This reaction was filmed and put on the channel LAST December, but sadly had to be removed for copyright reasons. I had always planned to re-edit and re-upload it on Christmas Day this year, so here it is! It was so fun to re-visit my reaction to this one and the tears flowed, yet again! I wish you all a very wonderful holiday week and thank you so much for your support and being here! 🎅🎄 kaiielle.com
The crime of Potter stealing the money is never resolved or even addressed. The moral of the story is, it doesn't matter what happens to you, what matters is how you choose to respond to it. George's change in perspective is all the resolution the story needs. Of course, the town comes together and George is provided with what he needs, but that's how the universe tends to work, when you stay positive no matter what.
Every time I cry. This particular movie makes George's desperation so visceral and anxiety-producing. In part, this is what people refer to when they talk about older movies having superior story. Not sure that I agree but there are so many layers to this movie; and after about 20 years of watching, and still being a young man, I cannot help but tear up. It hurts my soul to see such a good man in these circumstances. When the community comes together for him you find yourself in tears and then...it's over. You look around and ask yourself what you can possibly do with the rest of the day.
Many modern viewers are surprised that George does not believe Clarence until nearly the very end. But there were no stories like this before 1946; it’s not like George was an avid reader of alternate-universe science fiction. Anyone who heard what Clarence told him would naturally think it was insane. Further, dramatically, George is driven to seek out more and more people (and therefore learn more and more facts) by his very disbelief; it’s indispensable to the plot.. I could name a dozen wonderful Jimmy Stewart films. Let me start with: The Philadelphia Story (1940), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Vertigo (1958), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), Bell, Book, and Candle (1958). There are many more.
Jimmy Stewart was just like George Bailey in real life, very respected and loved. This movie was his first movie after returning from WW2. He was a pilot who experienced bad PTSD after returning from the war. His dramatic scenes were real. He was going through a major depression. Mr Potter was the actor who strongly suggested Jimmy for this role. Mr Potter (Lionel Barrymore) is Drew Barrymore’s great uncle. He also has been in a number of great Alfred Hitchcock (famous director known for mystery thriller movies ) like REAR WINDOW, VERTIGO, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH. Jimmy’s first big movie was the 1939 black and white classic, MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. He was fantastic in that film.
I am home. i deal with chronic pain and have been having migraines..so I missed family christmas last night... thanks for your kindness,..Merriest of Christmases and Happy Holidays to you.
SNL did a sketch which was ostensibly the lost "original ending", in which Uncle Billy remembers what happened to the money, and everyone runs over to Old Man Potter's house and beats the crap out of him, culminating in another sing-along.
@@DC_Prox Oh my gosh I truly loved that! And it was introduced by William Shatner. Still have it on VCR and watch it at some point during the holidays. 🙂👍
Never seen this and this movie is in my top 10 of all time.. Holy hell thankyou lol so damn good.. Dana carvey... and the late phil Hartman as potter.. wtf.. how have I never seen this... gold. 😊
I've watched reactors start criticizing the movie that it's not about Christmas. Only to tear up when they stopped and actually "reacted" to the movie and got caught up in the movie itself. I appreciate you didn't feel it necessary to dissect the movie. Thank you for reposting and Merry Christmas to you and hope everyone can enjoy the spirit of the holidays.
@petequesada2936 , I've seen other reactions saying the same thing... yet if they paid attention to the beginning, Clarence only has an hour until George will be on the bridge... so technically it's Christmas the whole movie , the first part is just playing catch up to present time 😉
Mary (Hatch) Bailey was the MVP of this story. She is instrumental in so much of the good stuff in George's life. I love her restraint when she says "George, why don't you..." and stops herself from saying anything terrible.
@@grumpy_older_man Not really. George’s character was already established in the film, before his involvement with Mary. His parents should probably take much of the credit for that. Although Mary is clearly an equally good person, and the two of them complement each other perfectly, she is not the focus of the story or its driving force, which is, of course, George himself. Terms like “MVP” really miss the point.
Also, this movie was not a hit when it came out because post-war audiences apparently were not ready for such raw emotions to be depicted on the screen.
Another aspect of this movie is how it affected those who were not on the front lines in WW II, but support soldiers (who were actually the majority of those who served... maintaining the supply lines, shipping etc), and those who did not serve (like George), but kept live going from 1941-1945 in America. Many of these "non-heroes" suffered from a belief that they had missed out on being a hero, seeing the World away from their homes, in what was the biggest event of their lifetimes and felt worthless and depressed because of it. George's plight showed people the value of just being a decent person who did what they could for their communities and families, showing how important one life could be to all those around him. It gave hope that they could too have "A Wonderful Life"... A great film that shows the frustrations of soldiers who were not in the "Action" of the war is "Mister Roberts" 1955 (Color) - Starring Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Jimmy Cagney, based on a stage play. Thanks again for a great reaction!
A lot of today's viewers are not aware of the significance of Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter. Together with his siblings, John Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore, they were considered to be the Hollywood Elite, the finest actors of their generation. John was known as "The Profile" because of his prominent good looks and Roman nose. John's son, John Drew Barrymore had a daughter today's generation knows from her appearance in "ET" and her daily television talk show, amongst other appearances. Drew is descended from true Hollywood royalty. Lionel appeared with Jimmy Stewart in "You Can't Take It With You" and he was in a list of other films a mile long. If you want to see a wonderful obscure masterpiece, try "On Borrowed Time."
People who complain about Sam Wainwright need to get real. He genuinely liked George, gave him a chance to make a fortune and came through with big money for him when needed NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Sam was a good guy.
He was also the same actor who 14 years later played the drunk middle-aged (yes) rancher buying his daughter a house with cash at the beginning of Psycho.
Wow! This movie makes everybody cry but you cried so hard your tears glow in the dark. Merry Christmas to you and yours! One of my favorite reaction channels even though you haven't reacted to The Fisher King (1989) yet. LOL! Hey, I had to get one in there.
Awesome reaction. I'm 57 yrs old. I've watched this movie every Christmas season for 45 years..kinda tells us why 'Casablanca' is my all time favorite movie, even though born in 1967. 45 years and I still tear up when they pour the basket AND when Sam authorized $25,000..which in 1945 means $440,000 today! Nearly half a million.
It flopped at the box office. It was dismissed by critics as 'Capra-Corn" and apparently audiences agreed. What saved it was that it went into public domain and local TV stations in the 70s, needing another 'Christmas" movie, showed it because it cost them nothing.
The term "Capracorn" was used by Bosley Crowther, a film critic for The New York Times, to describe "It's a Wonderful Life." He used it to criticize the film's sentimentality, suggesting that it was overly idealistic and sweet, much like other Frank Capra films. Despite the initial criticism, the film has since become a beloved classic.” And just what is a critic? “A critic is a legless man who teaches running”--Channing Pollock
I spent Christmas alone for the first time. I was invited to my aunt and uncle’s (don’t know why as I haven’t heard from them in nearly a year). They really screwed me over and I hate them. I called them back to tell them I hate them. No one ever realizes or accepts that they did wrong. I should have gone there and ate their food and then told them I hated them.
*I ❤ this 🎬!* My favorite character is Barrymore's immoral and mean Mr. Potter. Often our villains in life NEVER receive justice, but maintaining our POSITIVE attitude is the verdict we need. Mary always stayed positive, while Potter stole 8K/(98K) he didn't need, living a lonely life. *Merry Christmas!🌲❄️*
A classic. One of my favorites. Thanks for this reaction. Don't stress out about which version you access. Virtually all TVs and monitors have a color saturation control that allows ALL movies to be viewed in black and white at will. Also, film critic Roger Ebert singled out Mr. Potter as the last character who should ever be colorized. So yes, B&W! 🌲
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 watch as a kid in the early 60s.
Several actors with small parts in this got roles for years after this. Probably 15-18 years later the Andy Griffith show had several characters played by a few, Potters rent collector and the bald neighbor saying "kiss her" come to mind. The lady who asked for $17.50 during the run was the grandmother on The Walton's about 20 years later. And The cop, Ward Bond was the lead in Wagon Train and other westerns in the 60's
Jimmy Stewart was a pilot in WW2, he was in the entire war and rose to an officer rank. He lost many soldiers. This was his first role after, the anguish you see in the second half of the film is more of how he was really feeling at that time in his life .❄️
He was also unsure whether he could return to acting successfully, or whether he even wanted to. He and Lionel Barrymore (Potter) were friends, and Barrymore convinced him to take the role.
He not only rose to officer rank...he enrolled as a Private before the Pearl Harbor attack. He was a Lt Col by the end of the war...Private to Lt Col in 5 years is one of the most remarkable rise in the ranks in US history...
Everyone giggles when they realize the cop and taxi driver are Bert and Ernie but another wow fact? The actor who played Nick the bartender is character actor and later TV producer Sheldon Leonard. Yup, the characters Sheldon and Leonard (Big Bang Theory) were named after him.
The Bert and Ernie thing is a very persistent urban myth - Henson, his producer and his head writer all confirmed that the names were not an homage but just an organic coincidence - that they were naming the Muppets one day in a pre-production session in the late 60's and it was agreed "this one looks like a Bert," etc. It's also worth noting that the film languished in relative anonymity for over a quarter of a century until the copyright expired in 1974 and it began to pop up annually on television - years after Bert and Ernie were created for the Children's Television Workshop.
Sheldon Leonard went on to team up with Danny Thomas to produce "The Danny Thomas Show" also known as "Make Room For Daddy"; "The Andy Griffith Show", "Gomer Pyle"; "I Spy" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show". He was a legend.
@@genghispecanI've never heard of that myth. I hear people finding it funny or whatever, but never anything about it actually being the origin. It's so cute to hear these names, together, though, no matter how the Sesame Street characters started.
Beavis and Butthead did a bit of a parody on this story, a guardian angel showed them how awesome the world would be without them, but they hated it because everything was "lame".
Jimmy Stewart recommendations. He did a bunch but the one I think that is the best of what is left is the movie HARVEY. It is also Stewart's favorite role. Director Capra's favorite movie was this one, but for Jimmy it was HARVEY. And a lot of other people are of the same opinion. For Donna Reed there are not in her case many good ones to choose from. There is one though, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, that sticks out as it did get a lot of love from the Academy Awards, winning 8 of them including best picture and best supporting actress for Reed. Both of these films are extremely iconic by the way, being referenced or spoofed in many modern films. So if for no other reason they are worth your while to see just for that. HARVEY however is timeless and the best of the two. It is one of those films that everyone should have on their bucket list to watch. Like IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, it is that memorable. You'll love it.
Great to watch this again with you. As you can tell from my handle I am a Frank Capra fan. I highly recommend Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) only because I think you already watched It Happened One Night (1934).
I second the motion and, not knowing what other films she has seen, would add "Mr Smith Goes to Washington," "Arsenic and Old Lace," and "Lost Horizon."
Best reaction I've seen to this movie.. it's in my top ten of all time.. I know it's a Christmas movie and I watch every Christmas eve.. but it's extraordinary. This was the perfect end to my Christmas.. hope you had a good one! Love your videos 😊
For Donna Reed movies, I would like to suggest: "The Human Comedy (1943), "They Were Expendable" (1946) and "From Here to Eternity (1953). She deservedly won an Oscar for the last film and her performance is well worth watching though, personally, I don't really like the movie itself. Don't go by me; most people love it.
Excellent reaction. If you want to know the color of Mary's dress then you have to see the COLOR VERSION!!! You can also see the color of Violet's dress. The color version is the best version. Watch the color version.
Lionel Barrymore (Mr, Potter) and Drew Barrymore are related. Lionel Barrymore is Drew Barrymore's great-uncle. Lionel Barrymore was the brother of John Barrymore, who is Drew Barrymore's grandfather. This makes Lionel Barrymore Drew's great-uncle.
Another actor that is kind of surprising is the guy that was talking Mary's ear off at the school dance and opened up the swimming pool was Alfalfa from the original "Lil' Rascals" all grown up!
Yeah, about the names Bert and Ernie, many people ASSUME or have heard rumors that the muppet characters were named after the cop and cab driver from this movie. But according to Jim Henson Productions, there is no evidence that the muppet characters were named after the characters in this movie. They do concede that it may have been a subconscious thing, but it was never a planned or intentional thing. But, the characters of Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter were named after the man that played Nick the bartender, Sheldon Leonard. Besides playing Nick, he also acted in many other shows. But what he is best known for is being the producer of "Make Room For Daddy", "The Andy Griffith Show", and "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.". among many other memorable shows.
Some other great Frank Capra films are Mr. Smith Goes to Washington also starring Jimmy Stewart. Meet John Doe starring Gary Cooper, and my personal favorite after It's a Wonderful Life It Happened One Night starring Clarke Gable and Claudette Colbert which swept the 1934 Oscars winning all the major categories.
I use this movie as a litmus test of the movie reviewed I follow. If they aren’t crying at the end of it I know they have no soul and I unsubscribe immediately… and yes it HAS happened !! 😳🤦🏻♂️
The film's legacy reflected George's life. Cast and audience loved the film though not a big success. As the cast went on to many successes (as others commented) the film became a fond memory of the past. Then an Angel Second Class jumped in at the studio offices and the film copyright paperwork got misplaced. The film entered public domain and the new cable television took opportunity to play "It's A Wonderful Life" continually during the Christmas holiday. Word spread about towns as family and friends gathered together to watch and share, falling in love with George, Mary and Bedford Falls. 🔔🔔 Like George Baily, "It's A Wonderful Life" is the richest movie in town. 🔔🔔 In 1980, James Stewart starred in a 30 minute Christmas tv special, "Mr. Krueger's Christmas" As elderly caretaker of an apartment building he had a cat named George, an affectionate nod to his beloved character George Bailey.
Since I first watched this movie when I was 15 years old…. I have always said “ even without George there is no way Mary would be an old maid!!!!! She’d have guys tagging after her and offering her the world!!!” Donna Reed… ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Stock market crash caused the banks to fail and how people like potter cemented the generational wealth we see now. Then we sold the radio stations and entertainment properties to billionaires and foreign interests, and the messages changed and society became more coarse. We need more Baileys.
Wow. That letterbox commenter dissing Sam so hard. Really? Yeah, he was a jetsetter rich guy, George rightly took his girl, but she never woulda married Sam. But in the end, Sam is just an example of the wide net of people that made up his circle of friends. I was in a bad space after covid disabled me, and I had a Sam type friend who heard I was rough and he voluntarily propped me back up with no questions or return expected. There is no way Sam is worse than Potter in any universe. Lol
You should have pushed back on the copyright nuts, most of the other reactions of this movie had about 10 to 15 more minutes of scenes then your re-edit.
You know guys, I disagree in not watching the color version, it actually makes the movie look fresh. Almost new. People get so nostalgia for the black and white but addding color advanced it. You should watch both versions and prove me wrong, because they did a fantastic job colorizing It's A Wonderful Life this wasn't like when they colorized Miracle On 34th Street, where the colors look off.
This reaction was filmed and put on the channel LAST December, but sadly had to be removed for copyright reasons. I had always planned to re-edit and re-upload it on Christmas Day this year, so here it is! It was so fun to re-visit my reaction to this one and the tears flowed, yet again! I wish you all a very wonderful holiday week and thank you so much for your support and being here! 🎅🎄 kaiielle.com
Happy Holidays 🎄🎁🥂🎊🥳
The crime of Potter stealing the money is never resolved or even addressed.
The moral of the story is, it doesn't matter what happens to you, what matters is how you choose to respond to it. George's change in perspective is all the resolution the story needs.
Of course, the town comes together and George is provided with what he needs, but that's how the universe tends to work, when you stay positive no matter what.
People take their lives for granted a lot and this film makes them appreciate it so much more.
Every time I cry. This particular movie makes George's desperation so visceral and anxiety-producing. In part, this is what people refer to when they talk about older movies having superior story.
Not sure that I agree but there are so many layers to this movie; and after about 20 years of watching, and still being a young man, I cannot help but tear up. It hurts my soul to see such a good man in these circumstances.
When the community comes together for him you find yourself in tears and then...it's over. You look around and ask yourself what you can possibly do with the rest of the day.
This is the greatest Christmas movie ever made.
Don’t need the word “Christmas” in that sentence.
@1237barca , You're entitled to your opinion.
Old man Potter is played by Lionel Barrymore. He's Drew Barrymores' great uncle.
Many modern viewers are surprised that George does not believe Clarence until nearly the very end. But there were no stories like this before 1946; it’s not like George was an avid reader of alternate-universe science fiction. Anyone who heard what Clarence told him would naturally think it was insane. Further, dramatically, George is driven to seek out more and more people (and therefore learn more and more facts) by his very disbelief; it’s indispensable to the plot..
I could name a dozen wonderful Jimmy Stewart films. Let me start with: The Philadelphia Story (1940), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Vertigo (1958), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), Bell, Book, and Candle (1958). There are many more.
Vertigo is on the channel! I reacted to it with my mom ☺️
Jimmy Stewart was just like George Bailey in real life, very respected and loved. This movie was his first movie after returning from WW2. He was a pilot who experienced bad PTSD after returning from the war. His dramatic scenes were real. He was going through a major depression. Mr Potter was the actor who strongly suggested Jimmy for this role. Mr Potter (Lionel Barrymore) is Drew Barrymore’s great uncle. He also has been in a number of great Alfred Hitchcock (famous director known for mystery thriller movies ) like REAR WINDOW, VERTIGO, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH. Jimmy’s first big movie was the 1939 black and white classic, MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. He was fantastic in that film.
I am home. i deal with chronic pain and have been having migraines..so I missed family christmas last night... thanks for your kindness,..Merriest of Christmases and Happy Holidays to you.
SNL did a sketch which was ostensibly the lost "original ending", in which Uncle Billy remembers what happened to the money, and everyone runs over to Old Man Potter's house and beats the crap out of him, culminating in another sing-along.
@@DC_Prox Oh my gosh I truly loved that! And it was introduced by William Shatner. Still have it on VCR and watch it at some point during the holidays. 🙂👍
Never seen this and this movie is in my top 10 of all time.. Holy hell thankyou lol so damn good.. Dana carvey... and the late phil Hartman as potter.. wtf.. how have I never seen this... gold. 😊
I've watched reactors start criticizing the movie that it's not about Christmas. Only to tear up when they stopped and actually "reacted" to the movie and got caught up in the movie itself. I appreciate you didn't feel it necessary to dissect the movie. Thank you for reposting and Merry Christmas to you and hope everyone can enjoy the spirit of the holidays.
@petequesada2936 , I've seen other reactions saying the same thing... yet if they paid attention to the beginning, Clarence only has an hour until George will be on the bridge... so technically it's Christmas the whole movie , the first part is just playing catch up to present time 😉
Mary (Hatch) Bailey was the MVP of this story. She is instrumental in so much of the good stuff in George's life. I love her restraint when she says "George, why don't you..." and stops herself from saying anything terrible.
@@grumpy_older_man Not really. George’s character was already established in the film, before his involvement with Mary. His parents should probably take much of the credit for that. Although Mary is clearly an equally good person, and the two of them complement each other perfectly, she is not the focus of the story or its driving force, which is, of course, George himself. Terms like “MVP” really miss the point.
This reaction was 5 out of 5 ringing bells
🛎🛎🛎🛎🛎
Nobody realized it at the time, but this movie basically introduced the idea of the "alternate reality" to pop culture.
Also, this movie was not a hit when it came out because post-war audiences apparently were not ready for such raw emotions to be depicted on the screen.
Merry Christmas!!!! 🎄🎁
Such a wonderful movie! Thank you for your emotion and loving it just as much as I did! 😊
Another aspect of this movie is how it affected those who were not on the front lines in WW II, but support soldiers (who were actually the majority of those who served... maintaining the supply lines, shipping etc), and those who did not serve (like George), but kept live going from 1941-1945 in America.
Many of these "non-heroes" suffered from a belief that they had missed out on being a hero, seeing the World away from their homes, in what was the biggest event of their lifetimes and felt worthless and depressed because of it.
George's plight showed people the value of just being a decent person who did what they could for their communities and families, showing how important one life could be to all those around him. It gave hope that they could too have "A Wonderful Life"...
A great film that shows the frustrations of soldiers who were not in the "Action" of the war is "Mister Roberts" 1955 (Color) - Starring Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Jimmy Cagney, based on a stage play. Thanks again for a great reaction!
Saw this when you posted it last year, happy to give it another 'like'. Happy holidays!
As someone who is spending the holidays alone, thank you for the kind words. I'm looking forward to the rest of the video.
Welcome back RUclips edit!
“MERRY CHRISTMAS, RUclips EDIT!!!”
A lot of today's viewers are not aware of the significance of Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter. Together with his siblings, John Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore, they were considered to be the Hollywood Elite, the finest actors of their generation. John was known as "The Profile" because of his prominent good looks and Roman nose. John's son, John Drew Barrymore had a daughter today's generation knows from her appearance in "ET" and her daily television talk show, amongst other appearances. Drew is descended from true Hollywood royalty. Lionel appeared with Jimmy Stewart in "You Can't Take It With You" and he was in a list of other films a mile long. If you want to see a wonderful obscure masterpiece, try "On Borrowed Time."
People who complain about Sam Wainwright need to get real. He genuinely liked George, gave him a chance to make a fortune and came through with big money for him when needed NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Sam was a good guy.
He was also the same actor who 14 years later played the drunk middle-aged (yes) rancher buying his daughter a house with cash at the beginning of Psycho.
Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 ❤️
Wow! This movie makes everybody cry but you cried so hard your tears glow in the dark. Merry Christmas to you and yours! One of my favorite reaction channels even though you haven't reacted to The Fisher King (1989) yet. LOL! Hey, I had to get one in there.
Merry Christmas!!!!
Awesome reaction. I'm 57 yrs old. I've watched this movie every Christmas season for 45 years..kinda tells us why 'Casablanca' is my all time favorite movie, even though born in 1967.
45 years and I still tear up when they pour the basket AND when Sam authorized $25,000..which in 1945 means $440,000 today! Nearly half a million.
Amazing reaction, a yearly watch for me
Merry Christmas, Miss KL, from Waco, Texas. Thank you for your wonderful reactions. This is the original What If...?.
It flopped at the box office. It was dismissed by critics as 'Capra-Corn" and apparently audiences agreed. What saved it was that it went into public domain and local TV stations in the 70s, needing another 'Christmas" movie, showed it because it cost them nothing.
The term "Capracorn" was used by Bosley Crowther, a film critic for The New York Times, to describe "It's a Wonderful Life." He used it to criticize the film's sentimentality, suggesting that it was overly idealistic and sweet, much like other Frank Capra films. Despite the initial criticism, the film has since become a beloved classic.” And just what is a critic? “A critic is a legless man who teaches running”--Channing Pollock
It flopped because it was just after WW2 and many considered it too depressing.
I spent Christmas alone for the first time. I was invited to my aunt and uncle’s (don’t know why as I haven’t heard from them in nearly a year). They really screwed me over and I hate them. I called them back to tell them I hate them. No one ever realizes or accepts that they did wrong. I should have gone there and ate their food and then told them I hated them.
*I ❤ this 🎬!* My favorite character is Barrymore's immoral and mean Mr. Potter. Often our villains in life NEVER receive justice, but maintaining our POSITIVE attitude is the verdict we need. Mary always stayed positive, while Potter stole 8K/(98K) he didn't need, living a lonely life. *Merry Christmas!🌲❄️*
❤❤❤ Merry Christmas, KL
Great reaction!
Merry Christmas dear KL. And have a happy new year!
Having so much fun watching this as nice way to unwind after Christmas day with the fam. Thank you!
Lovely reaction ! I’m so sorry you feel stressed when the holidays come around. Thank you for watching this classic !
A classic. One of my favorites. Thanks for this reaction. Don't stress out about which version you access. Virtually all TVs and monitors have a color saturation control that allows ALL movies to be viewed in black and white at will. Also, film critic Roger Ebert singled out Mr. Potter as the last character who should ever be colorized. So yes, B&W! 🌲
Thankyou for your words before the reaction. Also I like your Christmas tree.
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 watch as a kid in the early 60s.
Several actors with small parts in this got roles for years after this. Probably 15-18 years later the Andy Griffith show had several characters played by a few, Potters rent collector and the bald neighbor saying "kiss her" come to mind. The lady who asked for $17.50 during the run was the grandmother on The Walton's about 20 years later. And The cop, Ward Bond was the lead in Wagon Train and other westerns in the 60's
You forgot Karl Switzer...Alph Alpha from The Little Rascals.
That must be one drafty house because the snow never melts off the people at the end
Jimmy Stewart was a pilot in WW2, he was in the entire war and rose to an officer rank. He lost many soldiers. This was his first role after, the anguish you see in the second half of the film is more of how he was really feeling at that time in his life .❄️
He was also unsure whether he could return to acting successfully, or whether he even wanted to. He and Lionel Barrymore (Potter) were friends, and Barrymore convinced him to take the role.
He not only rose to officer rank...he enrolled as a Private before the Pearl Harbor attack. He was a Lt Col by the end of the war...Private to Lt Col in 5 years is one of the most remarkable rise in the ranks in US history...
Everyone giggles when they realize the cop and taxi driver are Bert and Ernie but another wow fact? The actor who played Nick the bartender is character actor and later TV producer Sheldon Leonard. Yup, the characters Sheldon and Leonard (Big Bang Theory) were named after him.
The Bert and Ernie thing is a very persistent urban myth - Henson, his producer and his head writer all confirmed that the names were not an homage but just an organic coincidence - that they were naming the Muppets one day in a pre-production session in the late 60's and it was agreed "this one looks like a Bert," etc. It's also worth noting that the film languished in relative anonymity for over a quarter of a century until the copyright expired in 1974 and it began to pop up annually on television - years after Bert and Ernie were created for the Children's Television Workshop.
Sheldon Leonard went on to team up with Danny Thomas to produce "The Danny Thomas Show" also known as "Make Room For Daddy"; "The Andy Griffith Show", "Gomer Pyle"; "I Spy" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show". He was a legend.
@@genghispecanI've never heard of that myth. I hear people finding it funny or whatever, but never anything about it actually being the origin. It's so cute to hear these names, together, though, no matter how the Sesame Street characters started.
I’ll be sure to giggle when Nick blasts Mr. Gower with the seltzer water. Thanks for the heads up!
I always remember nick from like 3 I love Lucy episodes.. famously the guy from the vacuum cleaner episode
Tears are the only appropriate response to this movie.
Fun fact: I have a paternal uncle Bert, and he has a paternal uncle Ernie.
Beavis and Butthead did a bit of a parody on this story, a guardian angel showed them how awesome the world would be without them, but they hated it because everything was "lame".
I swear I loved that! It was hilarious! Especially when their hippie teacher is praying to God and questions, "What if they breed"? 😂
There is the Bundy version with Sam Kinnison.
Jimmy Stewart recommendations. He did a bunch but the one I think that is the best of what is left is the movie HARVEY. It is also Stewart's favorite role. Director Capra's favorite movie was this one, but for Jimmy it was HARVEY. And a lot of other people are of the same opinion.
For Donna Reed there are not in her case many good ones to choose from. There is one though, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, that sticks out as it did get a lot of love from the Academy Awards, winning 8 of them including best picture and best supporting actress for Reed.
Both of these films are extremely iconic by the way, being referenced or spoofed in many modern films. So if for no other reason they are worth your while to see just for that. HARVEY however is timeless and the best of the two. It is one of those films that everyone should have on their bucket list to watch. Like IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, it is that memorable. You'll love it.
Merry Christmas from Theattle!
the tear streak! lol love it! great reaction
...as long as George didn't tell Zusu: just look at the flower.
Great to watch this again with you. As you can tell from my handle I am a Frank Capra fan. I highly recommend Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) only because I think you already watched It Happened One Night (1934).
I second the motion and, not knowing what other films she has seen, would add "Mr Smith Goes to Washington," "Arsenic and Old Lace," and "Lost Horizon."
@@TedLittle-yp7uj Thinking it was Cary Grant in Arsenic and Old Lace?
Watch the SNL alternative ending to IAWL. Hillarious
It certainly is! Still have it on VCR and working player. Watch it annually during the holidays after the original movie plays. 🙂👍
Mr Smith Goes to Washington, Jimmy Stewart/Frank Capra gem...
The &20,000 salary Potter offered George would be about $450,000 today😱
Best reaction I've seen to this movie.. it's in my top ten of all time.. I know it's a Christmas movie and I watch every Christmas eve.. but it's extraordinary. This was the perfect end to my Christmas.. hope you had a good one! Love your videos 😊
29:05 “transformed”
For Donna Reed movies, I would like to suggest: "The Human Comedy (1943), "They Were Expendable" (1946) and "From Here to Eternity (1953). She deservedly won an Oscar for the last film and her performance is well worth watching though, personally, I don't really like the movie itself. Don't go by me; most people love it.
Excellent reaction. If you want to know the color of Mary's dress then you have to see the COLOR VERSION!!! You can also see the color of Violet's dress. The color version is the best version. Watch the color version.
Like you, I appreciate the colorized version. There are so many who are highly offended by it. ----- Each to his own.
Lionel Barrymore (Mr, Potter) and Drew Barrymore are related. Lionel Barrymore is Drew Barrymore's great-uncle. Lionel Barrymore was the brother of John Barrymore, who is Drew Barrymore's grandfather. This makes Lionel Barrymore Drew's great-uncle.
Another actor that is kind of surprising is the guy that was talking Mary's ear off at the school dance and opened up the swimming pool was Alfalfa from the original "Lil' Rascals" all grown up!
You should check out the SNL Lost Ending of It's a Wonderful Life 😅
Yes, it is hilarious! Still have it on VCR and working player which I watch every holiday season, following the original version. 🙂👍
Every time someone cries watching this movie, a George gets his $8,000.
Liked for the re-upload.
$8,000 would be around $180,000 today.
Yeah, about the names Bert and Ernie, many people ASSUME or have heard rumors that the muppet characters were named after the cop and cab driver from this movie. But according to Jim Henson Productions, there is no evidence that the muppet characters were named after the characters in this movie. They do concede that it may have been a subconscious thing, but it was never a planned or intentional thing. But, the characters of Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter were named after the man that played Nick the bartender, Sheldon Leonard. Besides playing Nick, he also acted in many other shows. But what he is best known for is being the producer of "Make Room For Daddy", "The Andy Griffith Show", and "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.". among many other memorable shows.
His dad did want him to follow in his footsteps. But he wanted his son to be happy, more.
I'm almost certain that the two Characters Bert and Ernie are named after the two from this Movie great reaction to a great film.
My 5th time watching a reaction to this the film in 2 days . (Different reactors)
Ps Happy Holidays. ❤
Some other great Frank Capra films are Mr. Smith Goes to Washington also starring Jimmy Stewart. Meet John Doe starring Gary Cooper, and my personal favorite after It's a Wonderful Life It Happened One Night starring Clarke Gable and Claudette Colbert which swept the 1934 Oscars winning all the major categories.
The man that played Mr.Potter is Drew Barrymore's Great grand uncle .
S Tier movie
this is actually where they got the idea for bert and ernie on sesame street
I use this movie as a litmus test of the movie reviewed I follow. If they aren’t crying at the end of it I know they have no soul and I unsubscribe immediately… and yes it HAS happened !! 😳🤦🏻♂️
Aww that's kinda mean. Just because someone doesn't cry, doesn't mean it reflects on who they are as a person.
I hope the 16:9 cropping is merely for the reaction video and not yet another desecration by the likes of Amazon Prime. 🙏🏼
That's the edit. I had to crop some of the movie out of frame in this re-edit to help prevent copyright claims.
The film's legacy reflected George's life. Cast and audience loved the film though not a big success. As the cast went on to many successes (as others commented) the film became a fond memory of the past. Then an Angel Second Class jumped in at the studio offices and the film copyright paperwork got misplaced. The film entered public domain and the new cable television took opportunity to play "It's A Wonderful Life" continually during the Christmas holiday. Word spread about towns as family and friends gathered together to watch and share, falling in love with George, Mary and Bedford Falls.
🔔🔔 Like George Baily, "It's A Wonderful Life" is the richest movie in town. 🔔🔔
In 1980, James Stewart starred in a 30 minute Christmas tv special, "Mr. Krueger's Christmas" As elderly caretaker of an apartment building he had a cat named George, an affectionate nod to his beloved character George Bailey.
$20,000 a year would be about $440,000 today.
Since I first watched this movie when I was 15 years old…. I have always said “ even without George there is no way Mary would be an old maid!!!!! She’d have guys tagging after her and offering her the world!!!” Donna Reed… ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Stock market crash caused the banks to fail and how people like potter cemented the generational wealth we see now. Then we sold the radio stations and entertainment properties to billionaires and foreign interests, and the messages changed and society became more coarse.
We need more Baileys.
Amen to that!
@@dwhitman3092 it’s what we did. We lost the message. We became a bunch of gun toting crazies with ONLY rights, No responsibilities.
We lost the plot.
Thanks for not doing the colorized version. Always bums me out when the colorized versuon is someones first experience with this film.
The judge that says he is "just too darn loud" near the beginning of the movie was actually Huey Lewis who sang the theme song from the soundtrack.
Wow. That letterbox commenter dissing Sam so hard. Really? Yeah, he was a jetsetter rich guy, George rightly took his girl, but she never woulda married Sam.
But in the end, Sam is just an example of the wide net of people that made up his circle of friends.
I was in a bad space after covid disabled me, and I had a Sam type friend who heard I was rough and he voluntarily propped me back up with no questions or return expected.
There is no way Sam is worse than Potter in any universe. Lol
Fun fact: Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie are named after this Bert and Ernie. 🎄
You should have pushed back on the copyright nuts, most of the other reactions of this movie had about 10 to 15 more minutes of scenes then your re-edit.
I did. My dispute and appeal were both denied.
You know guys, I disagree in not watching the color version, it actually makes the movie look fresh. Almost new. People get so nostalgia for the black and white but addding color advanced it. You should watch both versions and prove me wrong, because they did a fantastic job colorizing It's A Wonderful Life this wasn't like when they colorized Miracle On 34th Street, where the colors look off.
Agree 💯!