an autocratic dictator who under the surface of his pristine society has robbed everyone of privacy, choice, and lifestyle and convinces the populace they must do so for the greater good while punishing and otherizing any who don't fully submit and smearing those who outright oppose his despotism as terrorists, authoritarianism taken to its most extreme form.
Dude, your growth has been insane. I've been watching you since you were in the hundreds and even just the past year going from a couple thousand to hundreds of thousands is insane. Fantastic job👍
7:18 I wouldn’t say it’s “Temptation” per say, more like he targets a persons desperation perfectly, choosing his words carefully in order to make a person think they have no choice other than to side with him.
Awesome analysis! Well worth the wait! Mr. Potter isn't just an iconic Christmas villain but an iconic cinema villain, I'm glad you did this video! The thing about Pottersville is it may look appealing to the visiting tourist, but the residents are clearly miserable and then taking into account the establishments(all owned by Potter) are all a designed as a means to entice people into carelessly spending their money on the temporary pleasures and distractions they provide from the poverty Potter deliberately keeps everyone in, providing them means to cope with their inescapable situation but only to suck more money from them, leading to them falling further into debt with Potter or working for him at one of his establishments, further fitting the Devil analogy you gave and how he uses temptation as his greatest weapon, offering you something you want but taking all you have in turn. One way or another, in Pottersville, eventually, he will own you.
I had the pleasure to be cast as Mr. Potter for my theatres show, and it was such a fun time. In the show script he visibly finds the money and think about returning it but changes his mind and shoves it in his pocket. I was shooting to be cast as George but ended up thinking Mr. Potter was more fun to play
Fun fact: Harry Potter had a great grandpa was also named Henry Potter but went by Harry. Be funny if someone did a parody were turns out Mr. Potter was a wizard in disguise. This would also explain all the wealth young 11 y/o Harry had at Gringotts. The timeline matches up, too.
I absolutely love this channel! I have a weird one for you though. I've been binging Seinfeld on Netflix and I think you could do one on George Costanza from that show. He's a great example of every day evils that we come across in our day to day lives. Selfish, cowardly, manipulative, a pathological liar. Shallow, cheap, whiny and so on so forth.
I first saw this movie when I was like 10 or 11, and all the business stuff just went over my head at the time. Yet after watching this video, which was primarily focused on the antagonist, I now see the genius of this movie.
I'm always fascinated by the voiceless character who seems to be Potter's PA (pushing his wheelchair and so on). He sees Potter steal the money, and he gets a close-up showing his disgust and discomfort. It's a great little character moment, and I wish we saw more of him.
What most impresses me here is that this entire video is underscored by the final movement of Ode to Joy, which does wonderful justice to George Bailey. Thanks.
I have my own theory that Potter's inability to walk is what led him to develop such a venomous spite towards the human race, perhaps someone hurt him very badly and in the process, hurt his family, maybe he did have a wife once, maybe even a child but someone them away from him, crippling him in the process thus he saw the world differently, since that very day he had no love for anyone anymore, fearing they'd just be taken away like his family and to fill the bottomless hole within he soul, he focused on securing wealth, forever blind to the frittering of his own life.
Mr. Potter reminds me a little bit of Brad Wesley from the film, "Road House". Both are greedy businessmen who go out of their way to extort money out of small businesses in their respective small towns and bullied the residents into submission. Though Wesley is more of a criminal than Mr. Potter, because he committed acts of violence and racketeering to get where he was, and he got his comeuppance in the end.
So no mention of Potter being confined to a wheelchair? Which is pointed out in the movie to be one of the reasons why he is bitter? He probably came from a well off family, contracted Polio when young and lost the use of his legs. Back in that time people in his condition were often sent to live their life in care homes, sent out of the public eye. He became bitter and resentful in life as a result.
Considering how stressed out George was, along with the fact that he had been drowning his sorrows earlier, it’s clear that he wasn’t thinking straight at the time.
My mom has a book on "It's a Wonderful Life" and there was a proposed sequel set in the 1980s with an adult Zuzu helping out a now elderly George Bailey try to protect Bedford Falls from being knocked down by tycoons. Potter's fate was mentioned- he, surprisingly, had a change of heart toward the end of his life and became a philanthropist, but when he died in the mid 1950s he was buried clutching two $100 bills in each hand to show that you CAN take it with you.
One of the great ironies of this is that the role of Mr. Potter was one of the very few heavies that Lionel Barrymore portrayed during his career. He usually portrayed gruff but kindly characters. But seems that he is always associated with the role of Mr. Potter.
Watch this every Christmas. For some reason I always remembered Mr. Potter returning the money in the very last scene. After watching this video I looked up the ending on RUclips and saw it was actually the cop who came to arrest him ripping up the warrant that I was thinking of. Don't know if that's a Mandela Effect or just bad memory but there you go. Great video and Merry Christmas
In the spirit of the season - Ebenezer Scrooge; from specifically the best (imho) Christmas Carol ever. The Allistair Sim "original" (1951 b&w). Just curious about your take on ES. Love your work btw.
It’d certainly be a good introduction to V.E.’s thoughts on “redeemed evil”-type characters and whether future actions of atonement/redemption balance out past actions of clear evil, at least in his eyes.
In a sense I'm glad that Mr. Potter didn't get his "come-uppance" at the end for what he did. That way, the film more realistically portrays that evil is sadly not always punished, but we all must press on the best we can despite that...That said, SNL's alternate ending is very entertaining!
George is definitely not a completely selfish person, although he is not completely selfless, and he always has a heart for others whilst having these dreams for travel.
In a way, Potter may have been punished for his crime as a consequence of his own avarice. He owned so much, yet he was obsessed with taking the last bits of Bedford Falls. As he was thwarted by George, he was left frustrated and spent the rest of his days sulking over what he didn't have, rather than taking pleasure in all he did possess. His avarice made him as miserable as any prison sentence. As usual, excellent work! Thank you! Suggestions/Hopes for future episodes, please: A collection of several "Columbo" killers Alice Morgan from "Luther" Arthur Mitchell from "Dexter"
If you want a vision of Potter receiving justice long overdue, there's an episode of the show The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries where he does get caught for stealing the money, and gets arrested for it.
Another film starring both Lionel Barrymore and James Stewart is a comedy called You Can't Take It With You. Barrymore plays the polar opposite of Mr Potter in the film.
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? This sums up Mr. Potter in a nutshell. He gave up every bit of his own humanity, just to control a small town. This film was considered controversial when it was released because some thought it attacked capitalism, but in the quest for profit, one should never give up the fact that there is more to a company or business than just profit. Great video! How about Dr. Frankenstein with Kenneth Branagh and Robert DeNiro?
Henry Potter is the devil in the making deals part of the Bible. But HP is the holder of Pride, Greed and Wrath and in the end he only has materialistic possessions and that is not what is important but temporary. He might’ve won overall but he never saw through his own vanity and looked at what is really important in life.
A little off-topic: so I just saw this movie for the first time yesterday. And I’ve always known about it and it’s plot, but seeing for the first time, I’m surprised it’s not until the last 20-30 minutes that George meets Clarence and the “George erased from history” arc is so short. I legitimately thought that that was going to be the whole movie or at least the last 2/3rds 😅
I love your videos and the way you use your voice, everything in your videos feel master crafted and preplanned. I really appreciate your efforts in making your videos so much fun to watch and/or listen to. ❤️ Forever a fan
I think it's crucial that Mr Potter does not get his comeuppance. The story is about finding your value in spite of shattered dreams and the evil in the world. To have the evil vanquished would undermind the core message.
In the end, he turned out to be a small man trying to look big, and after the word most likely leaked out that he was responsible for George Bailey's problems, the town had lost the little respect for him they once had, and him being a small man became the reality for him until his dying days.
Can you do some of the Marvel villians? Thanos, Loki, Killmonger, Ultron, Kingpin are some that stand out to me. Also, maybe the characters in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I think that could be a light, almost funny one. Thanks! Love your channel!
It always peeved me that Potter never got his comeuppance in the end, which is surprising for a Hays code era film. I remember reading somewhere that originally Clarence was suppose to call potter and confront him for stealing the $8000 and as a result he has a heart attack.
he's a business man. my dad would always go off on how this old man got away with so much, but in the end of the film mr potter is a crabby old scamp, stewing in his venom, while George bailey got the recognition and love of his friends and family.
The sad part is that your dad is right. George Bailey is the only thing in his way, everyone else just lets him d whatever. The second Bailey slips, or isn't in town on a day he acts, it's over.
Maybe, but ya can't take recognition and love to da bank!
@@KutWrite true but as someone who's worked as a CNA, too many of these ppl live the end of their days alone, with ko visitors and with only us caregivers at their side at the end. If I had family left, I would feel terrible if not one felt enough for me to comfort me in the end...
Don't put Mr Potter's behavior off on all businessmen. You can run a business and not be evil. This man made a choice to do so
Maybe so, but I'm a firm believer in karma, and he should of got his in that movie. I hate it when the bad guy gets away with things, like a certain former president. Theirs a lot of similarities with those two.
Loved that the actor playing Potter was also a mentor for James Stewart throughout filming
Lloyd Barrymore
@@bookwormaddict3933 *Lionel
@Greg Elchert They also brought in a marksman to shoot out the window Donna Reed was supposed to take out with a rock. She played baseball all her life. She nailed it in one take.
@@reallyawesometitle7653 Drew Barrymore's great uncle.
I personally think that the fact that we don’t see what becomes of Potter is actually important to the story itself. I think he is there to act as a force of negation, nature and opposition - he is an obstacle. The story isn’t about how George wins and Potter loses… the story is about how George is renewed in his faith in life… after all, that’s the name of the movie. As an obstacle, Potter isn’t important… George has overcome the obstacles he faced by the end of the film, and is renewed. Potter, in effect, is a literal allegory, and is incidental to the plot. It could just as easily have been a dragon, a plague, a war. He is in opposition to George, and that - not the man himself - is the important part to the story as it is told to us.
Just an idea.
Good analysis!
Niiice
Yeah I guess the idea is that since it’s a Christmas movie we should forgive the villain but redemption must come first
@@alicianelson1252 I don’t think the fact that he is a villain is the main point. It’s that he’s an obstacle. That’s the point. That’s why it doesn’t matter whether or not he gets his comeuppance, it’s actually not the central thesis of the movie - which, for me, is having faith in oneself and the people who love you, regardless of what is put in your way.
Fair play though - it is just my opinion.
So true, he has no development, but he’s such an iconic villain because each action he commits hurts good people.
Part of what makes the film so compelling is how easy it is to relate to George. He is a regular guy struggling with his own emotions and feelings, not wanting to do what is right but who knows he has to do what is right or else he would regret it later. It is the tension between doing what we want and doing what we know is best that makes him relatable. He is a good man who is not perfect - this is what makes it a classic story.
Plenty of more physically and vocally imposing actors were considered for the role of Mr. Potter, including the great Vincent Price, whom I adore, but I'm glad that wheelchair-bound Lionel Barrymore won the part. It reminds us that evil comes in all shapes and sizes, including deceptively diminutive ones.
Fun fact: Potter was supposed to keel over from a heart attack while the town came to George Bailey's aid, but the scene was deemed too dark and shocking for such an otherwise wholesome film, so it was cut. In the live stage production, there's now an added scene where Clarence uses his powers to expose Potter to the police.
There is one crucial scene I feel you overlooked: when Potter becomes head of the draft board during WWII. Maybe I'm reading too deeply into this, but the rate at which he approves drafting countless citizens of Bedford Falls while barely glancing at their files strongly suggests to me that he knew many of them should've been rejected 4F but enlisted them anyway because he was looking forward to seizing their assets once they died overseas. And even if their surviving estate holders managed to stop him with George Bailey's help, Potter still saw their deaths as a benefit because it meant fewer people to hate and oppose him. Being head of a draft board with no oversight committee despite the obvious conflict of interest, he'll never be held accountable for essentially committing mass murder and war profiteering, which is far more egregious than stealing the $8,000 later on.
If you're looking for another great Frank Capra villain, you should do Jonathan Brewster from Arsenic and Old Lace.
Maybe Sydney Greenstreet as well.
I’m surprised Edward Arnold wasn’t given the role since he played villains for Capra several other times. Barrymore is amazing though.
I imagine him and his ilk would have funded both sides if they could get away with it, just to keep accumulating power.
I figure that the fact of Potter being in a wheelchair is the key to his character. Most likely from an avoidable accident than an illness. He possesses all of his mental facilities, yet is never even seen standing, much less walking with the aid of a cane or crutches. His infirmity must have been complete and happened in the prime of his life, its cause leading him to be permanently angered and embittered toward humanity itself.
And, of course, Barrymore was one helluva an actor.
A favorite detail about that is in certain scenes, you can see Potter slightly elevated above everyone else. Even though he is always sitting in a wheelchair. Like when George was seeing him in his office and the guest chair was way lower than expected. It might have been something he did on purpose to give himself an ego. The only way to defeat that was to stand up to him. (Literally and figuratively)
@@SlappersOnly819 That's part of the reason I would forget that he was in a wheelchair years ago.
The actor was in a wheelchair in real life because he hurt his back.
Apparently it was a decided that Potter was in his chair due to Polio- of course Lionel Barrymore was disabled due to other circumstances but that was the decision made to explain Potter’s predicament.
I've always felt like I'm living in the world where George Bailey doesn't exist and Henry Potter got his greedy mits on the ol Building and Loan. Wonder what life would be like with him here.
I know just what you mean
Or you could be like George Baily
@@martinsandoval9380 being like George is dangerous for your health... could lead one to suicide
This is the same thing as "I wish I had a Samwise Gamgee in my life, carrying me up Mount Doom in my hardest moments". I sympathize, but it's up to us to try and be the Sam or the George, man. They're not gonna pop out of nowhere😅
Meanwhile the people keep waiting for salvation, whether from Jesus or from the Government. Heaven knows that the Bedford Falls town council was full of progressives trying to rein in Mr. Potter with various ordinances and taxes that he only turned to his own use.
Like a lot of the villains covered on this channel probably the scariest thing about Mr Potter is that he was very much real during that time and you can definitely say there are people still like him now causing misery to anyone and everyone.
We need more George Bailey's in the world.
The chosenites.
Mr.. Potter is very real NOW. Ever end up a few bucks short of making a payment and you'll find yourself face-to-face with someone just like him in real life.
@ElvenRaptor I agree the older I get the more I realize how many Mr Potters there are in the world
He's one of the main inspirations for Mr. Burns from The Simpsons.
Excellent!
Feels more like more Mr Krabs
It’s Jacob Rothschild , who mr burns is based on
@@ChelseaKTBFFH-qm9gk “one of the”
Quite true.
"And a merry Christmas to you George!...........IN JAIL" this quote has bounced around my brain for the longest time, what a great movie this is
"Happy New Years," silly goose muffin
Imagine he found out he doesn’t go to jail and throws a huge angry tantrum and suffers a stroke in the middle of it and has to go to the hospital. Then he won’t have a Happy Holiday indeed.
One of my all-time favorite Christmas movies. Thank you for analyzing this “warped, frustrated old man”!
I always envisaged Mr. Potter as being the future recipient of a Christmas Carol-style ghostly visit, after which he finds redemption, because maybe someone in Bedford Falls was out there praying for Mr. Potter, too.
Just started writing my fan fiction, :)
Headcanon accepted
Same here; I see this film as a companion to A Christmas Carol. It would be interesting to see someone make that film. But knowing filmmakers today, it would be dogshit.
Ironic, because Lionel Barrymore was actually the voice of Scrooge in a Christmas Carol for the radio broadcasts at the time.
@manny022 there would be loads of praise, with art exhibits and educational programs praising him for decades…
Society hates learning life is great for many people, even past the end of it.
I know that we're suppose to hate Mr. Potter, but I hate the fact that he stole $8000 from the Baileys's hands, put out an arrest warrant for George Bailey, and technically got away with his crimes. Sure, with the help from the town's residents George was able to get the money, and in term was no longer going to jail, but the fact remains is that Mr. Potter stole the money so that he could bring down George, and still kept the money on his person.
Rot in Hell, Henry F. Potter.
I like that potter gets away with it, more realistic.
@@pointysidedown But wouldn't it be a bit more satisfying if Clarence revealed that to George that it was Potter who has the $8000? In fact, why couldn't it end with George, who's happy with his life turn out, goes to the window of Mr. Potter, and says; "Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter! And as for my Christmas gift, you can have the $8000 you stole from Uncle Billy!"
Just imagine the state of shock and confusion on Mr. Potter's face.
👏✌️👌👍🏾😉
@@OmnicidalClown1992 that would undercut the theme and message of the movie though. It’s about how even the smallest of lives can touch thousands of people.
@@Stormkrow280 I still don't think that's a good enough excuse. I'm not asking for much, just a bit of closure, even if it's just a little bit.
Happy holidays everyone!
You too, Vile Eye! I LOVE your analysis videos and I always look forward to them! Could you analyze Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series in a future episode?
Can you do the prince of darkness 1987
I just want to say here how great Jimmy Stewart's acting was, and how much he deserved an Oscar for this film. In the boardroom scene where Potter motions to dissolve the Building and Loan, Stewart's character George tells Potter that he wants what he "can't get his fingers on". When he says the line "can't get your fingers on", his voice creaks, as I think commonly happens when we're really angry at someone and stressed.
Great video. I always loved Potter as a wonderfully realistic type of villain. As a practicing Christian, I also really appreciate the respect with which you treat the religious aspects of this film.
One of our close family friends is a retired financier and last year around xmas, he said
"Aside from keeping the envelope of money, I wouldn't have done much different from Mr Potter"
I think your friend would have kept the money irl, lol
Christmas
That’s sad
He would have kept the money, but won't admit it because it's a criminal act.
Wow. What a great friend.
Both Potter and Bailey were businessmen but Potter was a corporatist driven only by immediate profits and matket share. The business model of Bailey actually lifted people up by giving them a chance when their credit score was less than stellar. Their benefit ultimately saved Bailey when there was a run on the bank and the people actually returned the favor to Bailey and helped him stay afloat. By seeing people as only dollars and cents Potter forced people to their worst and caused them to do desperate things. That's why Pottersville was full of cabarets and saloons while Bedford Falls was a place to raise a family.
1) I see Pottersville as what happens when you get people to be slaves through their own desires, which is something that Potter must have understood given his cynicism. By getting people to “live for themselves”, they become easier to control. This is also ties into despair, misery and loneliness.
2) Relatedly, Potter never being married and having a family is indeed a strong contrast to nearly everyone else at Bedford Falls, who are married and have families. For Potter, people should be a “thrifty working class” (and he could even be quite derogatory by calling them “garlic eaters”). Owning a home, to him, is a privilege, not a necessity to both present families and to their future.
3) I was actually thinking of the very criminal act that Potter does commit, which would be grand larceny ($8,000 1945 is about $120k 2020) and malfeasance as well as a gross violation of his duties as a B&L stockholder and the *president of a bank*.
4) Until I heard “alternate Violet” knowing Potter personally, I always thought that Potter had already died in “alternate 1945” and “his spirit lives on in the town”.
5) Potter is what happens when you treat economics and commerce as a system to be used and manipulate rather than humans interacting with each other to everyone’s benefit. Furthermore, he is also happens when you let people with ambitions for power, control and dominance “have their way”. George Bailey, even with his flaws, is truly the bulk-wart against him.
There were once people in Germany who treated his people with the contempt and punishment they deserved. This kind of thing has been going on for over 2000 years.
I like the think the act of kindness the whole town expressed towards George in his greatest time in need, put Potter in the grave.
Hmmm doing this one made me think how about doing Mr Burns from The Simpsons 🤔🎄✌️…
Happy holidays to Mr Vile Eye and the entire Vile Eye community 😀😎🐶
This timeless classic has aged remarkably and is hands down my favorite Christmas movie.
Just watched this the other night. Stellar acting from Lionel Barrymore (Drew Barrymores grandfather)
Also, Kratos from God of War!!!
Interesting fact
Actually, Lionel is Drew's great-uncle. John Barrymore was her granddad
@@straburyred
Ah. Thanks for the correction
Kratos is played by the actor from the sitcom living single and also by the guy from stargate
Just watched this gem last night! One of the greatest films ever.
Mr. Potter: “But I’ve got a monopoly to maintain! I own the electric company, AND the waterworks, not to mention that hotel on ‘Baltic Avenue’!”
I saw the movie recently and yes I agree, this guy was totally a douche, I just never expected him to get a spot on this channel 😂 but hey, you're the pro man.
he'll do any character that is highly requested enough, the guy listens to his audience
I mean Mr Potter was ranked in AFI's 100 Years..... Villains as #6.
Great video for the holidays. One of my favorite Christmas movies, that and die hard. A lot of people would say all Mr. Potter did was play the system to the best of his abilities, but he was an evil wicked man. After he took the 8 bands I was like he had no redeeming qualities
Love this movie, easily the best Christmas film ever made and one of the best movies ever, period! Makes me cry every time ❤️ And I HATE Mr. Potter! As much as I love this movie, the fact that he never got any comeuppance or suffered any kind of punishment for his actions is the one major flaw I have with the movie.
I thought it was realistic that potter got away with it. Life's not fair. Sometimes bad guys win and good guys loose.
It's accurate to real life. Name me one wealthy person who ever sees any kind of justice for their misdeeds. You can't.
@@alkristopher If they get close, they fake their death, probably using some homeless person for a body.
E.g. (probably) Ken Lay and Jeffrey Epstein.
In the original planned ending, Clarence in the alternate timeline confronts Potter and he dies of a heart attack. This happened at the climax when George was realizing he never existed, and starts to cause a bit a a riot and Mr Potter happened to be there. My guess for why they cut this was for being too dark juxtaposed with the rest of the ending, which is joyous and uplifting.
@@alkristopher R. Kelly?
Here are a couple of suggestions for Analyzing Evil:
1. Hal Stewart/Tighten from Megamind
2. Rasputia Latimore from Norbit
3. Jafar from Aladdin
4. Zira from The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride
Rasputia would actually be fire 🤣
Bedford Falls was a family town, where George Bailey was raised and where Mary wanted to raise their children. The Bailey Savings and Loan helped keep the town that way as we see with the family that the home warming gifts were given to. Look at what Hill Valley became under Biff (who also did not have his own children) in Back to the Future 2.
Happy Holidays. An interesting insight of a Scroogy styled villain.
As suggestions for more videos in the future;
1. Ned Trent - The Specialist
2. Vicious - Cowboy Bebop (Anime)
3. Dorian Tyrone - The Mask
4. Simon Phoenix - Demolition Man
5. Athena - Noir (Anime)
6. King Haggard - The Last Unicron
Vicious is a man who seized power because be believed that it was his right to take it.
Simon Phoenix is a good one. The others? Meh.
If we're going with Cowboy Bebop, I'd put Vincent Vilaggio from Knocking On Heaven's Door on this list.
I can definitely agree with Simon Phoenix, though I'd add in the movie's other main antagonist Raymond Cocteau in the same analysis as well since they are two sides of societal extremity. Simon is a barbaric sociopath, an anarchist who does whatever he wants because he knows he cannot be stopped, he is chaos and freedom taken to its most extreme form, with his core beliefs being along the lines of "survival of the fittest" and "might makes right". Cocteau, meanwhile, is an autocratic dictator who under the surface of his pristine society has robbed everyone of privacy, choice, and lifestyle and convinces the populace they must do so for the greater good while punishing and otherizing any who don't fully submit and smearing those who outright oppose his despotism as terrorists, authoritarianism taken to its most extreme form.
John Kreese, from Karate Kid/Cobra Kai, would make a good episode, and Jax Teller from the Sons of Anarchy
Dude, your growth has been insane. I've been watching you since you were in the hundreds and even just the past year going from a couple thousand to hundreds of thousands is insane. Fantastic job👍
7:18 I wouldn’t say it’s “Temptation” per say, more like he targets a persons desperation perfectly, choosing his words carefully in order to make a person think they have no choice other than to side with him.
Awesome analysis! Well worth the wait! Mr. Potter isn't just an iconic Christmas villain but an iconic cinema villain, I'm glad you did this video!
The thing about Pottersville is it may look appealing to the visiting tourist, but the residents are clearly miserable and then taking into account the establishments(all owned by Potter) are all a designed as a means to entice people into carelessly spending their money on the temporary pleasures and distractions they provide from the poverty Potter deliberately keeps everyone in, providing them means to cope with their inescapable situation but only to suck more money from them, leading to them falling further into debt with Potter or working for him at one of his establishments, further fitting the Devil analogy you gave and how he uses temptation as his greatest weapon, offering you something you want but taking all you have in turn. One way or another, in Pottersville, eventually, he will own you.
Have a very Merry (and Vile) Season. I look forward to each of your Analyzing Evil vids! Keep up the stellar work.
I love watching analyzing evil.
Me too
so harry potter turned evil and changed his first name
Analyzing Evil: Colin Sullivan From The Departed
My head just exploded 🤯
I’ve watched this movie every Christmas Eve for the past 20 years and never saw the connection you made.
Well done 👏👏👏
I had the pleasure to be cast as Mr. Potter for my theatres show, and it was such a fun time. In the show script he visibly finds the money and think about returning it but changes his mind and shoves it in his pocket. I was shooting to be cast as George but ended up thinking Mr. Potter was more fun to play
Here's another greedy SOB you might want to analyze: Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), "Wall Street"
Fun fact: Harry Potter had a great grandpa was also named Henry Potter but went by Harry. Be funny if someone did a parody were turns out Mr. Potter was a wizard in disguise. This would also explain all the wealth young 11 y/o Harry had at Gringotts. The timeline matches up, too.
I absolutely love this channel!
I have a weird one for you though. I've been binging Seinfeld on Netflix and I think you could do one on George Costanza from that show. He's a great example of every day evils that we come across in our day to day lives. Selfish, cowardly, manipulative, a pathological liar. Shallow, cheap, whiny and so on so forth.
Excellent choice with Mistborn! I read it earlier this year and I loved it, and the sequels were even better. Great video too!
I first saw this movie when I was like 10 or 11, and all the business stuff just went over my head at the time. Yet after watching this video, which was primarily focused on the antagonist, I now see the genius of this movie.
I'm always fascinated by the voiceless character who seems to be Potter's PA (pushing his wheelchair and so on). He sees Potter steal the money, and he gets a close-up showing his disgust and discomfort. It's a great little character moment, and I wish we saw more of him.
Auric Goldfinger arguably the most iconic Bond villain I would love to see a analysis of. He's loves gold, only gold.
One of my favorite movies of all time.
A lil analyzing evil for my lunch break? Don't mind if I do
Great work as always. Thanks so much for your commitment to quality editing and writing.
Every little town in America had this duel fate most of the time. Sad thing is the Potters win most of the time.
What most impresses me here is that this entire video is underscored by the final movement of Ode to Joy, which does wonderful justice to George Bailey. Thanks.
I have my own theory that Potter's inability to walk is what led him to develop such a venomous spite towards the human race, perhaps someone hurt him very badly and in the process, hurt his family, maybe he did have a wife once, maybe even a child but someone them away from him, crippling him in the process thus he saw the world differently, since that very day he had no love for anyone anymore, fearing they'd just be taken away like his family and to fill the bottomless hole within he soul, he focused on securing wealth, forever blind to the frittering of his own life.
Mr. Potter reminds me a little bit of Brad Wesley from the film, "Road House".
Both are greedy businessmen who go out of their way to extort money out of small businesses in their respective small towns and bullied the residents into submission. Though Wesley is more of a criminal than Mr. Potter, because he committed acts of violence and racketeering to get where he was, and he got his comeuppance in the end.
Yep good eye but Westly is more of a "beat the crap out of the George and blow up his house to make him sign over" kind of guy, I'm thinking
So no mention of Potter being confined to a wheelchair? Which is pointed out in the movie to be one of the reasons why he is bitter? He probably came from a well off family, contracted Polio when young and lost the use of his legs. Back in that time people in his condition were often sent to live their life in care homes, sent out of the public eye. He became bitter and resentful in life as a result.
and the protag thinks he got dealt a bad hand.
I just always wondered why George never asked the angel where did his uncle put the money lol
Considering how stressed out George was, along with the fact that he had been drowning his sorrows earlier, it’s clear that he wasn’t thinking straight at the time.
Please comment on his lack of legs and how Darth Vader also had artificial legs to strut as he did.
Is this a clay feet of power parallel?
He’s vintage Logan Roy (Succession). That’s it.
My mom has a book on "It's a Wonderful Life" and there was a proposed sequel set in the 1980s with an adult Zuzu helping out a now elderly George Bailey try to protect Bedford Falls from being knocked down by tycoons. Potter's fate was mentioned- he, surprisingly, had a change of heart toward the end of his life and became a philanthropist, but when he died in the mid 1950s he was buried clutching two $100 bills in each hand to show that you CAN take it with you.
Please. Analyzing Evil : Jim/James Moriarty (BBCs Sherlock)
One of the great ironies of this is that the role of Mr. Potter was one of the very few heavies that Lionel Barrymore portrayed during his career. He usually portrayed gruff but kindly characters. But seems that he is always associated with the role of Mr. Potter.
Do a vídeo on Ted Crawford from fracture Anthony Hopkins plays him
Watch this every Christmas. For some reason I always remembered Mr. Potter returning the money in the very last scene. After watching this video I looked up the ending on RUclips and saw it was actually the cop who came to arrest him ripping up the warrant that I was thinking of. Don't know if that's a Mandela Effect or just bad memory but there you go. Great video and Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas sir! Keep the good content comin!
In the spirit of the season - Ebenezer Scrooge; from specifically the best (imho) Christmas Carol ever. The Allistair Sim "original" (1951 b&w).
Just curious about your take on ES. Love your work btw.
It’d certainly be a good introduction to V.E.’s thoughts on “redeemed evil”-type characters and whether future actions of atonement/redemption balance out past actions of clear evil, at least in his eyes.
Great work as usual! I think a breakdown on Marlo Stansfield from The Wire would make for a great episode of analyzing evil!
In a sense I'm glad that Mr. Potter didn't get his "come-uppance" at the end for what he did. That way, the film more realistically portrays that evil is sadly not always punished, but we all must press on the best we can despite that...That said, SNL's alternate ending is very entertaining!
Anybody from "The Wire" deserves to their own video.
George is definitely not a completely selfish person, although he is not completely selfless, and he always has a heart for others whilst having these dreams for travel.
Got a huge smile on my face when I saw this vid. An unexpected but wholly welcome Analysis of Evil
I'm glad you did this one.
Happy Christmas Vile and thank you for a year of entertaining and thought provoking videos!
In a way, Potter may have been punished for his crime as a consequence of his own avarice. He owned so much, yet he was obsessed with taking the last bits of Bedford Falls. As he was thwarted by George, he was left frustrated and spent the rest of his days sulking over what he didn't have, rather than taking pleasure in all he did possess. His avarice made him as miserable as any prison sentence.
As usual, excellent work! Thank you!
Suggestions/Hopes for future episodes, please:
A collection of several "Columbo" killers
Alice Morgan from "Luther"
Arthur Mitchell from "Dexter"
I've gotta rewatch this now. Thanks!
If you want a vision of Potter receiving justice long overdue, there's an episode of the show The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries where he does get caught for stealing the money, and gets arrested for it.
Another film starring both Lionel Barrymore and James Stewart is a comedy called You Can't Take It With You. Barrymore plays the polar opposite of Mr Potter in the film.
What an awesome video man!
Could you cover Lord Shen from Kung Fu Panda 2?
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? This sums up Mr. Potter in a nutshell. He gave up every bit of his own humanity, just to control a small town. This film was considered controversial when it was released because some thought it attacked capitalism, but in the quest for profit, one should never give up the fact that there is more to a company or business than just profit. Great video! How about Dr. Frankenstein with Kenneth Branagh and Robert DeNiro?
Henry Potter is the devil in the making deals part of the Bible. But HP is the holder of Pride, Greed and Wrath and in the end he only has materialistic possessions and that is not what is important but temporary. He might’ve won overall but he never saw through his own vanity and looked at what is really important in life.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
A little off-topic: so I just saw this movie for the first time yesterday. And I’ve always known about it and it’s plot, but seeing for the first time, I’m surprised it’s not until the last 20-30 minutes that George meets Clarence and the “George erased from history” arc is so short. I legitimately thought that that was going to be the whole movie or at least the last 2/3rds 😅
"It's a wonderFULL life in fact!.. For some..."
I love your videos and the way you use your voice, everything in your videos feel master crafted and preplanned. I really appreciate your efforts in making your videos so much fun to watch and/or listen to. ❤️ Forever a fan
This is such an underrated channel!
I think it's crucial that Mr Potter does not get his comeuppance. The story is about finding your value in spite of shattered dreams and the evil in the world. To have the evil vanquished would undermind the core message.
Best Christmas movie ever
Brady Hearts field from Mr. Mercedes must be done. I insist my guy
Excellent timing
In the end, he turned out to be a small man trying to look big, and after the word most likely leaked out that he was responsible for George Bailey's problems, the town had lost the little respect for him they once had, and him being a small man became the reality for him until his dying days.
Can you do some of the Marvel villians? Thanos, Loki, Killmonger, Ultron, Kingpin are some that stand out to me. Also, maybe the characters in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I think that could be a light, almost funny one. Thanks! Love your channel!
Bert/George C Scott from The Hustler should be on the list.
Can next be Littlefinger from Game of Thrones?
"Mr. Potter, I will no longer be doing my banking with you"
a lonely old dragon. what a nice thing to say.
It always peeved me that Potter never got his comeuppance in the end, which is surprising for a Hays code era film. I remember reading somewhere that originally Clarence was suppose to call potter and confront him for stealing the $8000 and as a result he has a heart attack.
in the words of Hades 👍👍 way way up for our 60th Villain what a dish what an all 😉
Do a video on Gordon Gekko from Wall Street (1987). In my opinion Gekko is more greedy than Potter. Keep up the good work.
You should do Errol Childress from True Detective season 1.