Thank you everyone for watching. In the editing of this reaction video, i fell in love with this film on an elevated level. The set-up scenes are all there for a reason and there are many subtle seeds sown for later. It's an incredible film. There are only a few films which go to the top of the list and we haven't covered them on the channel yet. But this film soars straight to that place for me. Technically the script structure is water tight whilst also feeling casual, and then the meaning captures something only films can. Not many films achieve this perfection. It's comforting to know you are all out there feeling similar humanity. x
Have you seen Harvey? James Stewart with a giant invisible white rabbit...yes, crazy and hilarious movie, deeper than it seems. Also about being nice and enjoying life. Thanks for your reaction, I hope you /we have a great new year, full of amazing movies and reactions! Bon Nadal from Girona!
Thank you both for your heartfelt and genuine reactions to my favourite film and favourite actor (loved your son's insight). Your reactions reminded me of the experience and joy I felt years ago when I introduced this classic to my own son.
Only until you experience the worst and best of people, are you able to understand the depth of what happened. The boy has not been around long enough to understand the full affect. Great reaction!! by both.
Wow, your son is so thoughtful and self-aware! I love how he said that he realized that it hit you harder than him because he hasn't yet had enough emotional experience to relate to the responsibilities of adulthood. Look forward to your future reactions!
Yes. Your son is mature enough to understand what he understands and doesn't yet understand emotionally. I loved watching your screening. This is my favorite film, and you inspire to watch it with my own son (he is 8)
His son is very empathetic and perceptive. You can see it in several reviews, with his feelings for animals, and how he feels when he sees people behaving cruelly towards other people, too. He doesn't yet have the life experience to fully grasp all the emotion in a film like this, but that's not because he lacks any intelligence. In fact, that he recognizes he does not have the life experience in itself proves how bright he is. I suspect, if he watches this film as an adult later in life, it will resonate with him even moreso then.
When the copyright ran out on this film, TV stations in the U.S. could broadcast it anytime they wished. Every channel showed it over and over in December, before Christmas. Americans could watch it twenty or thirty times, every year. It became part of America’s soul.
And amazingly, this was a commercial flop, putting a studio out of business and nearly ending Capra’s career. It was considered too maudlin and sentimental. Seeing a grown man break down and sob on screen didn’t help. People just weren’t ready for that. Men didn’t even hug each other back then, not even fathers and sons.
Yes, grew up with this every year on TV. It still gets me every time. And as time passes, my appreciation for it has grown more complex through the various stages of my life.
I appreciate how much of the film you left in in this edit. So many important details are often left out in reactions to this film. I love the insights that both of you have from different perspectives.
"To my big brother George . . . the richest man in town." That line and Jimmy Stewart's reaction gets me every single time. I'm so glad you both enjoyed this classic. Great reactions!
@GenerationMediaReaction Yeah because everyone knows...that's just what you're supposed to do. BTW...the gym with the pool under it? That's the Swim Gym at Beverly Hills High School. Had Phys Ed swimming in there every week when I went there (Class of '81) It's still there and still in use! and Happy Holidays!
When a little kid does something like place decorations on your head, 48:33 like George's son does to him, it is a sure sign that the child adores you.
When I was about 7-8 years old I fell through the ice covering a small pond and my cousin Peter (3 years older than me) saved me by pulling me up out of the freezing water. I recall that our biggest worry was my mother being upset about my clothes getting covered in pond muck and mud, so we went to my cousin's house where we managed to clean my clothes before I went home. Funny how we can look back at things we did as kids that in retrospect were pretty dangerous but at the time we were just being kids.
I'm barely into watching this reaction video and I'm now convinced you both and your channel have become my FAVORITE reaction video RUclipsrs. I adore you both and your authenticity!
Thank you for sharing this movie with your son. It took me years to truly appreciate this film but now the ending never fails to make me grateful and emotional. Bless you! ☺️
I've long forgotten how many times I see this, but I tear up through the whole thing, including when watching along with reactions. Sad tears but mostly happy sweet tears.
I like watching your reaction channel. The genuine emotions that show through. Like when George was having his breakdown and lashing out at his wife and children, the tears welling up in your eyes and the look of sorrow on your face show what a good husband and father you are. Your son has a great role model and is growing and learning how to be a great person.
This is BY FAR my favorite reaction of you both! I am 56, and I saw this for the first time just 3 years ago, and it brought much of a long-lost Christmas spirit back. I made myself a promise to watch it every holiday season for the rest of my life! and I love to see people discover this film. Also, I have so much respect for anyone that isn't afraid to explore films that are from another era or are black and white! Great, Great reaction guys and have a joyous Holiday season and wonderful 2025!
I love watching reactions to this film from people who truly don't expect to have their hearts so touched by a movie almost 80 years old. You are not alone in being moved to tears; I have seen men who had to take a break from filming their reactions because that last scene of all those that George had helped coming to his rescue left them sobbing uncontrollably. This movie is an annual watch for many because the message is so genuine and emotional. Your son is very astute to realize that he hasn't yet had the hard life experiences that make this movie have the effect it has on those who have struggled themselves, felt unappreciated, believed their lives haven't mattered, or who have made difficult choices and sacrifices for others. There is such a message of hope in this story and such a powerful reminder that kindness and unselfishness change lives, even when we don't realize it at the time. Thank you for one of the very best reactions to this beloved movie that I have ever seen!! I hope everything works out with your house and that your holidays are filled with joy and love and friendship!!!
Right? The first time I watched it (only a few years ago to finally see what the fuss was about) I was annoyed that we didn’t get to see Potter get some kind of comeuppance. It didn’t take long to realize that it wasn’t about Potter. We don’t see his comeuppance because we know how it ends. Hateful and alone. His irrelevancy is the point. We shouldn’t focus on what happens to those who hurt us. The best revenge is to live happily and well with no thought whatsoever of the likes of people like Potter.
@@stevenandcarminabeedle9089 Exactly. In a similar vein, when our Lord Jesus said to the the apostles when a woman washed Jesus's feet with very expensive oil and Jesus said to them the poor will always be with us, there will also always be people like Potter. Don't be too concerned about what is or isn't happening to others but appreciate and do what you should do or not do for yourself and others.
The intersection of your viewing of this movie and your house experience is a wonderful testimony. Thank you for sharing it. Kudos to Jay for understanding how his dad’s reaction to this movie differs from his own. This is my second favorite film of all time, after William Wyler’s “The Best Years of Our Lives.” Wyler’s film came out the same year and dominated the Academy Awards. Ironically Wyler and Capra were partners in the independent production company that made both films. Capra and Stewart both regarded this as the best film in their careers. Its production was a miracle in itself. The author was Philip Van Doren Stern, a prominent historian and author, who couldn’t sell the short story the movie is based on. So he sent it out to friends as a homemade, illustrated Christmas card. The story captivated Capra, who bought the rights. Stewart had come back from the war as a decorated hero, having led a bomber squadron on some 20 runs over Germany, but he had PTSD and thought he would never act again. Thankfully, his good friend, Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter), talked him into accepting the role. Stewart was drawing on real emotions in his dramatic scenes, especially in the prayer at the bar. Capra’s unmatched ability to move a story smoothly from comedy to drama and back to joy is on fully display in this film. He was aided in this by a tremendous group of character actors who appeared in many of his movies. Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy) won an Oscar for his performance in “Stagecoach.” Beulah Bondi (Ma Bailey) was a Broadway star in the 1920s and became a great character actor as she aged. I love her remarkable transformation from a loving mother to a crusty old woman in this film. H. B. Warner (Mr. Gower) was a popular star of the 1920s and also moved into character roles as he aged. He got an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in Capra’s “Lost Horizon” (1937). Not to forget Donna Reed (Mary): she played her part so well, I can’t imagine anyone better for the role. She acted in many films in the 40s and 50s, but achieved her greatest fame with a highly successful TV sitcom, “The Donna Reed Show,” which I watched as a kid in the early 60s.
H.B. Warner's best remembered performance in the silent era was in the role of Jesus Christ, in Cecil B. DeMille's remarkable Biblical epic, KING OF KINGS (1927).
@GenerationMediaReaction My father missed WW2 fighting by one year also. Instead, straight out of high school, he learned codebreaking as a civilian employee of the Army Signal Service (predecessor of the NSA). He enlisted at 18, and because of his code experience they made him a Tech Sergeant and night supervisor of the message center at MacArthur’s headquarters in Tokyo.
It's great when you see kids appreciating the classics. It's always amusing how often I see not only kids but adults too have such a negative pre-conceived view of black-&-white films that they avoid them their whole life but then when they actually give one of these great classics a chance they become so invested that they very quickly stop caring that they are watching a black-&-white film.
This reaction is incredibly wonderful and wholesome. You are a wonderful father, and your son is such a mature lad. Well done! You are a role-model for all of us. This movie is lovely. It is worth watching at this time of year, every year. Even almost 80 years later, this movie will save lives and enrich the lives of anyone who watches it. Fantastic.
One of the best reactions to this movie I have ever seen. It really is one of the most wholesome movies ever. "Remember no man is a failure who has friends" That's a quote to live by. One of the least talked about parts of the movie that I really love is Sam Wainwright the rich friend. George was his connection back to the town and you can tell that Sam still loved his town and his friend George as he kept trying to connect with him in the film. Very cool that in that hour when someone reached out to him for George he came through in a big way.
I lost a friend to a drowning when I was 19 years old. At his funeral, his best friend, another of my friends said "You can tell a man's wealth by the amount of people who attend his funeral and looking round here today, I can tell Andy was a very rich man indeed."
@GenerationMediaReaction My condolences. That's beautiful. A friend of mind died in a car accident when she was 18. She was bright and funny, intelligent and blessed many lives... I remember there were thousands of people at that funeral. Unreal. But I like to think that the amount doesn't really matter, that SOME people attend and have fond feelings is all that really matters. Whether it's 5, 50, 500, or 5000 or more. We should all strive to bless the lives of those we live with and around. God bless and Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays!
it’s a gift to watch two lives being changed in front of one’s own eyes in the span of one unforgettable film - just as one’s own was changed many decades ago as a boy in front of his tv in the 1970s - thank you
James Stewart's smile at the end is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. His range all through the movie...my favourite actor in my favourite film...and now, one of my favourite reactions to it.
25:59- I recently heard this part with uncle billy wasn’t in the script. Uncle Billy was just meant to walk away, but a crew member knocked something over, and actor who played uncle Billy improvised saying, “I’m alright”.
Thanks for reacting to this you two. This comment is directed at the younger gentleman. I was about your age when my mom asked me to watch this movie, and watching such an old movie didn’t thrill me either. Today I am 54 and my mother is gone and I have treasured this movie ever since. I hope you will too. : ) Americans used to tie strings around their fingers to remind them to do something impotant. Great reaction by both of you! Thanks!
I have watched this movie at least once per year since I was a kid, and now I watch it with my 13 year old daughter. It's always been a favorite for me, but it hit extra hard in 2020. As a lot of us know, the pressure we were all under was much higher than a lot of us had ever been under, and it was just a hard year. I always cry at the end, but because it hit so hard that year I just wept. I agree with your son, it's a good movie as a kid and hits different as an adult, but the message is good for all. Merry Christmas/happy holidays from SC in the US!
47:50 when the little squirrel consoles Uncle Billy, always breaks my heart. I think the animals add a more profound dimension to Uncle Billy, making him more sympathetic if somewhat eccentric, which is why animals are attracted to him.
I loved this and with all of my family gone it really hits me harder. You're my favorite reactors and I'm a new subscriber. The authenticity, the special, quality time you're creating and memories can look back on. Even dad taking the arguably less uncomfortable chair. :) Merry Christmas 🎄 and no man is a failure who has friends. You've got a lot here already.
The fact that you are a father and son reacting to this movie just brought the Christmas spirit right to my door, and I really needed that today. Thank you so much. I hope you have a very merry Christmas!
I always thought that this film spoke to men that are responsible and selfless...letting them know they are needed and seen. It speaks to a good woman that stands by her husband and props him up in his troubled times. You are very important
My dad truly made sure when he was alive ,he mad me an my 3 sibling's a truly wonderful life ,worked his finger to the bone to make sure we never wanted for anything, truly a big miss ,he loved james Stewart ,an watching his movies an reading up on him ,he deserved that ❤️
I've seen other reactions you two have made and your son never ceases to impress me with his cognition, his intuitive abilities and his intelligence... his thoughtfulness when communicating and he's just a wise person. Cheers to you guys and your loved ones. Have a great holiday season. Hello, from Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Warms my heart to see your son, at that tender age, say that the black & white movies are not really different from the color ones. He will soon find out that the black & white movies are the best! No dirty language, no nudity, great storyline & slower pace for great character building. It's sweet watching you guys. Merry Christmas & God bless.
It wasn’t a “Box Office Hit” in its time because there were many great movies in the theater right before, during and after it’s release. But a large portion of those films from the late 1930’s to the early 1950’s are considered some of the best films ever made, just pick a film from that period and it is sure to be a good one, if not great.
Great reaction as always! I love this film, it has such a positive message. Its really nice to see both your reactions coming from different age perspectives, and the mature conversations you have together, we need more father/sons to do this sort of thing. Hopefully Jay will remember this well when he is older. And as always, its fun to be informed of which character from this weeks film looks like one of Jays uncles 😂
PS the rooms's starting to look great, and glad you've gotten the help with your house etc, very nice to hear a happy story these days, especially after being let down so badly!
2:29 so glad you’ve found some good people to help with the house! You’re right James Stewart is amazing for sure! Hope you can watch more. J may like Rear Window…? And you too, of course, D! 😊
30:00 Being from Rochester this is a huge move for us. Frank Capra's aunt lived in Seneca Falls which was the inspiration for Bedford fall. A couple of years ago The George Eastman house screened the original film. It was a treat to see the original film on the big screen.
Tying a string around your finger was to remind you to do something…to not forget. Also, the guy at the dance that Mary was talking to when George steals her away for the dance contest…that actor is Alfalfa from the Little Rascals…grown up of course
🥹🥹🥹 I’d forgotten how powerful this movie was……I do hope J continues his curiosity and maturity throughout his life and not just watching the movies! Well done D for sharing with him just how important seeking help and showing vulnerability is. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
No shame in letting your boy see you cry. It will teach him how to work through hard things. Cry when you need to then get right back up and try again. Both of you are wonderful 😊
I absolutely love this film! Your reaction is one of the best I have seen. The two of you seem to have a great relationship. I don't think I'd have had the maturity to appreciate it at the age of this young man. He's very mature and perceptive. I definitely picked up on how differently itnimpacted the dad since he was old enough to imagine how crushing the responsibility amd disappointments were for George
Tying a string around one's finger was an old-time way of prompting one's self to remember something. Sort of like how we today would set a reminder on our phone, but one without a description. Just the odd sight of the string would be enough of a reminder that there was something of importance we shouldn't forget. The fact that Uncle Billy had several of them was a statement about his being absent-minded.
You are giving your son a great legacy in so many ways. Please stay exactly the way you are. Much love at Christmas to you and yours from Grandma Kat in Colorado, USA. Your son is a very intelligent young man. You both give me great joy watching movies and reactions with you. Thank you.
Thank you so much! Sometimes i think that these videos will always be on youtube and at some point far in the future, he will always have these videos to view.
Clarence's contribution was that not only did he keep George from taking his own life, he gave him appreciation for what his life had meant to the town and his family, as well as appreciation for the blessings he actually did have in his life. The town coming together to keep him from going to jail (you can't, after all accept deposits from bank members and not actually deposit it for them) was just icing on the cake for George. Feeling safe and loved by his community was precious, but he had already come to the conclusion that his life was worth living even if he had gone to jail.
I'm not religious but I still love this film. You could say that this is about the christian god showing a man the value of his life. You could also say it is about the value of friends and family irrespective of religion.
NEW SUBSCRIBER on THIS ONE! Oh, Dad: I am SO PROUD that you showed your son this movie!! I cried RIGHT ALONG WITH YOU!!! Such a GREAT MOVIE!!! LOVE THIS ONE at Christmas-time: or ANYTIME!!! :) HUGS to you: BOTH!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! :)
This is such a wonderful channel. Showing your son the greatness of my and previous generations' movies/ We put thought and soul into our movies. We were not fed an agenda. And your son shows maturity in recognizing that the level at which you and I watch this movie, but smart enough to know you have to live that experience to actually understand it..that is ahead of his time. Experience is everything..and you can't get it if you end your life early. Be kind: rewind. lol. Karma will find you when you need it.
Absolutely enjoyed seeing both perspectives from you guys. Generations reacting is so perfect, especially in these feel good older classics. Thanks for being vulnerable on screen for us all to enjoy. Have a lovely holidays and New Year to come!
Fun watch! I’ve seen it dozens of times and cried right along with you…lol! A lot of heartwarming set up for a wonderful payoff!! Love it so much that I have a huge sign with the movies title on my wall.❤
It's very much a film that we would like the world to be. It's a big slice of Americana but I love it. Jimmy Stewart was incredible throughout, supported with an excellent cast and a fantastic story. I have the same problem with leaky eyes with the film even though I know what's coming! I first watched this movie 10 years ago when I was a particularly low ebb and it made me cry but ironically I felt so much better for watching it. Thank you both for the reactions this year, it's appreciated. I hppe that you have an enjoyable Christmas and I wish that 2025 is full of happiness for you and your family.
I take my hat off to you… you seem to have ‘gotten’ the subtle (suggestive) hint at 13:12 when Bert the cop says “I’m gonna go home and see what the wife’s doing” 😄 This seems always to bypass people, goes over their heads. No-one ‘gets’ this. [strictly adult… not for kids to understand, of course 😃)
So wonderful you are seeing this film, as you are going through something a bit similar. Congratulations on your studio, I am excited to see it become what you both wish it to be. Happy Holidays to all of your family and friends!
Jimmy Stewart was a beloved actor in the US. The Tom Hanks of his era but with being a bona fide war hero atop that. He flew 20 combat missions in Europe as a B-24 pilot and was a senior commander of his wing and thus assigned his friends to missions they never returned from. This was his first post-war film and he has what we’d now call PTSD and survivor’s guilt. His pain is all over the performance- the script didn’t call for him to cry in the bar / praying scene but his emotions bubbled up. The man stayed in the Air Force reserves and rose to Brigadier General. His last combat mission was as an observer on a B-52 over Vietnam. The dance floor was the school gym / basketball court with the school pool underneath. It was a high school graduation party. The close up you mentioned - the cameras were so heavy and unwieldily that actors had to walk to the camera for the close-ups. George was devastated when Harry wasn’t going to take over the business and allow him to leave crummy Bedford Falls for good. All his hopes and dreams dashed. That’s why he was so moody when he went to see Mary and was cranky at her house. The first bank run would have been Great Depression era - it was not uncommon and there was no government backstop / insurance on deposits. I love how they tried to make a stunning 25 year old Donna Reed look like an “old maid” just by adding glasses and a hat. Hottest “old maid” ever.
Jimmy Stewart had PTSD after world war II And this was the first movie he made after he came back from the war. All of that frustration and anger and emotion that he showed toward his family after Uncle Billy lost the money was a lot of it. Jimmy Stewart. It's genuine emotion.
Another classic, which culminates at Christmas, is Shop Around the Corner. It was filmed before the war, starring James Stewart. His acting is superb. The difference in Jimmy pre- and post-war is remarkable.
THANK YOU for this! Quickly becoming one of my FAVORITE reaction channels!! ❤️ Father & son are both sweet & sensitive souls. Yes, we need more of this type of people in the world! 💔❤️🩹
I think my son was was about the age of your son when I took him to see this film at a small theater showing. Its really cool to see you & your son having a similar experience. My son is now 27 & such a wonderful/kind young man. Spending time with your son talking about all kinds of things while you do these reactions is important. Your son will remember these talks & appreciate the time spent with you for his whole life. I'm sure you will too. I know I treasure all the long talks about life & silly stuff that I've had with my kids and now grandkids.
The school had limited square footage, so one of George's ideas was to have a retractable floor so that the school could have both a gymnasium and a swimming pool without constructing entirely different buildings or a larger building. Another very casual thing George did was suggest his friend Sam locate his new business in Bedford Falls within a shut down business. This meant that people in town out of work would get good factory jobs while Sam had a ready made factory with an available work force anxious and willing to work. Sam benefitted, the people benefitted and the city benefitted and all based on a comment made in a moment to a friend that trusted his opinion. The impact of that alone would be hard to calculate. And this is on top of the fact that the new business was based on a conversation George and Sam had based upon George's keeping up with current possibilities for industry and how he presented those possibilities to others. All that was conveyed in very few words. Very efficient and powerful if you see it. Also some people think George gave up everything he wanted in life. I believe that George thought that as well and the resentments were pushed down and bottled up. But if you have had your eyes examined for corrective lenses before, the optometrist with switch between lenses and say "better this way or this." The person makes a series of choices between available options and gets the pair of glasses that are best for him. So George had an image of Bedford Falls and he loved the way it was more than even he imagined. And he loved his friends and couldn't be happy or at peace if they weren't happy. So at each step, he made HIS choice. If he had no feelings for the town or his friends or the man he wanted to be, he would have run towards what he said he wanted. So his life was a series of choices that molded and preserved a better Bedford Falls. He just didn't realize how much he loved it all and how he shaped it. It was only when he lost it all that he knew that he really had everything he really wanted. A funny thing is that Potter offered him the solution to his problems -- to ask the "riff-raff" that he had helped to help him now that he needed it. Another reactor wanted to see what happened to Potter. Just this week after decades of knowing this film, I ran across a RUclips clip showing the lost final scene from this movie! ruclips.net/video/vw89o0afb2A/видео.html
seeing this when your son's age I think will give him more perspective to deal with hardships if he has them when he is older.. even simple adversities can be dealt with in more than one way with different outcomes... kindness goes a long way
1:12:08 J…you get it❤ A good lesson to reflect on; and remember if you ever get discouraged. Always try to surround yourself with good people (friends). The real ones will never desert you! 😊
The angel, Clarence, most certainly did something: He literally saved George's life. Had he not appeared to George, George would have went through with taking his own life. Yes, the town would have heard about George's troubles from Mary and still have come through for him, but he wouldn't have been alive to see that outcome. Great review, and I am glad your son also appreciated it and didn't let the fact it's a black and white movie keep him from enjoying it. Because he doesn't have a bias as too many people do against B&W films these days, a whole world of great films and videos will be open for him to discover. Oh, and trivia for those who don't know: The fellow trying to dance with Mary near the beginning, who opens the swimming pool up at the dance with another fellow, that's an adult Carl Switzer, "Alfalfa" from the original Little Rascals film series, AKA Our Gang. Merry Christmas to you both, and your other family, as well.
Love the reaction as always, guys! This is one of my favorite movies, so glad you're watching it :) ... (as a side note, the swimming pool under the gymnasium isn't really typical of schools here in the States, but it IS a real school in California that I believe is still operational!) Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.
I believe some clubs had them. A building with a Masonic Temple portion in my hometown had one. Sadly, the building burned a few years ago. High end item for sure. My state invested in new schools in communities like my hometown in the 1970s that had swimming pools. Just not a kind with movable floor. Them days of additional cost items as that are gone but for highest end communities.
The dance floor was not a set in a sound studio, but a gymnasium at Beverly Hills High School, Beverly Hills California. It is still being used to this day. Jimmy Stewart flew over 20 bombing missions over Europe, he was suffering from PTSD when he was praying to God in Martini's Bar. Mr. Potter was played by Lionel Barrymore distant relative of Drew Barrymore.
I'm impressed that your boy can read cursive!!! It's not taught here in the US anymore. He really seemed to understand the movie so well and sometimes he even got it before Dad did. I like this kid.
Thank you everyone for watching. In the editing of this reaction video, i fell in love with this film on an elevated level. The set-up scenes are all there for a reason and there are many subtle seeds sown for later. It's an incredible film. There are only a few films which go to the top of the list and we haven't covered them on the channel yet. But this film soars straight to that place for me. Technically the script structure is water tight whilst also feeling casual, and then the meaning captures something only films can. Not many films achieve this perfection. It's comforting to know you are all out there feeling similar humanity. x
Have you seen Harvey? James Stewart with a giant invisible white rabbit...yes, crazy and hilarious movie, deeper than it seems. Also about being nice and enjoying life. Thanks for your reaction, I hope you /we have a great new year, full of amazing movies and reactions! Bon Nadal from Girona!
Thank you both for your heartfelt and genuine reactions to my favourite film and favourite actor (loved your son's insight). Your reactions reminded me of the experience and joy I felt years ago when I introduced this classic to my own son.
@@susannariera On the list it goes !
@@susannariera Another amazing classic, which as you say is much deeper than it may first appear despite the quirky and hilarious humour.
@@sharonstephens5447 Wow, this film is bigger than cinema it seems
I never tire of dad's healthy emotional role-modeling to his son. And the very mature conversations they have. The world needs more of this.
Indeed... More parents need to do this...
Just like Mr Bailey and George...
For sure, he's high up the list of good reaction role models with Brandon and Addison at EDN, the Murder Whistle, and Casual Nerd.
Only until you experience the worst and best of people, are you able to understand the depth of what happened.
The boy has not been around long enough to understand the full affect.
Great reaction!! by both.
That’s a fine young man he’s raising
Wow, your son is so thoughtful and self-aware! I love how he said that he realized that it hit you harder than him because he hasn't yet had enough emotional experience to relate to the responsibilities of adulthood. Look forward to your future reactions!
Thank you, his reactions are surprising me too!
@GenerationMediaReactionHe’s a cool kid. You must be very proud of him ❤ Good job, dad!
Yes. Your son is mature enough to understand what he understands and doesn't yet understand emotionally. I loved watching your screening. This is my favorite film, and you inspire to watch it with my own son (he is 8)
His son is very empathetic and perceptive. You can see it in several reviews, with his feelings for animals, and how he feels when he sees people behaving cruelly towards other people, too. He doesn't yet have the life experience to fully grasp all the emotion in a film like this, but that's not because he lacks any intelligence. In fact, that he recognizes he does not have the life experience in itself proves how bright he is. I suspect, if he watches this film as an adult later in life, it will resonate with him even moreso then.
@GenerationMediaReaction Honestly, this channel should be on any playlist about parenting skills. You guys are such a great duo.
This movie has saved so many people from suicide or from breaking down. It restores your faith in humanity.
What a great reaction! The father is a wonderful parent, and the son is incredibly wise!
When the copyright ran out on this film, TV stations in the U.S. could broadcast it anytime they wished. Every channel showed it over and over in December, before Christmas. Americans could watch it twenty or thirty times, every year. It became part of America’s soul.
And amazingly, this was a commercial flop, putting a studio out of business and nearly ending Capra’s career. It was considered too maudlin and sentimental. Seeing a grown man break down and sob on screen didn’t help. People just weren’t ready for that. Men didn’t even hug each other back then, not even fathers and sons.
Yes, grew up with this every year on TV. It still gets me every time. And as time passes, my appreciation for it has grown more complex through the various stages of my life.
I appreciate how much of the film you left in in this edit. So many important details are often left out in reactions to this film. I love the insights that both of you have from different perspectives.
Thank you, the editing can be tricky to select which parts to keep and which to discard sometimes.
Isn’t that the Most Beautiful Ending Ever?????!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the tears!!! Glad to see it touched you too!! I cry every time!!!💕
Tears of joy.
"To my big brother George . . . the richest man in town." That line and Jimmy Stewart's reaction gets me every single time. I'm so glad you both enjoyed this classic. Great reactions!
And it had nothing to do with money!
@@firebird7479 Exactly! Merry Christmas to you.
This movie hits adults harder than kids
Every year, my wife and I watch this without fail (while wrapping the kids' presents). A beautiful film.
Am thinking of doing that this year as well. In the editing i noticed more how clever the story is planted, and there's more to see here I'm sure.
I usually watch Christmas Story, this movie and Home Alone for wrapping presents. Merry Christmas! 🎁
@GenerationMediaReaction Yeah because everyone knows...that's just what you're supposed to do. BTW...the gym with the pool under it? That's the Swim Gym at Beverly Hills High School. Had Phys Ed swimming in there every week when I went there (Class of '81) It's still there and still in use! and Happy Holidays!
When a little kid does something like place decorations on your head, 48:33 like George's son does to him, it is a sure sign that the child adores you.
You've done a beautiful job. Your son gives me hope for future ; he is so emotionally understanding and empathetic that it warmed my heart.
yes what an intelligent, observant and kind young man
When I was about 7-8 years old I fell through the ice covering a small pond and my cousin Peter (3 years older than me) saved me by pulling me up out of the freezing water. I recall that our biggest worry was my mother being upset about my clothes getting covered in pond muck and mud, so we went to my cousin's house where we managed to clean my clothes before I went home.
Funny how we can look back at things we did as kids that in retrospect were pretty dangerous but at the time we were just being kids.
Oh I Loved That “Hug” At The End!! Great job Dad!!!
I'm barely into watching this reaction video and I'm now convinced you both and your channel have become my FAVORITE reaction video RUclipsrs. I adore you both and your authenticity!
Yay! Thank you!
When I was a kid, my dad would take me to movies. It was our quality time and it gave me a life-long love of cinema. Good on you for doing the same.
You know it !
Thank you for sharing this movie with your son. It took me years to truly appreciate this film but now the ending never fails to make me grateful and emotional. Bless you! ☺️
The past few days I've been watching reactions to this movie and I cry every fucking time the ending pops up, it's such a beautiful story.
I've long forgotten how many times I see this, but I tear up through the whole thing, including when watching along with reactions. Sad tears but mostly happy sweet tears.
I like watching your reaction channel. The genuine emotions that show through. Like when George was having his breakdown and lashing out at his wife and children, the tears welling up in your eyes and the look of sorrow on your face show what a good husband and father you are. Your son has a great role model and is growing and learning how to be a great person.
That telephone scene is outstanding on multiple levels
This is BY FAR my favorite reaction of you both! I am 56, and I saw this for the first time just 3 years ago, and it brought much of a long-lost Christmas spirit back. I made myself a promise to watch it every holiday season for the rest of my life! and I love to see people discover this film. Also, I have so much respect for anyone that isn't afraid to explore films that are from another era or are black and white! Great, Great reaction guys and have a joyous Holiday season and wonderful 2025!
Thank you, what a perfect film to watch before we have family time ❤️
This movie has prevented countless suicides over the years, including my own. Thank you, Frank Capra. You saved my life ❤
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I love watching reactions to this film from people who truly don't expect to have their hearts so touched by a movie almost 80 years old. You are not alone in being moved to tears; I have seen men who had to take a break from filming their reactions because that last scene of all those that George had helped coming to his rescue left them sobbing uncontrollably. This movie is an annual watch for many because the message is so genuine and emotional. Your son is very astute to realize that he hasn't yet had the hard life experiences that make this movie have the effect it has on those who have struggled themselves, felt unappreciated, believed their lives haven't mattered, or who have made difficult choices and sacrifices for others. There is such a message of hope in this story and such a powerful reminder that kindness and unselfishness change lives, even when we don't realize it at the time. Thank you for one of the very best reactions to this beloved movie that I have ever seen!! I hope everything works out with your house and that your holidays are filled with joy and love and friendship!!!
Thank you. We now focus on quality time together over the Christmas period.
@GenerationMediaReaction🎄💫✨💫🎄
Right? The first time I watched it (only a few years ago to finally see what the fuss was about) I was annoyed that we didn’t get to see Potter get some kind of comeuppance. It didn’t take long to realize that it wasn’t about Potter. We don’t see his comeuppance because we know how it ends. Hateful and alone. His irrelevancy is the point. We shouldn’t focus on what happens to those who hurt us. The best revenge is to live happily and well with no thought whatsoever of the likes of people like Potter.
@@stevenandcarminabeedle9089 Exactly. In a similar vein, when our Lord Jesus said to the the apostles when a woman washed Jesus's feet with very expensive oil and Jesus said to them the poor will always be with us, there will also always be people like Potter. Don't be too concerned about what is or isn't happening to others but appreciate and do what you should do or not do for yourself and others.
You're doing a good work with your son!
Thank you!
This was Jimmy Stewart's first film after WW2 where he suffered from major PTSD, he left it all out on screen.
The more i learn about this guy, the more i love him
@GenerationMediaReactionthat’s all of us 💜
What a brilliant reaction ,lil man is so clued up ,Marvellous job Dad ,bring on the next 1
The intersection of your viewing of this movie and your house experience is a wonderful testimony. Thank you for sharing it. Kudos to Jay for understanding how his dad’s reaction to this movie differs from his own.
This is my second favorite film of all time, after William Wyler’s “The Best Years of Our Lives.” Wyler’s film came out the same year and dominated the Academy Awards. Ironically Wyler and Capra were partners in the independent production company that made both films.
Capra and Stewart both regarded this as the best film in their careers. Its production was a miracle in itself. The author was Philip Van Doren Stern, a prominent historian and author, who couldn’t sell the short story the movie is based on. So he sent it out to friends as a homemade, illustrated Christmas card. The story captivated Capra, who bought the rights. Stewart had come back from the war as a decorated hero, having led a bomber squadron on some 20 runs over Germany, but he had PTSD and thought he would never act again. Thankfully, his good friend, Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter), talked him into accepting the role. Stewart was drawing on real emotions in his dramatic scenes, especially in the prayer at the bar.
Capra’s unmatched ability to move a story smoothly from comedy to drama and back to joy is on fully display in this film. He was aided in this by a tremendous group of character actors who appeared in many of his movies. Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy) won an Oscar for his performance in “Stagecoach.” Beulah Bondi (Ma Bailey) was a Broadway star in the 1920s and became a great character actor as she aged. I love her remarkable transformation from a loving mother to a crusty old woman in this film. H. B. Warner (Mr. Gower) was a popular star of the 1920s and also moved into character roles as he aged. He got an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in Capra’s “Lost Horizon” (1937).
Not to forget Donna Reed (Mary): she played her part so well, I can’t imagine anyone better for the role. She acted in many films in the 40s and 50s, but achieved her greatest fame with a highly successful TV sitcom, “The Donna Reed Show,” which I watched as a kid in the early 60s.
My own father was in UK during WW2 and was one year off from fighting. I grew up listening to war time stories
H.B. Warner's best remembered performance in the silent era was in the role of Jesus Christ, in Cecil B. DeMille's remarkable Biblical epic, KING OF KINGS (1927).
@GenerationMediaReaction My father missed WW2 fighting by one year also. Instead, straight out of high school, he learned codebreaking as a civilian employee of the Army Signal Service (predecessor of the NSA). He enlisted at 18, and because of his code experience they made him a Tech Sergeant and night supervisor of the message center at MacArthur’s headquarters in Tokyo.
@@oliverbrownlow5615 Are you related to Kevin Brownlow, the British film historian? I have one of his books, I think.
@RenfrewPrume No. "Oliver Brownlow" is just my internet handle, based on my favorite film, OLIVER! (1968).
It's great when you see kids appreciating the classics. It's always amusing how often I see not only kids but adults too have such a negative pre-conceived view of black-&-white films that they avoid them their whole life but then when they actually give one of these great classics a chance they become so invested that they very quickly stop caring that they are watching a black-&-white film.
This reaction is incredibly wonderful and wholesome. You are a wonderful father, and your son is such a mature lad. Well done! You are a role-model for all of us.
This movie is lovely. It is worth watching at this time of year, every year. Even almost 80 years later, this movie will save lives and enrich the lives of anyone who watches it. Fantastic.
One of the best reactions to this movie I have ever seen. It really is one of the most wholesome movies ever. "Remember no man is a failure who has friends" That's a quote to live by. One of the least talked about parts of the movie that I really love is Sam Wainwright the rich friend. George was his connection back to the town and you can tell that Sam still loved his town and his friend George as he kept trying to connect with him in the film. Very cool that in that hour when someone reached out to him for George he came through in a big way.
I lost a friend to a drowning when I was 19 years old. At his funeral, his best friend, another of my friends said "You can tell a man's wealth by the amount of people who attend his funeral and looking round here today, I can tell Andy was a very rich man indeed."
@GenerationMediaReaction My condolences. That's beautiful. A friend of mind died in a car accident when she was 18. She was bright and funny, intelligent and blessed many lives... I remember there were thousands of people at that funeral. Unreal. But I like to think that the amount doesn't really matter, that SOME people attend and have fond feelings is all that really matters. Whether it's 5, 50, 500, or 5000 or more. We should all strive to bless the lives of those we live with and around. God bless and Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays!
it’s a gift to watch two lives being changed in front of one’s own eyes in the span of one unforgettable film - just as one’s own was changed many decades ago as a boy in front of his tv in the 1970s - thank you
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James Stewart's smile at the end is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. His range all through the movie...my favourite actor in my favourite film...and now, one of my favourite reactions to it.
25:59- I recently heard this part with uncle billy wasn’t in the script. Uncle Billy was just meant to walk away, but a crew member knocked something over, and actor who played uncle Billy improvised saying, “I’m alright”.
Yes. And Capra was so happy he gave the guy $10.
I usually save this for Christmas Eve but I had to watch y'all's reaction. I'm not crying! *Sniff* Not crying at all!
Thanks for reacting to this you two.
This comment is directed at the younger gentleman. I was about your age when my mom asked me to watch this movie, and watching such an old movie didn’t thrill me either. Today I am 54 and my mother is gone and I have treasured this movie ever since. I hope you will too. : )
Americans used to tie strings around their fingers to remind them to do something impotant.
Great reaction by both of you! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing!!
I have watched this movie at least once per year since I was a kid, and now I watch it with my 13 year old daughter.
It's always been a favorite for me, but it hit extra hard in 2020. As a lot of us know, the pressure we were all under was much higher than a lot of us had ever been under, and it was just a hard year.
I always cry at the end, but because it hit so hard that year I just wept.
I agree with your son, it's a good movie as a kid and hits different as an adult, but the message is good for all.
Merry Christmas/happy holidays from SC in the US!
47:50 when the little squirrel consoles Uncle Billy, always breaks my heart. I think the animals add a more profound dimension to Uncle Billy, making him more sympathetic if somewhat eccentric, which is why animals are attracted to him.
It makes him more childlike and genuine, I thought
Congratulations on the studio completion!! 🎉
Thank you 🙏
I loved this and with all of my family gone it really hits me harder. You're my favorite reactors and I'm a new subscriber. The authenticity, the special, quality time you're creating and memories can look back on. Even dad taking the arguably less uncomfortable chair. :) Merry Christmas 🎄 and no man is a failure who has friends. You've got a lot here already.
I really loved your comment. God bless. Christmas blessings to you.
@SueProst Thank you. Merry Christmas blessings to you and yours as well. 😇
Thank you ❤️
I’m 55 and it took me years to appreciate this movie as my wife’s favorite.
Gratitude is everything.
The fact that you are a father and son reacting to this movie just brought the Christmas spirit right to my door, and I really needed that today. Thank you so much. I hope you have a very merry Christmas!
You too 👍
I always thought that this film spoke to men that are responsible and selfless...letting them know they are needed and seen. It speaks to a good woman that stands by her husband and props him up in his troubled times. You are very important
love this!
I cry every time ❤❤❤
Thanks for the reaction and sharing it with your son. Thanks for your honesty.
Boy as cool as a cucumber , dad in pieces - loved it ❤
I was crying right with you. But I always cry at the end of this great movie.
There are others out there, we are not alone.
My dad truly made sure when he was alive ,he mad me an my 3 sibling's a truly wonderful life ,worked his finger to the bone to make sure we never wanted for anything, truly a big miss ,he loved james Stewart ,an watching his movies an reading up on him ,he deserved that ❤️
My father too.....❤
I've seen other reactions you two have made and your son never ceases to impress me with his cognition, his intuitive abilities and his intelligence... his thoughtfulness when communicating and he's just a wise person. Cheers to you guys and your loved ones. Have a great holiday season. Hello, from Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Warms my heart to see your son, at that tender age, say that the black & white movies are not really different from the color ones. He will soon find out that the black & white movies are the best! No dirty language, no nudity, great storyline & slower pace for great character building. It's sweet watching you guys. Merry Christmas & God bless.
So glad he saw this before the teenage years
They don't make films like this anymore. It was considered a failure at the time of release but is now a timeless classic.
It wasn’t a “Box Office Hit” in its time because there were many great movies in the theater right before, during and after it’s release. But a large portion of those films from the late 1930’s to the early 1950’s are considered some of the best films ever made, just pick a film from that period and it is sure to be a good one, if not great.
Timeless classic. The perfect ending to a movie
Great reaction as always! I love this film, it has such a positive message. Its really nice to see both your reactions coming from different age perspectives, and the mature conversations you have together, we need more father/sons to do this sort of thing. Hopefully Jay will remember this well when he is older. And as always, its fun to be informed of which character from this weeks film looks like one of Jays uncles 😂
PS the rooms's starting to look great, and glad you've gotten the help with your house etc, very nice to hear a happy story these days, especially after being let down so badly!
Thank you! It occurred to me during the editing of this, that he will always have this reaction video to watch for years to come as he gets older.
2:29 so glad you’ve found some good people to help with the house! You’re right James Stewart is amazing for sure! Hope you can watch more. J may like Rear Window…? And you too, of course, D! 😊
30:00 Being from Rochester this is a huge move for us. Frank Capra's aunt lived in Seneca Falls which was the inspiration for Bedford fall. A couple of years ago The George Eastman house screened the original film. It was a treat to see the original film on the big screen.
Tying a string around your finger was to remind you to do something…to not forget. Also, the guy at the dance that Mary was talking to when George steals her away for the dance contest…that actor is Alfalfa from the Little Rascals…grown up of course
And of course Henry F. Potter is played by Drew Barrymore's great uncle, Lionel Barrymore.
Great reaction to one of the greatest films ever made. Number 11 on the American Film Institute’s greatest movies of all time list.
Back to the Future 2 pays huge homage to this film with the Successful Biff alternate future. Good job with catching that!
The story mechanic in this film plays out very similar to a time travel story mechanic
🥹🥹🥹 I’d forgotten how powerful this movie was……I do hope J continues his curiosity and maturity throughout his life and not just watching the movies! Well done D for sharing with him just how important seeking help and showing vulnerability is. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
No shame in letting your boy see you cry. It will teach him how to work through hard things. Cry when you need to then get right back up and try again. Both of you are wonderful 😊
The dance floor/basketball court over a swimming pool is a unique thing.
Specifically, it's the "Swim Gym" at Beverly Hills High School.
@@MaruhkatiGamingAnd it's still there.
The bell ringing at the end is right up there with "You bow to no one" 😭
I absolutely love this film! Your reaction is one of the best I have seen. The two of you seem to have a great relationship. I don't think I'd have had the maturity to appreciate it at the age of this young man. He's very mature and perceptive.
I definitely picked up on how differently itnimpacted the dad since he was old enough to imagine how crushing the responsibility amd disappointments were for George
Tying a string around one's finger was an old-time way of prompting one's self to remember something. Sort of like how we today would set a reminder on our phone, but one without a description. Just the odd sight of the string would be enough of a reminder that there was something of importance we shouldn't forget. The fact that Uncle Billy had several of them was a statement about his being absent-minded.
You are giving your son a great legacy in so many ways. Please stay exactly the way you are. Much love at Christmas to you and yours from Grandma Kat in Colorado, USA. Your son is a very intelligent young man. You both give me great joy watching movies and reactions with you. Thank you.
Thank you so much! Sometimes i think that these videos will always be on youtube and at some point far in the future, he will always have these videos to view.
Clarence's contribution was that not only did he keep George from taking his own life, he gave him appreciation for what his life had meant to the town and his family, as well as appreciation for the blessings he actually did have in his life. The town coming together to keep him from going to jail (you can't, after all accept deposits from bank members and not actually deposit it for them) was just icing on the cake for George. Feeling safe and loved by his community was precious, but he had already come to the conclusion that his life was worth living even if he had gone to jail.
It’s a beautiful, timeless, life lesson. ❤
I'm not religious but I still love this film. You could say that this is about the christian god showing a man the value of his life. You could also say it is about the value of friends and family irrespective of religion.
It can be viewed either way, you’re right
NEW SUBSCRIBER on THIS ONE! Oh, Dad: I am SO PROUD that you showed your son this movie!! I cried RIGHT ALONG WITH YOU!!! Such a GREAT MOVIE!!! LOVE THIS ONE at Christmas-time: or ANYTIME!!! :) HUGS to you: BOTH!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! :)
Thank you so much!
Fantastic reaction! I’ve watched this movie for 60 plus years and appreciate younger generations reactions to a movie that doesn’t age.
This is such a wonderful channel. Showing your son the greatness of my and previous generations' movies/ We put thought and soul into our movies. We were not fed an agenda.
And your son shows maturity in recognizing that the level at which you and I watch this movie, but smart enough to know you have to live that experience to actually understand it..that is ahead of his time. Experience is everything..and you can't get it if you end your life early.
Be kind: rewind. lol. Karma will find you when you need it.
too many modern films are 'over-marketed' before they are even made !
Absolutely enjoyed seeing both perspectives from you guys. Generations reacting is so perfect, especially in these feel good older classics. Thanks for being vulnerable on screen for us all to enjoy. Have a lovely holidays and New Year to come!
Hollywood High School -- which is probably where they filmed the dance scene -- has a retractable floor and a swimming pool underneath hit.
One of my favorite movies! Merry Christmas to you both! 😀🧑🎄
Fun watch! I’ve seen it dozens of times and cried right along with you…lol!
A lot of heartwarming set up for a wonderful payoff!!
Love it so much that I have a huge sign with the movies title on my wall.❤
It's very much a film that we would like the world to be. It's a big slice of Americana but I love it. Jimmy Stewart was incredible throughout, supported with an excellent cast and a fantastic story. I have the same problem with leaky eyes with the film even though I know what's coming! I first watched this movie 10 years ago when I was a particularly low ebb and it made me cry but ironically I felt so much better for watching it.
Thank you both for the reactions this year, it's appreciated. I hppe that you have an enjoyable Christmas and I wish that 2025 is full of happiness for you and your family.
I take my hat off to you… you seem to have ‘gotten’ the subtle (suggestive) hint at 13:12 when Bert the cop says “I’m gonna go home and see what the wife’s doing” 😄
This seems always to bypass people, goes over their heads. No-one ‘gets’ this. [strictly adult… not for kids to understand, of course 😃)
I always enjoy your reactions and your relationship. Merry Christmas!
Beautiful reaction..
So wonderful you are seeing this film, as you are going through something a bit similar. Congratulations on your studio, I am excited to see it become what you both wish it to be. Happy Holidays to all of your family and friends!
The ending starts me and my partner off with happy tears too.🥲🥲🥲🥲😊😊😊😊Hope you two have a Merry Christmas.🎄🎄🎄🎄😊😊😊😊
I've been watching this movie for 40 years and it still gets me every time.
Jimmy Stewart was a beloved actor in the US. The Tom Hanks of his era but with being a bona fide war hero atop that. He flew 20 combat missions in Europe as a B-24 pilot and was a senior commander of his wing and thus assigned his friends to missions they never returned from. This was his first post-war film and he has what we’d now call PTSD and survivor’s guilt. His pain is all over the performance- the script didn’t call for him to cry in the bar / praying scene but his emotions bubbled up. The man stayed in the Air Force reserves and rose to Brigadier General. His last combat mission was as an observer on a B-52 over Vietnam.
The dance floor was the school gym / basketball court with the school pool underneath. It was a high school graduation party.
The close up you mentioned - the cameras were so heavy and unwieldily that actors had to walk to the camera for the close-ups.
George was devastated when Harry wasn’t going to take over the business and allow him to leave crummy Bedford Falls for good. All his hopes and dreams dashed. That’s why he was so moody when he went to see Mary and was cranky at her house.
The first bank run would have been Great Depression era - it was not uncommon and there was no government backstop / insurance on deposits.
I love how they tried to make a stunning 25 year old Donna Reed look like an “old maid” just by adding glasses and a hat. Hottest “old maid” ever.
What a wonderful reaction. I was crying right along with you. Merry Christmas.
Jimmy Stewart had PTSD after world war II And this was the first movie he made after he came back from the war. All of that frustration and anger and emotion that he showed toward his family after Uncle Billy lost the money was a lot of it. Jimmy Stewart. It's genuine emotion.
Another classic, which culminates at Christmas, is Shop Around the Corner. It was filmed before the war, starring James Stewart. His acting is superb. The difference in Jimmy pre- and post-war is remarkable.
THANK YOU for this! Quickly becoming one of my FAVORITE reaction channels!! ❤️ Father & son are both sweet & sensitive souls. Yes, we need more of this type of people in the world! 💔❤️🩹
Arizona U.S is here early for you.. you are fabulous son and father.
I think my son was was about the age of your son when I took him to see this film at a small theater showing. Its really cool to see you & your son having a similar experience. My son is now 27 & such a wonderful/kind young man. Spending time with your son talking about all kinds of things while you do these reactions is important. Your son will remember these talks & appreciate the time spent with you for his whole life. I'm sure you will too. I know I treasure all the long talks about life & silly stuff that I've had with my kids and now grandkids.
The school had limited square footage, so one of George's ideas was to have a retractable floor so that the school could have both a gymnasium and a swimming pool without constructing entirely different buildings or a larger building. Another very casual thing George did was suggest his friend Sam locate his new business in Bedford Falls within a shut down business. This meant that people in town out of work would get good factory jobs while Sam had a ready made factory with an available work force anxious and willing to work. Sam benefitted, the people benefitted and the city benefitted and all based on a comment made in a moment to a friend that trusted his opinion. The impact of that alone would be hard to calculate. And this is on top of the fact that the new business was based on a conversation George and Sam had based upon George's keeping up with current possibilities for industry and how he presented those possibilities to others. All that was conveyed in very few words. Very efficient and powerful if you see it.
Also some people think George gave up everything he wanted in life. I believe that George thought that as well and the resentments were pushed down and bottled up. But if you have had your eyes examined for corrective lenses before, the optometrist with switch between lenses and say "better this way or this." The person makes a series of choices between available options and gets the pair of glasses that are best for him. So George had an image of Bedford Falls and he loved the way it was more than even he imagined. And he loved his friends and couldn't be happy or at peace if they weren't happy. So at each step, he made HIS choice. If he had no feelings for the town or his friends or the man he wanted to be, he would have run towards what he said he wanted. So his life was a series of choices that molded and preserved a better Bedford Falls. He just didn't realize how much he loved it all and how he shaped it. It was only when he lost it all that he knew that he really had everything he really wanted. A funny thing is that Potter offered him the solution to his problems -- to ask the "riff-raff" that he had helped to help him now that he needed it.
Another reactor wanted to see what happened to Potter. Just this week after decades of knowing this film, I ran across a RUclips clip showing the lost final scene from this movie! ruclips.net/video/vw89o0afb2A/видео.html
Great reaction to a classic film. It gets me everytime. Merry Christmas, gentlemen!
Thank you, I think we just created a Christmas tradition
Fantastic Reaction! It's Great to see a loving father be able to show emotions! Your son is adorable & smart! God Bless you Both! ...
You are so kind
seeing this when your son's age I think will give him more perspective to deal with hardships if he has them when he is older.. even simple adversities can be dealt with in more than one way with different outcomes... kindness goes a long way
I've watched this movie countless times since I've been a kid, and it always gets me every single time.
1:12:08 J…you get it❤ A good lesson to reflect on; and remember if you ever get discouraged. Always try to surround yourself with good people (friends). The real ones will never desert you! 😊
The angel, Clarence, most certainly did something: He literally saved George's life. Had he not appeared to George, George would have went through with taking his own life. Yes, the town would have heard about George's troubles from Mary and still have come through for him, but he wouldn't have been alive to see that outcome. Great review, and I am glad your son also appreciated it and didn't let the fact it's a black and white movie keep him from enjoying it. Because he doesn't have a bias as too many people do against B&W films these days, a whole world of great films and videos will be open for him to discover. Oh, and trivia for those who don't know: The fellow trying to dance with Mary near the beginning, who opens the swimming pool up at the dance with another fellow, that's an adult Carl Switzer, "Alfalfa" from the original Little Rascals film series, AKA Our Gang. Merry Christmas to you both, and your other family, as well.
A truly amazing classic. Emotional movie for sure. I watch it every year.
This is the best Christmas gift I could ask for. Happy Hollidays to you and your family.
Love your reactions! Happy Christmas! Love from California ❤
Love the reaction as always, guys! This is one of my favorite movies, so glad you're watching it :) ... (as a side note, the swimming pool under the gymnasium isn't really typical of schools here in the States, but it IS a real school in California that I believe is still operational!) Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.
ah! thank you for clarifying !
I believe some clubs had them. A building with a Masonic Temple portion in my hometown had one. Sadly, the building burned a few years ago. High end item for sure. My state invested in new schools in communities like my hometown in the 1970s that had swimming pools. Just not a kind with movable floor. Them days of additional cost items as that are gone but for highest end communities.
The dance floor was not a set in a sound studio, but a gymnasium at Beverly Hills High School, Beverly Hills California. It is still being used to this day. Jimmy Stewart flew over 20 bombing missions over Europe, he was suffering from PTSD when he was praying to God in Martini's Bar. Mr. Potter was played by Lionel Barrymore distant relative of Drew Barrymore.
I'm impressed that your boy can read cursive!!! It's not taught here in the US anymore. He really seemed to understand the movie so well and sometimes he even got it before Dad did. I like this kid.