Many commenters are confused by George's hostile mood while visiting Mary. The reason his hostile is because he's seeing his dreams crashing to the ground in slow-motion and he's powerless to stop their demise. He's a man battling himself: one the one hand, he realizes he's falling in love with Mary, which means all his dreams of travel and adventure die; on the other hand, he still wants to strive for his dreams. That's why he voices his desires with such determination as he shakes Mary (who becomes his own conscience at that point) He's trying to convince himself to not let go of those dreams. Then his love for Mary overwhelms his ambitions, and he embraces and kisses her.
Alot of people don’t get that scene where he first kisses Mary. He says he doesn’t want to get married and then he kisses her passionately. It’s simply he’s feeling like his dreams are slipping away from him. He’s resisting her but he’s in love with her and he can’t deny it.
Frank Capra didn't make any of the Planet of the Apes films. That was his son, Frank Capra Jr., who was an associate producer on those films. Frank Capra was probably one of the three most significant film makers of the 30s-50s, not only in Hollywood, but headed up the group of film makers who entered the Army and made documentarys during WWII.
yeah it shocked me when she said that she knew of Frank Capra because he directed planet of the apes. Can't quite reconcile Planet of the Apes with Its a Wonderful Life. Should probably ask ChatGPT to write a plot mashup between the two films.
@@gregmattson2238 How about...When Mr. Potter offers George a job and extends his hand to shake, "Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty Mr. Potter!"
@@nsasupporter7557 The premier was actually pushed up to December 1946 in order to be considered for that year's Oscar nominations. Broad distribution happened in January, 1947.
Yeah, the scene where George meets Mary at her house was the first scene filmed after Stewart returned from the war, and he was super on edge, to the point where he scared not only Donna Reed, but also the director.
He'd have been *great anyway,* but yes, he provides a deep extra edge to this movie (that keeps it from being a predictable, Hallmark kind of "family film")...
James Stewart is one of my favorite actors. He battled to join the Army Air Corps pre war. You see he didn't weigh enough for his height. He hired a body builder to help him meet the minimum weight requirements. Once in the Air Corps he was tucked away in a safe training command as an instructor. He fought his way to a combat command and flew over twenty missions. He was grounded for being " flak Happy ". Another way of saying PTSD. This was his first movie after the war. People that knew him believe he poured all his anguish into the role. He was different after making the movie. After the war, in addition to being a highly successful actor, he was in the Air Force. He flew at least one combat mission over Vietnam. Ultimately he retired a Brigadier General.
@@tomdowling638 Just before he retired, he came to Tampa's MacDill AFB. At the time the base was used for F16 training and had F16B/D dual seat variants. He went flying in the back seat of one. Made the local news.
"Hee Haw" is not cringe. It's a catchphrase that these kids have used since they were young. A distinctive way that this group of friends greet each other. Would it be used today? No, but that doesn't make it cringe. It was a different time and I guarantee that the slang from Generation Z will also be looked at with askance 50 years from now, but it won't mean it's cringe, just an example from this time and place
Interesting that you think what is cringe is not subjective. Or perhaps you are the authority on how others should feel? Rather full of yourself. And don't try to backpedal, you're admonishing her, you clearly aren't stating this as an opinion.
It was Sam Wainwrights greeting ~ catchphrase . It's not surprising they didn't catch it . when Mary thinks of Black and White movies as Olden her z-ness is showing . Some of cinemas greatest masterpieces are in Black and White and when she said she studied Cinema at the University . . . Did she Fail the course ?
Zuzu got her name from a brand of cookie. The National Biscuit Co later renamed Nabisco produced Zuzu ginger snaps that is why George at the end of the movie called Zuzu his little ginger snap
The Barrymores are one of the original stage and Hollywood dynasties. Lionel Barrymore was the elder brother of John Barrymore, who is Drew Barrymore's grandfather. (Her first name comes from the Drew family, which was another family of stage & screen actors, which intermarried with the Barrymores.)
I know there's a lot that Mary doesn't know or has never heard of, but to have never heard of Scrooge or A Christmas Carol is extremely shocking, even for a young person :/
Yes. Especially considering that A Christmas Carol began as a literary classic, by Charles Dickens. Any 11th or 12th Grade English Teacher worth his or her salt would have had his or her students read it, and any 1st year university English or Literature Class would have certainly discussed it.
@Francisco I would get ready because your "scholarly" retort proves to me you're closer to meeting your maker than you realize if you're so dying to know
At 31:50 I got the privilege to meet "Janie" (the George's daughter playing the piano) I went to Bible College with the daughter of the girl who played "Janie" as a child. Her daughter, my classmate, found out "It's a Wonderful Life" was my favorite movie, apart from any word from to her. So she arranged to introduce her mother to me on graduation night. It was one of the most thoughtful things anyone ever did for me. I always think of it each year I watch the movie.
That's one issue I sometimes have with two people watching... It's not an "honest" reaction. You can tell they are either guarded (on their best behavior) or trying to be clever or funny. Bottom line, people are less inclined to cry in front of someone else (depending on their relationship of course). And we know Mary often gets quite emotional, yet nothing here? This one just doesn't ring true.
Mr. Potter was played by Lionel Barrymore, of the Barrymore family, a family full of generations of stage and screen actors. I believe he is the granduncle of Drew Barrymore.
I have always loved that scene with Mary and George on the phone. I love George boiling over. He realizes he's making *the* choice for the rest of his life, he's setting aside everything he thought he'd do and building a life in Bedford Falls because that's where *she* is, and it's like leaving his body like a poison in the little outburst. It's like the all-time cognitive dissonance reduction scene in cinema. EDIT: fun trivia - during the bank run scene, the woman was told privately by the director to ask for less than $20, which is what everyone was scripted to ask. Jimmy Stewart reacted spontaneously in character by kissing her. More trivia - the salary Potter offered George Bailey would be the 2022 equivalent of about $430,000 USD per year. The bank deficit (the deposit Potter stole) was equivalent to about $132,000 USD.
FYI since you brought it up, the Great Depression started in 1929, 10 years after the opening scene with George Bailey. In 1919 the world was still in the grips of the Spanish Influenza pandemic, which started in 1918 & claimed tens of millions of lives worldwide. The Spanish Flu was undoubtedly what Mr. Gowers' son died from. I'm sure audiences back then instantly connected with that scene from having relatives who had died or heard the stories from their parents.
Definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. Wholesome yet not afraid to go very dark. I love how it shows that even very good people can do and say the wrong things sometimes.
I’m so proud of you ladies for recognizing the universal morals and values of this film. So many people, nowadays, would simply make fun of this movie for being so old.
Mansplainer 2099 Values are ideas that people value. So definitely not imaginary. Now, as for the word “universal,” that’s trickier. But throughout the history of the human race, certain ideas have been valued by the vast majority, although less so now in Western countries than any other time and place. Those ideas aren’t quite universally valued but close to it.
Jimmy Stewart was a great actor and even a greater man. He was a WWII combat veteran. He was a Squadron Commander. He had over 20 combat missions over Europe. When you see this movie closely, you can witness Stewart using his Posttraumatic Stress in his performance. Thank you General Stewart for your service, Rest in Peace.
Hey you guys don't have to apologize for liking It's a Wonderful Life more. It's considered one of the classic movies of all time. It's definitely one of my favorite movies and the chemistry between Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed is off the charts.
This movie is loved because it is often the most kind-hearted people of the world that are crapped on by everyone else. And this is the film where someone who does their best for others is given the credit they deserve. Not like they need credit to do good for people. But to just have the difficult and truly courageous acts be acknowledged.
I have to admit this is one of my absolute favorite movies! In fact, this movie in a large way help shape my life. I Loved the philosophy of what the Bailey's family business stood for, so much that my brothers and I all became active tradesmen each in our own field of expertise. My older brother was a carpenter and our general contractor, I became an electrician, and my younger brother runs a large roofing crew that also does siding, windows, and doors. (exterior work) We could have been considered The Bailey's Building and Loan of the last 30 years here where we live. Unfortunately, Cancer took my older brother so my younger brother and I still try to keep up our family name to the best of our ability, but each in our own field.
Mary was played by Donna Reed, who had a number of good movie roles but became best known for The Donna Reed Show, a popular family sitcom from the 50s and 60s.
She also took twenty bucks of Lionel Barrymore when he bet her she couldn’t milk a cow that was on stage and it discomfort because it had not been milked
Frank Capra was one of the most important directors in early Hollywood. "It's a Wonderful Life" is generally considered his masterpiece, but he made many other great movies as well. Check out "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" also starring Jimmy Stewart a few years earlier, or "It Happened One Night" with Clark Gable, or "The Miracle Woman" with Barbara Stanwyck. I'm sure you'll enjoy all of them, AND you'll gain a greater appreciation of film history. 😀
Another great Frank Capra film I watched just 2 weeks ago was "Pocketfull of Miracles" (1961) with Glenn Ford and Bette Davis. It was based on a story by Damon Runyon. The film had two veterans from "It's A Wonderful Life" - Sheldon Leonard (Nick, the bartender) and Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy). Peter Falk was nominated for an Oscar for his role. Also, Jerome Cowan who plays the governor was the prosecuting attorney in "Miracle on 34th Street."
"It Happened One Night" was the first film to win all five of the major Academy Awards - Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Film. (a feat later matched by only "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "The Silence of the Lambs".)
My mother was a huge Jimmy Stewart fan. We would watch this movie every Christmas as a kid. I've watched this movie just about every year for the last 20 years. And the older I get the more beautiful the film becomes because the more vividly I understand what the characters are going through. It is unequivocally the #1 Christmas movie in my book.
Opening myself up to older movies was one of the best things I ever did. For another wonderful Lionel Barrymore performance, please, please, please watch Captain's Courageous with Spencer Tracy.
Every generation has it's own language. "Hee Haw" was for that generation. You needn't "cringe" - there's nothing rude or dirty there. Just roll with it or stop watching. This is one of the best films ever made, and the lessons are timeless and pure.
Another great movie from the early post WW2 era is "The Best Years of Our Lives " about 3 different GI vets returning to their homes after the end of the war, and how their wartime experiences shape them as people. One, a Sailor lost both had hands and is portrayed by a handless veteran specially chosen by the director William Wyler. He was the only non professional actor in the cast and he is very good , largely playing himself.
Yes, a great film with a fine performance by Fredric March, who won the Oscar over Jimmy Stewart that year. March was very good in TBYOOL, but Stewart clearly deserved to win for his unforgettable tour de force performance.
This movie is one that you may expect to be too old fashioned, but then you watch the whole thing and realize how good it. Can't believe you didn't include him telling off Mr. Potter in the board meeting. Such a great scene. But my favorite bit of Stewart acting is at the train station where he silently pushes aside his disappointment and decides he'll let Harry go take that job.
I was just commenting on this in another reaction. The subtle shift in his facial expression as he walks a short distance on the train depot is a gamut of emotions from shock and disappointment to resignation and support.
George is a walking bastion of self-sacrifice. It pays off in the end, as Clarence wrote, because of the horde of friends he made along the way through his selflessness.
My other two favorite Jimmy Stewart films are Alfred Hitchcock's 'Rear Window' and a film called 'Harvey' based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play about a man and his best friend, a 6-foot tall invisible rabbit.
@user-em4xr9dq1f Actually, _Who Framed Roger Rabbit_ takes place before the film _Harvey_ came out. So, it's referencing the original stage play the film was based on.
Fun Fact: The actor who played Nick the bartender (Mr. "Out you two pixies go; trough da door or out da winda!") was a guy named Sheldon Leonard. About 15 years or so after this movie, he became a big time television producer for the American television network CBS and was very revered there. How revered? Well when they were developing the show "The Big Bang Theory", the showrunners named two of the main characters after Mr. Leonard.
"Why do we have to have all these kids?" may sound like a terrible thing to say, but what he's probably really thinking is "Why do all these kids have to have a screw-up like me for a father?" 😥😥
honestly my favourite Christmas film. For years I watched it each year and as you said it was so wholesome and a reminder how much we do without even knowing or understanding. Still to this day that ending makes me smile happy tears.
George Bailey wasn't "giving away houses". He was the Acting Secretary of the Bailey Building and Loan, like a Savings and Loan. It's like a bank or a credit union but primarily helps people pool their money together and make home loans. You couldn't get a home loan from a bank, you had to have cash to build a house back in the old days. A building and loan company helped depositors make loans for houses. Savings and Loans are sortof like a credit union. Also, this was before the FDIC, federal insurance that guarantees money in the bank. It was surprising to see how little these young reviewers knew about the depression years and the 1940s. Many of their reactions were straight presentism.
Amazingly, this movie was something of a flop when it ran in theaters in 1947. It wasn't until it started running on television during the holidays that people began to realize what a gem it really was, and of course now it's got to be one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time.
These actore, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed John Barrymore ward bond and others were a staple in hollywood for a long time. This is not just my favorite Christmas movie, its one of my all time favorites. Loved your reactions. Thanks!
This kind of love and community are so rare these days. Even in the movies, they do not portray relationships like this anymore. Imagine if everyone strived to be there for eachother like we just saw. This is one of the reasons I watch more of the older movies than todays. They are not as negative and depressing.
I just took part in a stage play production of It's A Wonderful Life. I played George Bailey. I had the time of my life and it was an experience I will never forget. I'm hoping to make it as an actor one day, I'm so glad this was my first stage performance. I'm so glad you finally watched this movie.
You should also try the Bishop's Wife, starring Cary Grant and David Niven. Old black and white film set around Christmas time with a nice feel good factor.
So many great movies from this era. (Bringing Up Baby, Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, Miracle on 34th St, etc. ). I like the comedies. Arsenic and Old Lace is a hilarious film.
"I'm surprised he said the S-word" Really? We can't even say THAT word anymore? Why are people so afraid to face reality these days? It has NEVER been offensive and I would not hesitate to use it in this ten times in this comment if RUclips didn't prevent me from using it.
Clarence: "Your brother, Harry Bailey, broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine." George Bailey: "That's a lie! Harry Bailey went to war! He got the Congressional Medal of Honor! He saved the lives of every man on that transport!" Clarence: "Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry.” I get a lump in my throat every time I see that scene.
Unquestionably one of my favorite holiday films to watch around this time of year... just too good! So glad you had the chance to see and react to it, Mary!
My fave film of all-time. Period. The universal message that everyone's life is wonderful seems in a cynical world today to be unheard of but to reflect on how one's impact each and everyone has w/family and friends is indeed truly remarkable. James Stewart is my fave actor of all-time. He made this as his 1st film post- WWII service and was unsure of his standings not only as an actor in Hollywood but as a human being. As you may know he had indeed difficulty dealing w/returning to civilian life and Capra approached him to be in this film (the director originally wanted his other collaborator Cary Grant but he was too busy in his career at that point). Clearly Capra bargained well and even thought the film's initial release failed at the box office and even w/critics it soon became a classic due to the film being in public domain (the film's rights had expired which meant syndicated tv could broadcast this ad nauseum which it did thru the '70s and had audiences embracing it as a yuletide take on A CHRISTMAS CAROL). Some fun facts - Donna Reed was also not the 1st choice (Capra wanted Jean Arthur who he directed w/Stewart in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON to acclaim but she passed). Stewart was hesitant to have a rookie co-star but one of their 1st scenes filmed is the telephone scene which has been discussed as arguably the hottest on-air kiss in cinema (in fact when they shot it and Capra called cut the script girl on set said they had missed page of dialogue! Capra printed the take you see). The drunken Uncle Billy scene with the offscreen crash was actually an on set accident - a crew member accidentally knocked over a table of equipment but the actor Thomas Mitchell improvised "I'm all right! I'm all right!" and they left it in the film - you can see Jimmy cracking up which was his IRL reaction). I could go on and on but you get it. I met Donna's daughter Mary Owen yrs ago in NYC where she introduced the film w/many facts and an Q&A - she has been doing this for years now and I have befriended her - in fact every year I hand deliver a Christmas card to her. However his is the 1st year (and on the film's 75th ! Anniversary yet) that I cannot attend due to work :( Also my mother and father are named Mary & George :D And yes Mary you sso need to do Mary Christmas for your holiday viewings! I love how you fell in love w/this film - how can you not. And your friend was very sweet (tell her however that FRANKENSTEIN & JEKYLL & HYDE were '30s horror not '40s (and please do not shy away from older movies!) *Lionel Barrymore was Drew's great-uncle; his actor brother John & sister Agnes were her grandfather & great aunt. And for the love of God get to know who Scrooge is! LOL
I loved your reaction Beautiful Ladies. Great insights from you both! I love this movie too! We watch it every Thanksgiving weekend to kick off the Christmas season! ❤
I'm struck that before this Double Indemnity is the only b&w '40s film you'd seen particularly if you were a film student. Your first film class should start right at the beginning. It's a fascinating history of how the language of film developed. And you couldn't have gotten a much better sampling of actors of seminal acting than in this film. And yes, Lionel Barrymore is Drew's granduncle. Hello, Katie ✋
Robert Jewell I agree. I took two film classes when I was in college. How anyone can say that they only saw one B&W movie when taking a film course is a mystery since you would have to cover the silent era through the 30s, 40s 50s and 60s and probably get to see "Citizen Kane" strongly considered the movie that made all movies with its innovation in script writing and cinematography.
@@washo2222 , indeed. I taught film history and aesthetics and silent cinema was where that course started in order to show how film language developed with samples of very early simple filming of stories were like watching a play where the xanera sat in one positiin to D. W. Griffith's use of close-ups to heighten the dramatic narrative to the innovation of tracking shots and how master auteurs began to utilize that whole developing tapestry as storytellers.
I love the quilt too on your bed. Did you make it? I’ve been a quilter for 49 years and that one quilt I haven’t made. Beautiful. And this is my favorite movie. Couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it. Changes my life every year
According to your figures she would have been born in 1937, and thus the movie would have been made in 1943 when she was 6. World War II didn't end until '45, and it has already ended at the end of the movie. Also, James Stewart was still in the service in '43 and the release date is listed as 1946. Sorry if this comes across as nit-picking, but I thought you might want to know.
Exactly. Which is why SO much of modern entertainment will vanish and be forgotten! Not just because "physical media" is being phased out, and thus things can be more easily altered or deleted. But because modern Hollywood wants to make it all "timeLY" (and "reflect the world we live in") instead of making it "timeLESS".
I've seen this movie so many times and I've never once considered a connection between Mr Gower taking out his grief on young George and adult George taking out his frustrations on his loved ones. Great observation!
Great analysis of George and Mary's relationship at the end! You and Katie are great, she's way cool. Very smart, very cool. You guys have great rapport. Will check out her page now!
One of my favorite Capra movies is It Happened One Night, from 1934, starring Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert. One of my favorite Jimmy Stewart movies is the Alfred Hitchcock directed film Rear Window, also starring Grace Kelly, from 1954. Grace Kelly is absolutely gorgeous in it.
17:21 in the scene when hear all the crashing and he says “I’m alright”, that wasn’t scripted. A crew member knocked some stuff over on accident and the actors played it off. Later that guy thought he was going to get fired. He got promoted😂
It's easy to take for granted these old movies that made such an impact and influenced us in these ways. Something like this that inspires one to reflect on what the world would be like without you, and there are so many more things, not just movies, but music, books, even news media used to be useful and educational rather than toxic and biased.
James Stewart gives a modern performance in this old movie. He was "Method acting" years before Brando or Dean, and you can see and hear it in his desperate prayer scene at the bar. He does so much more than merely recite his dialogue. His belaboured breathing, his shivering, his body language, it all comes together to make a real person out of his character. Nobody else in Hollywood was doing this in the 1940s, not even the finest movie stars. They were all "acting", whereas Jimmy Stewart was being.
Rewatching this after seeing it last year. Did not know who Katie was then and did not discover her channel until a few months ago. I love her channel so it is fun to watch this with her in it again.
I learned recently that the movie on the marquee that he runs by at the end “The Bells of Saint Mary’s” was a real movie that the actor that played Clarence was in.
And the prequel to “The Bell’s of St. Mary” was “Going My Way”. Both films starred Bing Crosby. Both great films. Both films are usually played on tv during Christmas time as well.
My father has seen this movie dozens of times. And yet every time he flips by it on TV he says, "Oh look, It's A Wonderful Life. I should watch this one of these days." And then he watches it. Again.
What I love about this movie is the fact that most of the movie is following George through his life. This allows the audience to really see the character development, fall in love with the characters, and draw more from the timeline where George does not exist. We saw the significant events that happened, but we do not see the regular events in between. We even forget through the movie some of the events that took place, or can’t draw conclusions from what is not shown on screen. The alternate timeline not only shows the impact of the significant acts like Harry, Mr. Gower, Mr. Martini, and Mary. But, it also show others that were indirectly affected like Bert, Ernie, Ma Bailey, Violet, Uncle Billy, and the rest of the town. We could all learn a lot from this movie. I bet many times we see things through George’s eyes where we only see the negative right in front of us at the time. One of the quotes that hits me now is “Strange isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole doesn’t he?” Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New year!
Great reactions! I have two simple comments (to add to your analysis): 1.) The pool under the gym floor during the prom: It is a tradition at that high school now! Also: Many years ago at Stanford University, someone jumped into a fountain upon arriving on campus as a first-year student. When that student graduated, he jumped into the fountain again. Word spread about this; and, now it is a tradition for Stanford students to go fountain-hopping on their first and last days on campus. In an article about this tradition in the Stanford Daily, the newspaper included a photo from the prom pool scene from this film. 2.) There is a great newer British film called ABOUT TIME that has a similar (and fantastic) message. In a different way, that film is about how little things can change the course of history. If you ever have a chance, you should react to it! I once visited the Golden Gate Bridge just as someone committed suicide by jumping off. It was a deeply disturbing moment. Holidays are the most difficult time for some people suffering from depression. So, on some holidays, I buy some gift cards from Starbucks, Peet's, etc.. I then ride Caltrain from Palo Alto to San Francisco, ride my bicycle to the bridge and then and hand out the gift cards on the Golden Gate Bridge. I suppose that I'm motivated by just showing empathy and giving them a small thing to look forward to. I've enjoyed conversations with many seemingly lonely people; but, I suppose that I will never know whether it's made any difference. I'd like to think that it has.
So many great insights into a film I've watched for years. That George's angry reaction to trouble came from his boyhood with Mr. Gower being one of many.
I love this reaction and I watch it occasionally. It’s a fantastic movie and your friend really added to the experience. It’s also got the added bonus of being the only reaction that will ever compare the movies: “Klaus” and”It’s a Wonderful Life!”
I've watched several reaction videos about this movie and yours was the most enjoyable yet; I really appreciated the commentary at the end. Yes, George's wife Mary was a wonderful woman and one of the main reasons everything worked out at the end.
"only old film I've seen" Casablanca, Cutuzen Kane, the first of each Universal monster series, Metropolis, Mystery at the Wax Museum, Nosferatu, Abbott & Costello...plenty of choices.
Hello Katie nice to meet you. Mary love your channel. Years ago my mother and I watched this movie every year, so this year for the first time in years I watch it again thank you.happy Christmas.
Remember too, this came out a couple of years after World War II, which was a time when soldiers came home from war and embraced home and family. It had to speak to some of them seeing a guy who realizes his life at home was something to not take for granted.
I love how when George no longer exists the snow stops and when he prays to come back it starts snowing again. This is my favourite Christmas movie they really knew how to wright good story's back in those days when special affects didn't make up most of the movie. Great job reacting to this classic well done.👍🏻🎅🏻
Love the reaction video, Mary! It’s A Wonderful Life and Klaus are also my top two favorite Christmas movies! Although It’s A Wonderful Life is number 1 for me as well and Klaus as number 2! Also since you’re thinking of watching A Christmas Carol, I recommend you watch the 2009 Disney animated version where Jim Carrey plays Mr. Scrooge! I think you’ll love it! 😄
NEW GAMING CHANNEL: www.youtube.com/@cherry_plays
follow me on ✰www.twitch.tv/maryycherryy (LIVE STREAMS)
for the UNCUT VERSION check patreon.com/marycherryofficial
NEW CHANNEL - VARY CHERRY: www.youtube.com/@varycherry
DISCORD: discord.com/invite/3pxX7QqGW7
IG: instagram.com/maryycherryy/
TWEET ME: twitter.com/maryycherryy
FAQ sheet: docs.google.com/document/d/1_FkcwQ0vPAAk53YVyo-ChXc9AuX1pn5gbctrOkX13xA/edit
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
Katie's YT + Socials
www.youtube.com/@skeletalk
youtube.com/@skeletalk_art7
instagram.com/skeletalk_art
twitter.com/Skeletalk_art
linktr.ee/skeletalk
Luckily December 18 and 21st they’re doing a 75th anniversary screening and major movie theaters in cinemas
Now you have to watch “Casablanca” and old black and white and considered one of the top movies on most lists!
Many commenters are confused by George's hostile mood while visiting Mary. The reason his hostile is because he's seeing his dreams crashing to the ground in slow-motion and he's powerless to stop their demise. He's a man battling himself: one the one hand, he realizes he's falling in love with Mary, which means all his dreams of travel and adventure die; on the other hand, he still wants to strive for his dreams. That's why he voices his desires with such determination as he shakes Mary (who becomes his own conscience at that point) He's trying to convince himself to not let go of those dreams. Then his love for Mary overwhelms his ambitions, and he embraces and kisses her.
How many people would have fallen to drink or drugs in similar situations.
Alot of people don’t get that scene where he first kisses Mary. He says he doesn’t want to get married and then he kisses her passionately. It’s simply he’s feeling like his dreams are slipping away from him. He’s resisting her but he’s in love with her and he can’t deny it.
its my favorite romantic movie scene ever.
Well put!!
We witness his internal struggle and Mr. Stewart portrays it so well.
some folks just lack depth to the point they cannot see the obvious.. very sad.
@@PatrickOneal-nl7xk You nailed it.
@@PatrickOneal-nl7xk That's Mary in a nutshell.
Frank Capra didn't make any of the Planet of the Apes films. That was his son, Frank Capra Jr., who was an associate producer on those films. Frank Capra was probably one of the three most significant film makers of the 30s-50s, not only in Hollywood, but headed up the group of film makers who entered the Army and made documentarys during WWII.
Top three most significant filmmakers of the 30s to 50s? Hmm, that's very debatable.
Frank Capra was a huge influence in Hollywood, so much that “Capraesque” is a film cliche.
yeah it shocked me when she said that she knew of Frank Capra because he directed planet of the apes. Can't quite reconcile Planet of the Apes with Its a Wonderful Life. Should probably ask ChatGPT to write a plot mashup between the two films.
@@gregmattson2238 How about...When Mr. Potter offers George a job and extends his hand to shake, "Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty Mr. Potter!"
The original American "Planet of the Apes" was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.
This pure gem of a movie is 76 years young and it's still as relevant in 2022 as it was in 1946 !
January 7, 1947 was the actual release date… in the US, anyway
Absolutely!
It's timeless because its underlying morals are universal, applicable to humankind, everywhere, all the time, forever.
@@artbagley1406 Absolutely ! The World needs more George Bailey's and less Kardashians ...
@@nsasupporter7557 The premier was actually pushed up to December 1946 in order to be considered for that year's Oscar nominations. Broad distribution happened in January, 1947.
Jimmy Stewart was suffering from PTSD while filming this movie from being a bomber pilot in WW2. It is clear that he channeled this into his role
George Bailey was a hero and so was Jimmy Stewart. He was also an AMAZING actor.
I did not know that! Wow! Thanks for that bit of trivia!
Yeah, the scene where George meets Mary at her house was the first scene filmed after Stewart returned from the war, and he was super on edge, to the point where he scared not only Donna Reed, but also the director.
He'd have been *great anyway,* but yes, he provides a deep extra edge to this movie (that keeps it from being a predictable, Hallmark kind of "family film")...
His breakdown on the bridge was genuine
Every time I watch this movie, I fall in love with Donna Reed/Mary Hatch all over again.
James Stewart is one of my favorite actors. He battled to join the Army Air Corps pre war. You see he didn't weigh enough for his height. He hired a body builder to help him meet the minimum weight requirements. Once in the Air Corps he was tucked away in a safe training command as an instructor. He fought his way to a combat command and flew over twenty missions. He was grounded for being " flak Happy ". Another way of saying PTSD. This was his first movie after the war. People that knew him believe he poured all his anguish into the role. He was different after making the movie. After the war, in addition to being a highly successful actor, he was in the Air Force. He flew at least one combat mission over Vietnam. Ultimately he retired a Brigadier General.
I still remember him doing Air force spots on tv, in his uniform.
@@tomdowling638 Just before he retired, he came to Tampa's MacDill AFB. At the time the base was used for F16 training and had F16B/D dual seat variants. He went flying in the back seat of one. Made the local news.
@@JohnRodriguesPhotographer He retired from the USAF in 68. The first F16 flight was 1974.
In your face, John Wayne!!!
"Hee Haw" is not cringe. It's a catchphrase that these kids have used since they were young. A distinctive way that this group of friends greet each other. Would it be used today? No, but that doesn't make it cringe. It was a different time and I guarantee that the slang from Generation Z will also be looked at with askance 50 years from now, but it won't mean it's cringe, just an example from this time and place
Interesting that you think what is cringe is not subjective. Or perhaps you are the authority on how others should feel? Rather full of yourself. And don't try to backpedal, you're admonishing her, you clearly aren't stating this as an opinion.
No, it was even cringe at the time
It was Sam Wainwrights greeting ~ catchphrase . It's not surprising they didn't catch it . when Mary thinks of Black and White movies as Olden her z-ness is showing . Some of cinemas greatest masterpieces are in Black and White and when she said she studied Cinema at the University . . . Did she Fail the course ?
Plus they couldn't speak with the level of vulgarity in film...that we do now either
@@theretrosavage Thank God for artistic freedom
Fun fact, the actor that played Mary’s date at the dance was Alfafa in the original The Little Rascals
Also, Sesame Street's Burt and Ernie are based on Burt the Cop and Ernie the Cab Driver.
I did not know that. Thanks.
Zuzu got her name from a brand of cookie. The National Biscuit Co later renamed Nabisco produced Zuzu ginger snaps that is why George at the end of the movie called Zuzu his little ginger snap
I would name my child Oreo or Ritz.
@@godmagnus Or you could name your kid Newton
My sons Bourbon and Custard Cream approve of this.
The character's name was Susan.
Technically true but even IMDB has the character listed as Zuzu
“Look daddy, teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings” love that quote so much ❤🔔👼
The Barrymores are one of the original stage and Hollywood dynasties. Lionel Barrymore was the elder brother of John Barrymore, who is Drew Barrymore's grandfather. (Her first name comes from the Drew family, which was another family of stage & screen actors, which intermarried with the Barrymores.)
mystery solved haha
There is also a Theater on Broadway named after the Barrymore's. True Broadway royalty.
And Ethel Barrymore
My favorite Lionel Barrymore role is the grandfather in the Shirley Temple movie "The Little Colonel".
@@MaryCherryOfficial Merry Christmas, Mary! I'm so glad you go to see this "wonderful" film. Thanks for all you do, you are very much appreciated. :D
There are so many people like George Bailey in this world who go unnoticed. Everyone probably knows one of them, but doesn’t realize it.
Gary Sinise comes to mind.
I know there's a lot that Mary doesn't know or has never heard of, but to have never heard of Scrooge or A Christmas Carol is extremely shocking, even for a young person :/
I prefer the 1984 version of "A Christmas Carol" with George C. Scott. He is the classic Scrooge or Patton.
Yes. Especially considering that A Christmas Carol began as a literary classic, by Charles Dickens.
Any 11th or 12th Grade English Teacher worth his or her salt would have had his or her students read it, and any 1st year university English or Literature Class would have certainly discussed it.
I was shocked as well. Not to know of Charles Dickens is a reflection on the education system.
@Francisco Not smart. EDUCATED.
@Francisco I would get ready because your "scholarly" retort proves to me you're closer to meeting your maker than you realize if you're so dying to know
George Bailey's life is the embodiment of John Lennon's lyric, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
I have used that quote alot over the last 20+ years......
At 31:50 I got the privilege to meet "Janie" (the George's daughter playing the piano) I went to Bible College with the daughter of the girl who played "Janie" as a child. Her daughter, my classmate, found out "It's a Wonderful Life" was my favorite movie, apart from any word from to her. So she arranged to introduce her mother to me on graduation night. It was one of the most thoughtful things anyone ever did for me. I always think of it each year I watch the movie.
The ending always makes me cry.
Me too! Doesn't matter how many times I've watched this movie, I always end up crying.
tears of joy.
Even watching this reaction video brings me to the verge of tears.
The whole movie makes me cry
“To my big brother, George, the richest man in town.”
You 2 might be the only people I watched see this movie that didn't cry at the ending.
That's one issue I sometimes have with two people watching... It's not an "honest" reaction. You can tell they are either guarded (on their best behavior) or trying to be clever or funny. Bottom line, people are less inclined to cry in front of someone else (depending on their relationship of course). And we know Mary often gets quite emotional, yet nothing here? This one just doesn't ring true.
Well mary show different emotions sometimes if some people don't cry that's fine they still touched
Mr. Potter was played by Lionel Barrymore, of the Barrymore family, a family full of generations of stage and screen actors. I believe he is the granduncle of Drew Barrymore.
He was also the one who talked Stewart into doing the movie.
I'd go so far to say you can easily see the resemblence between Lionel and Drew.
I recommend Arsène Lupin (1932).
John Barrymore is Drew Barrymore's great uncle not her grandfather. But they are related
@BlindLemonPledge I think you mean Lionel Barrymore, not John, but yes Lionel is her great uncle
I have always loved that scene with Mary and George on the phone. I love George boiling over. He realizes he's making *the* choice for the rest of his life, he's setting aside everything he thought he'd do and building a life in Bedford Falls because that's where *she* is, and it's like leaving his body like a poison in the little outburst. It's like the all-time cognitive dissonance reduction scene in cinema.
EDIT: fun trivia - during the bank run scene, the woman was told privately by the director to ask for less than $20, which is what everyone was scripted to ask. Jimmy Stewart reacted spontaneously in character by kissing her.
More trivia - the salary Potter offered George Bailey would be the 2022 equivalent of about $430,000 USD per year. The bank deficit (the deposit Potter stole) was equivalent to about $132,000 USD.
They did that scene on the first take , with no rehearsal !
FYI since you brought it up, the Great Depression started in 1929, 10 years after the opening scene with George Bailey. In 1919 the world was still in the grips of the Spanish Influenza pandemic, which started in 1918 & claimed tens of millions of lives worldwide. The Spanish Flu was undoubtedly what Mr. Gowers' son died from. I'm sure audiences back then instantly connected with that scene from having relatives who had died or heard the stories from their parents.
Definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. Wholesome yet not afraid to go very dark. I love how it shows that even very good people can do and say the wrong things sometimes.
I’m so proud of you ladies for recognizing the universal morals and values of this film. So many people, nowadays, would simply make fun of this movie for being so old.
It really has nothing to do with "values" since "value" is an imaginary thing. It's about butterfly effect really.
@@Mansplainer2099-jy8ps I feel sorry for you.
Youth is wasted on the wrong people.
@@Mansplainer2099-jy8ps That's the dumbest comment I've read today and... I mean DAMN. This is RUclips, after all.
Mansplainer 2099 Values are ideas that people value. So definitely not imaginary. Now, as for the word “universal,” that’s trickier. But throughout the history of the human race, certain ideas have been valued by the vast majority, although less so now in Western countries than any other time and place. Those ideas aren’t quite universally valued but close to it.
Jimmy Stewart was a great actor and even a greater man. He was a WWII combat veteran. He was a Squadron Commander. He had over 20 combat missions over Europe. When you see this movie closely, you can witness Stewart using his Posttraumatic Stress in his performance. Thank you General Stewart for your service, Rest in Peace.
Hey you guys don't have to apologize for liking It's a Wonderful Life more. It's considered one of the classic movies of all time. It's definitely one of my favorite movies and the chemistry between Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed is off the charts.
This movie is loved because it is often the most kind-hearted people of the world that are crapped on by everyone else. And this is the film where someone who does their best for others is given the credit they deserve. Not like they need credit to do good for people. But to just have the difficult and truly courageous acts be acknowledged.
I have to admit this is one of my absolute favorite movies! In fact, this movie in a large way help shape my life. I Loved the philosophy of what the Bailey's family business stood for, so much that my brothers and I all became active tradesmen each in our own field of expertise. My older brother was a carpenter and our general contractor, I became an electrician, and my younger brother runs a large roofing crew that also does siding, windows, and doors. (exterior work) We could have been considered The Bailey's Building and Loan of the last 30 years here where we live. Unfortunately, Cancer took my older brother so my younger brother and I still try to keep up our family name to the best of our ability, but each in our own field.
Mary was played by Donna Reed, who had a number of good movie roles but became best known for The Donna Reed Show, a popular family sitcom from the 50s and 60s.
Donna Reed is also in From Here to Eternity
She also took twenty bucks of Lionel Barrymore when he bet her she couldn’t milk a cow that was on stage and it discomfort because it had not been milked
And she was on the TV show Dallas.
Frank Capra was one of the most important directors in early Hollywood. "It's a Wonderful Life" is generally considered his masterpiece, but he made many other great movies as well. Check out "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" also starring Jimmy Stewart a few years earlier, or "It Happened One Night" with Clark Gable, or "The Miracle Woman" with Barbara Stanwyck. I'm sure you'll enjoy all of them, AND you'll gain a greater appreciation of film history. 😀
Another great Frank Capra film I watched just 2 weeks ago was "Pocketfull of Miracles" (1961) with Glenn Ford and Bette Davis. It was based on a story by Damon Runyon. The film had two veterans from "It's A Wonderful Life" - Sheldon Leonard (Nick, the bartender) and Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy). Peter Falk was nominated for an Oscar for his role. Also, Jerome Cowan who plays the governor was the prosecuting attorney in "Miracle on 34th Street."
"It Happened One Night" was the first film to win all five of the major Academy Awards - Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Film. (a feat later matched by only "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "The Silence of the Lambs".)
My mother was a huge Jimmy Stewart fan. We would watch this movie every Christmas as a kid. I've watched this movie just about every year for the last 20 years. And the older I get the more beautiful the film becomes because the more vividly I understand what the characters are going through. It is unequivocally the #1 Christmas movie in my book.
Opening myself up to older movies was one of the best things I ever did. For another wonderful Lionel Barrymore performance, please, please, please watch Captain's Courageous with Spencer Tracy.
Every generation has it's own language. "Hee Haw" was for that generation. You needn't "cringe" - there's nothing rude or dirty there. Just roll with it or stop watching. This is one of the best films ever made, and the lessons are timeless and pure.
If the greatest generation could see the degeneracy of our modern society as a whole, I think they’d be the ones calling us “cringe”.
Every time my RUclips notification bell goes off...an angel gets his wings.
I discovered this movie at a very dark time on my life. It may have saved my life.
MARY CHRISTMAS to you lovelies!
This movie has been part of my Christmas since I can remember. A classic movie that never gets old.
Another great movie from the early post WW2 era is "The Best Years of Our Lives " about 3 different GI vets returning to their homes after the end of the war, and how their wartime experiences shape them as people. One, a Sailor lost both had hands and is portrayed by a handless veteran specially chosen by the director William Wyler. He was the only non professional actor in the cast and he is very good , largely playing himself.
A Matter of Life and Death came out in '46 too. What a year.
Yes, a great film with a fine performance by Fredric March, who won the Oscar over Jimmy Stewart that year. March was very good in TBYOOL, but Stewart clearly deserved to win for his unforgettable tour de force performance.
This movie is one that you may expect to be too old fashioned, but then you watch the whole thing and realize how good it. Can't believe you didn't include him telling off Mr. Potter in the board meeting. Such a great scene. But my favorite bit of Stewart acting is at the train station where he silently pushes aside his disappointment and decides he'll let Harry go take that job.
I was just commenting on this in another reaction. The subtle shift in his facial expression as he walks a short distance on the train depot is a gamut of emotions from shock and disappointment to resignation and support.
George is a walking bastion of self-sacrifice. It pays off in the end, as Clarence wrote, because of the horde of friends he made along the way through his selflessness.
NEW GAMING CHANNEL: www.youtube.com/@cherry_plays
follow me on ✰www.twitch.tv/maryycherryy (LIVE STREAMS)
for the UNCUT VERSION check patreon.com/marycherryofficial
NEW CHANNEL - VARY CHERRY: www.youtube.com/@varycherry
DISCORD: discord.com/invite/3pxX7QqGW7
IG: instagram.com/maryycherryy/
TWEET ME: twitter.com/maryycherryy
FAQ sheet: docs.google.com/document/d/1_FkcwQ0vPAAk53YVyo-ChXc9AuX1pn5gbctrOkX13xA/edit
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
Katie's YT + Socials
www.youtube.com/@skeletalk
youtube.com/@skeletalk_art7
instagram.com/skeletalk_art
twitter.com/Skeletalk_art
linktr.ee/skeletalk
Your nice beautiful friend.
My other two favorite Jimmy Stewart films are Alfred Hitchcock's 'Rear Window' and a film called 'Harvey' based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play about a man and his best friend, a 6-foot tall invisible rabbit.
I'd add The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance as well
Harvey was referenced in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, though it goes over the heads of todays viewers.
I love _Rear Window._ It's my favorite Stewart film and my favorite Hitchcock film.
@user-em4xr9dq1f Actually, _Who Framed Roger Rabbit_ takes place before the film _Harvey_ came out. So, it's referencing the original stage play the film was based on.
Oh, I love 'Harvey'! Rear Window was so stressing.
Fun Fact: The actor who played Nick the bartender (Mr. "Out you two pixies go; trough da door or out da winda!") was a guy named Sheldon Leonard. About 15 years or so after this movie, he became a big time television producer for the American television network CBS and was very revered there. How revered? Well when they were developing the show "The Big Bang Theory", the showrunners named two of the main characters after Mr. Leonard.
"Why do we have to have all these kids?" may sound like a terrible thing to say, but what he's probably really thinking is "Why do all these kids have to have a screw-up like me for a father?" 😥😥
Another “old” movie worth checking out is “Casablanca.”
honestly my favourite Christmas film. For years I watched it each year and as you said it was so wholesome and a reminder how much we do without even knowing or understanding. Still to this day that ending makes me smile happy tears.
I can just imagine the look on Mr. Potter's face when he hears that George's friends actually did give him the money!
George Bailey wasn't "giving away houses". He was the Acting Secretary of the Bailey Building and Loan, like a Savings and Loan. It's like a bank or a credit union but primarily helps people pool their money together and make home loans. You couldn't get a home loan from a bank, you had to have cash to build a house back in the old days. A building and loan company helped depositors make loans for houses. Savings and Loans are sortof like a credit union. Also, this was before the FDIC, federal insurance that guarantees money in the bank. It was surprising to see how little these young reviewers knew about the depression years and the 1940s. Many of their reactions were straight presentism.
Amazingly, this movie was something of a flop when it ran in theaters in 1947. It wasn't until it started running on television during the holidays that people began to realize what a gem it really was, and of course now it's got to be one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time.
Same with Christmas Story… it wasn’t a hit when it came out in 83, but became a classic later on. Same with Wizard of Oz, believe it or not
Spending so much time on the backstory also draws us into the character and so we feel for him at the end when things go wrong.
The little girl that played ZuZu not only is a grandmother, but a great grandmother and she never saw the movie until she was forty years old.
These actore, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed John Barrymore ward bond and others were a staple in hollywood for a long time. This is not just my favorite Christmas movie, its one of my all time favorites. Loved your reactions. Thanks!
This kind of love and community are so rare these days. Even in the movies, they do not portray relationships like this anymore. Imagine if everyone strived to be there for eachother like we just saw. This is one of the reasons I watch more of the older movies than todays. They are not as negative and depressing.
I just took part in a stage play production of It's A Wonderful Life. I played George Bailey. I had the time of my life and it was an experience I will never forget. I'm hoping to make it as an actor one day, I'm so glad this was my first stage performance. I'm so glad you finally watched this movie.
See this movie and finally get the "Zuzu's petals" reference. Numerous boutiques, restaurants and flower shops across the U.S. are named after it.
You should also try the Bishop's Wife, starring Cary Grant and David Niven. Old black and white film set around Christmas time with a nice feel good factor.
So many great movies from this era. (Bringing Up Baby, Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, Miracle on 34th St, etc. ). I like the comedies. Arsenic and Old Lace is a hilarious film.
Scrooge McDuck got his name from the classic Christmas Carrol's character, Ebenezer Scrooge. -OG
"I'm surprised he said the S-word"
Really? We can't even say THAT word anymore? Why are people so afraid to face reality these days? It has NEVER been offensive and I would not hesitate to use it in this ten times in this comment if RUclips didn't prevent me from using it.
1919 was the middle of _that_ famous pandemic, as history denotes it. 1929 was the Great Depression.
Clarence: "Your brother, Harry Bailey, broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine."
George Bailey: "That's a lie! Harry Bailey went to war! He got the Congressional Medal of Honor! He saved the lives of every man on that transport!"
Clarence: "Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry.”
I get a lump in my throat every time I see that scene.
Unquestionably one of my favorite holiday films to watch around this time of year... just too good! So glad you had the chance to see and react to it, Mary!
My fave film of all-time. Period. The universal message that everyone's life is wonderful seems in a cynical world today to be unheard of but to reflect on how one's impact each and everyone has w/family and friends is indeed truly remarkable. James Stewart is my fave actor of all-time. He made this as his 1st film post- WWII service and was unsure of his standings not only as an actor in Hollywood but as a human being. As you may know he had indeed difficulty dealing w/returning to civilian life and Capra approached him to be in this film (the director originally wanted his other collaborator Cary Grant but he was too busy in his career at that point). Clearly Capra bargained well and even thought the film's initial release failed at the box office and even w/critics it soon became a classic due to the film being in public domain (the film's rights had expired which meant syndicated tv could broadcast this ad nauseum which it did thru the '70s and had audiences embracing it as a yuletide take on A CHRISTMAS CAROL). Some fun facts - Donna Reed was also not the 1st choice (Capra wanted Jean Arthur who he directed w/Stewart in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON to acclaim but she passed). Stewart was hesitant to have a rookie co-star but one of their 1st scenes filmed is the telephone scene which has been discussed as arguably the hottest on-air kiss in cinema (in fact when they shot it and Capra called cut the script girl on set said they had missed page of dialogue! Capra printed the take you see). The drunken Uncle Billy scene with the offscreen crash was actually an on set accident - a crew member accidentally knocked over a table of equipment but the actor Thomas Mitchell improvised "I'm all right! I'm all right!" and they left it in the film - you can see Jimmy cracking up which was his IRL reaction). I could go on and on but you get it. I met Donna's daughter Mary Owen yrs ago in NYC where she introduced the film w/many facts and an Q&A - she has been doing this for years now and I have befriended her - in fact every year I hand deliver a Christmas card to her. However his is the 1st year (and on the film's 75th ! Anniversary yet) that I cannot attend due to work :( Also my mother and father are named Mary & George :D And yes Mary you sso need to do Mary Christmas for your holiday viewings! I love how you fell in love w/this film - how can you not. And your friend was very sweet (tell her however that FRANKENSTEIN & JEKYLL & HYDE were '30s horror not '40s (and please do not shy away from older movies!) *Lionel Barrymore was Drew's great-uncle; his actor brother John & sister Agnes were her grandfather & great aunt. And for the love of God get to know who Scrooge is! LOL
I loved your reaction Beautiful Ladies. Great insights from you both! I love this movie too! We watch it every Thanksgiving weekend to kick off the Christmas season! ❤
I'm struck that before this Double Indemnity is the only b&w '40s film you'd seen particularly if you were a film student. Your first film class should start right at the beginning. It's a fascinating history of how the language of film developed. And you couldn't have gotten a much better sampling of actors of seminal acting than in this film. And yes, Lionel Barrymore is Drew's granduncle.
Hello, Katie ✋
Robert Jewell I agree. I took two film classes when I was in college. How anyone can say that they only saw one B&W movie when taking a film course is a mystery since you would have to cover the silent era through the 30s, 40s 50s and 60s and probably get to see "Citizen Kane" strongly considered the movie that made all movies with its innovation in script writing and cinematography.
@@washo2222 , indeed. I taught film history and aesthetics and silent cinema was where that course started in order to show how film language developed with samples of very early simple filming of stories were like watching a play where the xanera sat in one positiin to D. W. Griffith's use of close-ups to heighten the dramatic narrative to the innovation of tracking shots and how master auteurs began to utilize that whole developing tapestry as storytellers.
I recommend Arsène Lupin (1932).
The ending always makes me cry. Love this movie!
I love the quilt too on your bed. Did you make it? I’ve been a quilter for 49 years and that one quilt I haven’t made. Beautiful. And this is my favorite movie. Couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it. Changes my life every year
The actress who played Zuzu is 86 now. She was 6 years old when filming.
According to your figures she would have been born in 1937, and thus the movie would have been made in 1943 when she was 6. World War II didn't end until '45, and it has already ended at the end of the movie. Also, James Stewart was still in the service in '43 and the release date is listed as 1946. Sorry if this comes across as nit-picking, but I thought you might want to know.
Casablanca, Roman Holiday & Bicycle Thieves are the other black and white films that I recommend to everyone.
This video is just proof that good entertainment is timeless. Loved the reactions and it made me feel like I was seeing it for the first time!
Exactly. Which is why SO much of modern entertainment will vanish and be forgotten!
Not just because "physical media" is being phased out, and thus things can be more easily altered or deleted.
But because modern Hollywood wants to make it all "timeLY" (and "reflect the world we live in") instead of making it "timeLESS".
I've seen this movie so many times and I've never once considered a connection between Mr Gower taking out his grief on young George and adult George taking out his frustrations on his loved ones. Great observation!
Great analysis of George and Mary's relationship at the end! You and Katie are great, she's way cool. Very smart, very cool. You guys have great rapport. Will check out her page now!
One of my favorite Capra movies is It Happened One Night, from 1934, starring Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert.
One of my favorite Jimmy Stewart movies is the Alfred Hitchcock directed film Rear Window, also starring Grace Kelly, from 1954. Grace Kelly is absolutely gorgeous in it.
17:21 in the scene when hear all the crashing and he says “I’m alright”, that wasn’t scripted. A crew member knocked some stuff over on accident and the actors played it off. Later that guy thought he was going to get fired. He got promoted😂
It's easy to take for granted these old movies that made such an impact and influenced us in these ways. Something like this that inspires one to reflect on what the world would be like without you, and there are so many more things, not just movies, but music, books, even news media used to be useful and educational rather than toxic and biased.
James Stewart gives a modern performance in this old movie. He was "Method acting" years before Brando or Dean, and you can see and hear it in his desperate prayer scene at the bar. He does so much more than merely recite his dialogue. His belaboured breathing, his shivering, his body language, it all comes together to make a real person out of his character. Nobody else in Hollywood was doing this in the 1940s, not even the finest movie stars. They were all "acting", whereas Jimmy Stewart was being.
Rewatching this after seeing it last year. Did not know who Katie was then and did not discover her channel until a few months ago. I love her channel so it is fun to watch this with her in it again.
I learned recently that the movie on the marquee that he runs by at the end “The Bells of Saint Mary’s” was a real movie that the actor that played Clarence was in.
And the prequel to “The Bell’s of St. Mary” was “Going My Way”. Both films starred Bing Crosby. Both great films. Both films are usually played on tv during Christmas time as well.
Clarence was played by Henry Travers.
If you want to see Mr. Potter get his comeuppance, check out the SNL "lost ending".
Great reaction, thanks for sharing!
"studied film" & hasn't seen any movies from the 40s... christ almighty
It's all about the most important word in the title. "Life".
Loved the review y'all.
As we say in Texas; y'all be safe. Have a wonderful Christmas!!
My father has seen this movie dozens of times. And yet every time he flips by it on TV he says, "Oh look, It's A Wonderful Life. I should watch this one of these days." And then he watches it. Again.
What I love about this movie is the fact that most of the movie is following George through his life. This allows the audience to really see the character development, fall in love with the characters, and draw more from the timeline where George does not exist. We saw the significant events that happened, but we do not see the regular events in between. We even forget through the movie some of the events that took place, or can’t draw conclusions from what is not shown on screen. The alternate timeline not only shows the impact of the significant acts like Harry, Mr. Gower, Mr. Martini, and Mary. But, it also show others that were indirectly affected like Bert, Ernie, Ma Bailey, Violet, Uncle Billy, and the rest of the town.
We could all learn a lot from this movie. I bet many times we see things through George’s eyes where we only see the negative right in front of us at the time. One of the quotes that hits me now is “Strange isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole doesn’t he?”
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New year!
You "studied film", but only saw one "old movie"? That school program was lacking.
Great reaction! I hope this leads to you watching more classic films.
Watch this once a year and I always love it. So glad you guys enjoyed it. Such a classic.
Always brings tears to my eyes 🥲
Great reactions! I have two simple comments (to add to your analysis):
1.) The pool under the gym floor during the prom: It is a tradition at that high school now! Also: Many years ago at Stanford University, someone jumped into a fountain upon arriving on campus as a first-year student. When that student graduated, he jumped into the fountain again. Word spread about this; and, now it is a tradition for Stanford students to go fountain-hopping on their first and last days on campus. In an article about this tradition in the Stanford Daily, the newspaper included a photo from the prom pool scene from this film.
2.) There is a great newer British film called ABOUT TIME that has a similar (and fantastic) message. In a different way, that film is about how little things can change the course of history. If you ever have a chance, you should react to it!
I once visited the Golden Gate Bridge just as someone committed suicide by jumping off. It was a deeply disturbing moment. Holidays are the most difficult time for some people suffering from depression. So, on some holidays, I buy some gift cards from Starbucks, Peet's, etc.. I then ride Caltrain from Palo Alto to San Francisco, ride my bicycle to the bridge and then and hand out the gift cards on the Golden Gate Bridge. I suppose that I'm motivated by just showing empathy and giving them a small thing to look forward to. I've enjoyed conversations with many seemingly lonely people; but, I suppose that I will never know whether it's made any difference. I'd like to think that it has.
So many great insights into a film I've watched for years. That George's angry reaction to trouble came from his boyhood with Mr. Gower being one of many.
OMG, Please do more classics, like Casablanca, 12 Angry Men, Treasure of Sierra Madre, ... well you get the idea. Have a great Christmas.
I love this reaction and I watch it occasionally. It’s a fantastic movie and your friend really added to the experience. It’s also got the added bonus of being the only reaction that will ever compare the movies: “Klaus” and”It’s a Wonderful Life!”
When Mary said "This is what I wished for." she was speaking into George's left ear again.
I've watched several reaction videos about this movie and yours was the most enjoyable yet; I really appreciated the commentary at the end. Yes, George's wife Mary was a wonderful woman and one of the main reasons everything worked out at the end.
"only old film I've seen"
Casablanca, Cutuzen Kane, the first of each Universal monster series, Metropolis, Mystery at the Wax Museum, Nosferatu, Abbott & Costello...plenty of choices.
Beautifully charming reactions and thoughtful analysis to this "wonderful" film... Thank You! ❤😊
Hello Katie nice to meet you. Mary love your channel. Years ago my mother and I watched this movie every year, so this year for the first time in years I watch it again thank you.happy Christmas.
It’s not Christmas until George Bailey says “atta boy Clarence.” ❤️🎄
Sam was more than generous. $25K in 1945 is the equivalent of $410,000 today.
Remember too, this came out a couple of years after World War II, which was a time when soldiers came home from war and embraced home and family. It had to speak to some of them seeing a guy who realizes his life at home was something to not take for granted.
1year after
I love how when George no longer exists the snow stops and when he prays to come back it starts snowing again. This is my favourite Christmas movie they really knew how to wright good story's back in those days when special affects didn't make up most of the movie. Great job reacting to this classic well done.👍🏻🎅🏻
A woman who looks like Donna Reed becomes an old maid? Not a chance!
Excellent point.
In the original story (in the George never existed scenario), she married someone else and was a victim of abuse.
Love the reaction video, Mary! It’s A Wonderful Life and Klaus are also my top two favorite Christmas movies! Although It’s A Wonderful Life is number 1 for me as well and Klaus as number 2! Also since you’re thinking of watching A Christmas Carol, I recommend you watch the 2009 Disney animated version where Jim Carrey plays Mr. Scrooge! I think you’ll love it! 😄