IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: The Touching Festive Gift That Keeps On Giving

Forget Mayfair. Give over Old Kent Road. It might be hard to believe, but there is actually something more divisive than a heated festive family game of Monopoly. That being, which Christmas film stands as the greatest of them all.

While some are more than a little dubious selections – Fred Claus; Santa With Muscles; Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman – and others up for debate about whether they actually meet the Crimbo criteria (Die Hard fans will certainly have something to say on this matter); one film is unquestionably in contention. No, not Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2, sadly, but Frank Capra’s 1946 festive gem It’s a Wonderful Life.

A Small-Town Boy With A Big Heart

James Stewart plays George Bailey – a small-town everyman with the kindest of hearts. With lofty aspirations growing up of bidding goodbye to his hometown of Bedford Falls and welcoming a life of excitement and adventure, Bailey’s spirit is slowly grinded down by his innate propensity to put the needs of others before his own. In return for his selflessness, Bailey never fulfils his dreams.

With every day a constant uphill struggle as he battles tooth and nail to keep his late father’s failing Building & Loan afloat, Bailey stagnates in Bedford Falls while all those around him – classmates, younger siblings – flourish in pastures new. The one shining light in his life – childhood sweetheart Mary (Donna Reed) – he eventually marries and the two start a family. But Bailey becomes increasingly frustrated with his own life and, financially snowed-under, on Christmas Eve tries to end it all. It’s only then that he is visited by Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers) – a bumbling 200-year old second-class Angel who, in a bid to earn his wings, is sent from heaven to show Bailey his life has been far from a failure.

The Film Soars While Its Message Rings True

Gifting us some of the most iconic lines ever to grace the cinema screen – “Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets his wings” – Capra’s film retains its power over 70 years on because its messages are timeless and its ability to make even the sternest of souls start blubbering like a baby evergreen. But, above all, It’s a Wonderful Life is such a joyous cinematic experience because it is about so much more than Christmas.

This is the story of one man’s journey to rock and bottom and back again. It strikes such a profound chord because Bailey’s problems are wholly universal. He is the common man confronting the harsh realities of life and the sobering realisation that it often doesn’t follow the same path we envisage for ourselves. But, in doing so, It’s a Wonderful Life’s lasting echo is that life truly is remarkable and at no moment should we take what we have for granted. Before the term ‘Butterfly Effect’ was even coined, It’s a Wonderful Life embodied its very essence – that every person’s impact, no matter how insignificant they feel, is so profound that a life without them would be drastically different, and altogether less wholesome.

One For The Ages

Stewart’s powerfully touching portrayal – his first screen appearance after serving in WWII – is as much of a personal journey as it is a fictional one. Channelling his own war-time experiences, Stewart layers Bailey with an empowering combination of humour, commanding authority, and poignant vulnerability. Crucially, in a film about the celebration of life, we are never allowed to forget that death and sadness have important parts to play. And as such, It’s a Wonderful Life remains notably pertinent, even in 2018, with Bailey’s arc proclaiming that it’s absolutely ok to not be ok – it’s only during his darkest hour that he truly realises the importance of his own existence. It is, quite simply, a performance for the ages.

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Truly Wonderful Film

Yes, It’s a Wonderful Life is wholeheartedly a festive classic of the highest order; but it is, more importantly, a lesson that teaches us true richness cannot be determined by wealth, and that all people are inherently good. Even for the grinchiest Grinches among us, that’s a sentiment we could all do with being reminded of during these uncertain times.

No man is a failure who has friends, indeed.

Does It’s a Wonderful Life top your Christmas film list? Or is there another festive classic more wonderful? Let us know in the comments below!

It’s a Wonderful Life premiered on 20th December, 1946 in New York, before being released in LA four days later. For more information on the film, click here.