Many are the films which are shown on television every Christmas season yet in my opinion (if nobody else's); "It's A Wonderful Life" is by far the greatest of all these films. "It's A Wonderful Life" being in essence a simple yet most powerful story about a man by the name of George Bailey who lives in a small town called Bedford Falls; where he runs a "building and loan" which through the years has helped those who nobody else would to buy their own houses. George Bailey, a man who sacrificed much in order to keep the business he got from his father yet it is on Christmas eve that his careless uncle loses 8,000 dollars of his company's money just when the bank examiner came to check out their accounts. This putting George in a desperate position which even sees him contemplating suicide yet it is just as he is about to terminate his own life by jumping in to a river that his guardian angel (sent from heaven) jumps in order that George might save him instead of killing himself.
It in fact, being as such that George opted to save the life of the man who jumped in the river instead of terminating his own life. It however is after his guardian angel (Clarence) introduces himself and tells him that he was sent to earth to save George so he could get his wings that George asks to be left alone. George believing that perhaps instead o killing himself, all would have been better if he had not been born at all. It being this concept which at first worries Clarence yet gives him an idea that perhaps that would be the only way to show George all that he had done for those about him; whom he believed only stood to benefit if he simply had not been born.
This prompting Clarence to grant George his wish of seeing the world like it would have been had he never been born. All of which creating many a change from the name of the town having been changed from "BedfordFalls" to "Pottersville". This in honor of the man who owned most of the town and many of its slums which he rented out to those who the bank (which he also controlled) would not help. George at first however has a hard time accepting what he is seeing yet it is as he walks about the town with Clarence that he sees that he really had had a wonderful life which would indeed by a shame to throw away. George being one who not only helped people with his business but also saved his brother's life when he was a child thus allowing him to go on to become a fighter pilot in WWII; who saved the lives of all the men on a transport. George on one occasion even telling the pharmacist who was his employer about the mistake he made when preparing medication for a child which he accidentally took from a bottle of poison.
It however is when George realizes that without him his children would not have been born that he asks to be given his life back. George saying it did not matter what happened to him as long as he got his children back. George declaring that he would not even mind going to prison as long as he could live again. George's life in fact returning to him as he is standing on the bridge where he first jumped to save Clarence and it is with all the joy in the world that he wishes everybody on his way home a merry Christmas as he welcomes all he sees with new vigor.
It being on his return home that George is greeted by not only the bank examiner but the D.A. who has a warrant for his arrest yet George is not troubled as he is so glad to see his children that he hugs them as if he were doing so for the first time. It is however at this point that the real miracle of this film occurs when his uncle Billie (who lost the 8,000 dollars) enters the house saying that his wife told some people that he was in trouble and without questions; they scattered all over town collecting money. All leading to a very emotional and even tearful burst of gratitude when those who George helped through out the years start pouring in to his house saying that they would have nothing if it had not been for him. George even getting a telegram advancing him up to 25,000 dollars from his childhood friend Sam, who had become a millionaire in part thanks to him and his ideas on how to make plastic.
This in a true demonstration of unity and friendship that even moves the bank examiner and D.A. to sing along with George and his friends as they raise their voices to the wonder of life and that community spirit perhaps so lacking in the world. It however is as all are singing "Hark The Herald Angel Sings" that his brother comes in and offers a toast to George; whom he claims to be the richest man in town. This toast filing George with pride in not so much the financial truth of these words yet in knowing that his life in fact had meant something to those around him as all go in to "Auld Lang Syne".
George then with all worries behind looks upon the table where all the money has been given and spots Clarence's book "Tom Sawyer" which he opens to see the message "Dear George, no man is a failure who has friends, thank you for the wings, love Clarence". George getting emotional while his wife asks who it is from, to which George replies that it is from a dear friend. This just at the moment that a breeze blows by making a bell shake on their Christmas tree after which his daughter with all the faith of a child says the now immortal line "Look, daddy tinker says every time a bell rings an angel get his wings". This as all rejoice not only the wonder of Christmas but their being together and the bond which would not be broken.
For my part, I must confess there is something about this film and its ending which always and without exception, makes me cry almost uncontrollably yet what I find odd about it is that even when I describe it or even now that I am writing about it; the effect is no less dramatic. Of course one could ask what is the big deal? It is only a man losing some money and having his friends decide they would rather give him the money then see him go to jail yet this perhaps is a perfect example of that so often used line "much more than meets the eye". It being a conclusion which makes one see what humanity can be at its most caring and loftiest.
As a writer, I can in all honesty say that if I had written "It's A Wonderful Life"; this is exactly the way I would have done it. "It's A Wonderful Life" not having one single pretentious line or even line too many or too little. It being a story where every single scene makes sense along with every single action of all the characters; in a story which is both sensational and even realistic from every point of view. Of course, the part about Clarence is fantasy and is understood as such though some religious people may argue about that point yet the way everybody came together at the end is truly marvelous. It being not in an act of kindness, much less charity that they do so but as a just reward to a man who had given so much and now required so little in comparison to all he had given through out the years.
I, for my part hope to someday move people with my works as "It's A Wonderful Life" has moved me yet even if my talent should fail me; I am at least grateful that I was able to appreciate and see what makes this film one which will never be either surpassed or forgotten for emotional content. This in spite of all the special effects which just keep getting better while films do the complete opposite.
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