Reel Jolly series - “It’s A Wonderful Life”

There are so many beloved holiday classics out there for everyone to enjoy during the holiday season. The one film that is probably viewed the most during this festive time of year is the Frank Capra classic “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Just like the previous years, the Dietrich Theater will be continuing on their tradition and showing this beloved Capra classic for free!

George Bailey had so many problems he’s thinking about ending it all - and it’s Christmas! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback.

As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel Clarence - who then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn’t been for all his good deeds over the years.

“It’s A Wonderful Life” is one of those films that you can see numerous times and you will still feel extremely moved! Audiences today still love this beloved holiday classic for its powerful, timeless message about the value of every individual life, the strength of community, and the importance of hope.

Director Frank Capra masterfully balances drama, humor, and emotion, creating a

beautiful story that easily pulls viewers in and inspires both tears and reflection. We can easily identify with George Bailey, who is a man with dreams who continually sacrifices his personal aspirations for the good of his family and his community of Bedford Falls. Throughout the film, you can easily feel for his frustrations, struggles, and self-doubt, making his eventual realization of self-worth extremely moving.

James Stewart’s portrayal of George Bailey is always one of the many highlights of this film as the raw emotion of his performance is often cited as a powerful and realistic portrayal of a man at the end of his rope, encouraging strong empathy from anyone who relates to feeling overwhelmed or believing their life has no value.

The final scene of the film is still one of the most uplifting endings ever. The moment when George’s friends and family rally around him, revealing how many lives he has touched and contributing money to save the bank can still bring tears to your eyes.

Upon its initial release, the film actually received mixed reviews and failed to meet its box office expectations. The film’s modern day status as classic is a result of its copyright lapse in 1974, which allowed TV stations to air it frequently during the holiday season, building a new, dedicated audience over the decades.

The Dietrich Theater will be showing “It’s A Wonderful Life” on December 16th at 2 pm, 7 pm and 8 pm.

• For the scene that required Donna Reed to throw a rock through the window of the Granville house, director Frank Capra hired a marksman to shoot it out on cue. To everyone's amazement, Reed broke the window by herself. She had played baseball in high school and had a strong throwing arm.

• As Uncle Billy drunkenly leaves the Bailey home, it sounds as if he stumbles into some trash cans on the sidewalk. In fact, a crew member dropped a large tray of props right after Thomas Mitchell went off-screen. James Stewart began laughing, and Mitchell quickly improvised, "I'm all right! I'm okay!" Director Frank Capra decided to use this take in the final cut and gave the stagehand a $10 bonus for "improving the sound."

• James Stewart was nervous about the phone kiss scene because it was his first onscreen kiss since his return to Hollywood after the war. Under director Frank Capra's watchful eye, Stewart filmed the scene in only one unrehearsed take, and it worked so well that part of the embrace was cut because it was too passionate to pass the censors.

• While filming the scene in which George prays in the bar, James Stewart was so overcome that he began to sob. Frank Capra later re-framed and blew up the shot because he wanted to catch that expression on Stewart's face. This is why the shot looks so grainy compared with the rest of the film.

• The set for Bedford Falls was constructed in two months and was one of the longest sets that had ever been made for an American movie. It covered four acres of RKO's Encino Ranch. It included 75 stores and buildings, a main street, a factory district and a large residential and slum area. Main Street was 300 yards long--three whole city blocks.

• During the bank run scene, director Frank Capra rehearsed the scene between James Stewart and Ellen Corby several times. When Corby's character was asked how much money she needed, she replied $17, which was in the script. Just prior to the first actual take, Capra took Corby aside and told her to give Stewart an odd number, thinking it would be funnier. When she said "17.50" to Stewart, he was taken off-guard and impulsively kissed her, which was not in the script. Stewart's spontaneous reply was so genuine that Capra left the scene in the final film.

• During filming, James Stewart was actively suffering from PTSD and depression due to his service in World War II. Stewart told friends that he related a lot to the character of George Bailey, some of the scenes where George acted out in anger was considered "cathartic" for Stewart and his struggles with mental health. Stewart's acting became notably darker after the war as he knew he had killed civilians in Germany and occupied Europe.

• Director Frank Capra often said that this was his favorite of all his films.

• Ranked as the #1 Most Inspirational Movie of All Time by the American Film Institute (2006).

• This was the first and last time that Frank Capra produced, financed, directed and co-wrote one of his films.

• This film was added to the U.S. Library of Congress' National Film Registry in 1990 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

• James Stewart's performance as George Bailey is ranked #8 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).