no man who has friends is a failure
Tuesday, July 25th, 2006despite a nagging headache, i sat up last night with my sisters to watch a dvd copy of the 1946 Christmas film "It’s a Wonderful Life". I’ve heard of this film before and I know it was a feel-good movie, sort of the thing most jaded people nowadays would frown at.
but i couldn’t pass up the chance to watch a Frank Capra classic. The director of "It Happened One Night" and "Mr.Smith goes to Washington", Capra said in an interview that "It’s a Wonderful Life" is his favorite movie and had waited all his life to direct a movie with such a positive story. The movie was based on "The Greatest Gift" a Christmas card story by a writer I forgot the name of but was bought by RKO Radio.
The movie was supposed to star Cary Grant, but Capra believed James Stewart perfectly fits the role of George Bailey, a well-loved young man who lives in this quintessential American town called Bedford Falls.
The story follows the life of George from a precocious 12-year-old kid to a 20-something up-and-comer, who takes over his family’s loaning firm after his father died of a heart-related illness. An angel named Clarence meanwhile is sent down to help George in his life. Clarence is a second-class angel and he needed to help George so that he can have wings. At first, Clarence wonders what help he can give George considering that this man was "having a wonderful life".
at age 12, George saves his younger brother Harry’s life. when George is forced to take over his family’s loaning firm, he gives his college money to Harry so he can go to school. Harry meanwhile is later drafted in the war and afterwards won a presidential medal of honor for saving his comrades.
George then falls in love with Mary (played by Donna Reed) who has been in love with her since their younger days. They have five children, and live in a decent house. George is able to help many of his clients to access housing loans and prevent the movie villain Henry Potter from taking over the housing loans. Henry Potter is an old and crabby rich man who only believes in money and the detached nature of business.
things then turn upside down for George when his uncle, who established the loaning firm along with his father, loses the envelope containing $8,000 - roughly all of the firm’s assets that was supposed to be deposited before the bank examiner arrives at the office. and guess who got the envelope and hid it away? Mr. Potter who is also the owner of banks and most establishments in Bedford Falls. He expectedly uses this to get back at poor George.
this part i think lies the first magic of the film. it shows a good character like George getting distraught and disillusioned by a simple but grave mistake. faced with charges of misappropriation of funds (he and his uncle did let the money get lost)and bankruptcy, he goes home after his reputation was smacked by Mr.Potter. he suddenly becomes harsh to his family and realizing what he had done, he drives off and decided to end his life by jumping from a bridge. as expected, Clarence finally intervenes at this point.
George’s chance encounter with his guardian angel allows him to see another world, one in which he was not born and never existed. Bedford Falls suddenly become Pottersville, a town dotted with nightclubs. Mary becomes an old maid while Harry supposedly died at age nine, with no George to save him, and George’s mother (interestingly she has no name) becomes a crabby witch-looking innkeeper.
these all happened because George wished he’d never been born, that he’d been a failure to everyone. like a light bulb, George finally understands his life’s worth. One life can really change many other lives, and his life has been a testament to that. he was no hero but he was willing to give more than he can to anyone in need. like one time when he and Mary were set on a honeymoon but trouble ensued at the loaning firm when a tense mob of clients were rushing to get their loans. George and Mary gave their honeymoon money and shared this with everyone of the clients and in the process saved their company.
In an act of utmost deliverance to the Lord, George goes back to the bridge and say probably his first prayer, asking for his life back. When a police car arrives and the officer steps outside and call his name to say he was looking all over for him, George is swept with joy, running throughout town and shouting Merry Christmas to everyone, including Mr.Potter himself and the police officers about to arrest him in his home. George is not even afraid of the fact that he may go to jail if the $8,000 is not paid as long as he remains in the world he has known, with his family.
then the movie’s second magic happened, Uncle Bailey goes rushing into the house carrying a large basket full of dollars and coins. It turns out everyone of George’s friends in Bedford Falls - literally everyone he has helped one way or another - has chipped in whatever they have to pay for the $8,000, every coin in their pocket the way George has done during their time of need.
George, Mary and his mother are all overwhelmed by the support and affection that they can only marvel at how good acts can come around. Obviously, Clarence finally gets his wings.
Many critics said movie is too sentimental. Maybe it is, but nothing can change the fact that the movie is a simple retelling about the power of friendships and selflessness, about how everyone of us is interrelated to the rest.
i don’t think the movie says that you have to have many friends so that one day they can help you when you’re in need, rather the fact that our lives are not worthless when we perform random acts of kindness everyday and stay true to our friends even to our enemies.
harder to say than do, but i do believe in the value of unselfishness. we are one big family, one big Bedford Falls. there may be Henry Potters among us, but surely everyone of us has a George Bailey willing to give all we have for our families and friends.
