It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Hello Leo! How are you holding up with work?

I think our blog is turning to a movie geek corner, at least for this week.

Today is October 5^th, it’s quite soon to write this review I know but I feel like today is the right for this movie.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” by director Frank Capra is one of one hundred best classic movies according to Rotten Tomatoes. The movie is about Christmas, that’s why I say it’s quite early to write this review. But you know what, don’t worry about the Christmas connection, this masterpiece can be watched any time of the year. (but please wait for Christmas haha).

The movie starts at Christmas night and our main character – George Bailey (played by James Stewart) suffers a catastrophe and decide to commit suicide.

George Bailey was born and grows up in Bedford Falls, a small town where everybody knows each other. George is a good man. When he was only a little kid, George saved his brother when he fell in to the lake in winter. Years later, another good action of him saved another life, and these are only two of many magnanimous gestures that he has done. The same as anyone of us, he has dreams and plans for his life. He wants to see the world and then go to college and become an engineer, he wants to build bridge, new building, he wants “to do something big, something important”. But somehow, one way or another, he couldn’t get away from Bedford Falls.

Of course, he never wants it. But still he does it.

The story of George Bailey’s life is a story about sacrifices. The story about a man who put the interests, the lives of others before his, a man who worries about others even when they don’t know that he did and sometimes they blame him for that. A man who helps others by every way in his power. George dedicates himself for his town and in return, he’s loved by the people of Bedford Falls and surrounded by a lot of good friends. Beside friends, he found the love of his life Mary and have a sweet happy family with four kids and a place called HOME.

The big heart of George Bailey spreads to God, and in his most tragic moment of his life, Clarence, an angel second class, is sent to help him. With Clarence and George, we will follow them to discover a Bedford Falls without the appearance of George Bailey, because he’s never been born.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” tells a heart whelming story, a story about Kindness, Friendship, Love, Family, how value they are for a man’s life. Sometimes in our life, and it applies for any human being, we all have the moment that we forget about what is truly matters, truly important to us. Sometimes, we choose money over friendship, pleasures over family, ourselves over the others. The message here is to GIVE, to SHARE your love, your empathy, your wealth, your health, your time for the one who’s in deeply in need and only God knows, when will the favor return to you.

“Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends.” – Clarence.

Produced in 1946, apparently, the color, the music will bring us back very far to the past, when Elvis hasn’t been born yet. And different from our time, the way the actors acting is quite different as well, we can feel that it’s not true, it’s just a story that they’re trying to tell us, like a drama in a theater. These could be a very new experience for you. However, the story, the movie lines are so good that you don’t think this is a movie produced right after WW2. It makes me want to watch all the classic movies in the rotten tomatoes list (https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/100-best-classic-movies/)

“It’s a Wonderful Life” – a genuine American Classic.

If you can, watch the movie while no one can disturb you. Watch the movie in a cozy NIGHT (not day), with your hot drinks next to you. And let the story melt your heart.

Thank you for reading.

-MiloufromSaigon-