Tis the season to be jolly and write about my favorite Christmas movie. I am sure most of you have seen this classic at least once. I watch this movie every year at least once. No matter how many times I see this movie in the end I always have a tear in my eye.
It's a Wonderful Life is the story about the life of a man named George Bailey(played by the GREAT Jimmy Stewart). One desperate night in his life he contemplates killing himself and many of the people who love George are praying for him. Clarence a wingless angel is called upon to go and help George, but before he goes he is shown the history leading up to George's desperate hour.
We see George as a young boy who dreams of seeing the world and building huge skyscrapers. We see George and his younger brother Harry and their friends sliding down a hill on shovels. When all of a sudden Harry slides to far and breaks through the ice into the cold river. George jumps in to save him, but gets a bad infection in his ear and loses his hearing in that ear. George works as a young boy at a pharmacy/ice cream parlor owned by Mr. Gower. One day Mr. Gower learns that his son has died and accidently puts poison instead of medication into one of the prescriptions. George is called to deliver the prescription and notices the mistake and saves his boss from making a fatal mistake.
Next we see George as young man getting ready to go off to college. His father Peter wishes for George to stay and help him run the family business. His father runs small Savings and Loan that helps poor families to build nice small homes. His business doesn't make much money, but it keeps people from having to live under the thumb of the towns rich scrooge like Mr Potter. Harry and George go to Harry's graduation dance where we meet Mary(played by the BEAUTIFUL Donna Reed). Mary has always loved George in secret since they were kids. Later after the dance George is walking Mary home when he hears that his father has had a heart attack. His father dies and George lets his brother go off to college and decides to run the Savings and Loan so that Mr Potter doesn't shut it down.
Years have passed and Harry finishes college and comes home to take over the business so George can finally go to college. George decides not to go and continue to run the business after finding out Harry has fallen in love and his soon to be wives father has a good job for Harry. George feeling frustrated decides to go over to see Mary. He tries to act cool and tells he he is just passing by. After they talk a little while they get into a small fight and he leaves after she gets a call from Sam(A man Mary's mother hopes she will marry). George comes back to get his hat and Marry tells George Sam wants to talk to him on the phone. While Mary and George both have their ears to the phone George drops it and tells Mary his true feelings for her and they kiss.
More years have passed and George and Mary are married with four children. He is still running the Savings and Loan and his brother Harry is in the Army. One day not long before Christmas George's uncle Billy who works with him loses a $5,000 payment to the bank. George and Billy look franticly for the money. All along evil Mr. Potter has found this money and knows George will lose the Savings and Loan and go to jail so he doesn't return it. This is the night George decides his life is over and decides to jump off a bridge and kill himself. He goes home and starts yelling at his wife and kids. He runs off and gets drunk and runs his car into a tree. He then runs off to the bridge and feeling worthless he decides to end his life.
Clarence is now sent down from heaven to save George. George and Clarence talk and Clarence decides to show George what life would be like if he was never born. George thinks he is going crazy when he sees that his brothers grave sight. Clarence explains that Harry died when he fell through the ice because George wasn't born to save him. George still thinking he is dreaming decides to go to his home. He gets there and sees his house is gone. He sees that the town has been renamed Pottersville. He finds out Mr Gower is in jail, His Uncle Billy is in a nut house. Mary never got married and is a lonely librarian. He then realizes that his life really does have purpose and people really did need him. He tells Clarence he wants to live and prays to have his life back.
George then realizes he has his life back again. He runs through town yelling out Merry Christmas even wishing mean old Mr. Potter a Merry Christmas. He enters his home where police and creditors are waiting for him to arrest him. He doesn't care though and is just happy to be alive. He holds Mary close and kisses her and she tells him that the town has rallied together to help George out. People start pouring into there home with money for George. In one of the most touching scenes his brother walks in and toasts George and says "To my brother George the richest man in town".
This movie shows how much one life can effect the lives of so many others. You never know what lives you touch and change every day. Never feel like your life doesn't matter.
This is my contribution to the Christmas Epinions write-off. Please be sure to check out the other contributions.
ishtarskye( our wonderful and sweet host )
ifif1938
AnniWitch
ACDC711
mrmazda
gjacks
Nighthawk904
Make this uplifting 1946 classic a holiday tradition in your home! Meet down-and-out businessman George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart); his tireless wife, Mar...More at Christianbook.com
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