Some old movies are just frickin' amazing, and let me tell you, It's a Wonderful Life is one frickin' amazing old movie. It is a tradition in my family to watch this *wonderful* (pun intended) film every year during Christmas break, and I am reminded of its greatness every time I view it. It's up there with there with 㥸 Angry Men” and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in the "totally excellent old movies" category. It's simply an awesome movie.

Now that I've used just about every cool word to describe the coolness of this movie, I think I should tell you why it's so wonderful/excellent/awesome/great/totally sweet. Let's just face the facts: in all of Jimmy Stewart's movies, he is the thing that makes the movie good. As I've said before, it's just that "aw, shucks" quality about him. You just wanna love the guy. You wish he was in your neighborhood; one of those guys who you can shake hands with every now and then, because he just seems like a generally good and moral character. In "Mr. Smith", when he goes and punches out all of the media figures, even as ridiculous as his actions seem, there is still an air of justice about him. In the latter scenes in "It's a Wonderful Life", Stewart's character, George Bailey, goes totally nuts, and we can totally understand why. I mean, the town evil businessman, MR. POTTER!, just stole $8,000 bucks from him, and he has no idea. I'd be pretty p*ssed off, too, and I'd make sure everybody knew about it.

Let me explain to you the power of George Bailey: when MR. POTTER! (it's such a powerful evil name; it just deserve capitalization... and exclamation) screws him later on in the film, every damn person in the town is praying for this guy. They know he's lost. They know he's gone nuts. And because they all believe in the goodness of George Bailey, they all pray for him. Even though we don't see it, I'm pretty sure MR. POTTER! is praying for him too. That's the power of George Bailey. And why, pray tell, does George Bailey have this power? Because of Jimmy Stewart. Jimmy Stewart is the man. He's completely and utterly the most badass moral character to arrive on cinema before 1994. When 1994 came along, Samuel L. Jackson became that person (in "Pulp Fiction"). But, who is the most badass immoral character ever to arrive on cinema? Ever? Why, that's purely and simply, Marlon Brando. Even though I don't quite dig Apocalypse Now. But that’s another story, meant for another review. I’m sorry. As you may have come to notice, my reviews also go to review the history of film; not only the movie you clicked on this review to read a review for. I just confused you. Ha!

So yes, It’s all about Stewart. Bailey is this guy, in “Life”, who’s been handed his late father’s job. It’s a banking business, or something. I’m not quite too sure. When you get down to it, the business pretty much helps run the town, rather than its finances. Anyway, the evil dude in this movie is MR. POTTER!, and he runs a business similar to George’s. They’re in competition, you see. But that really doesn’t make a plot. In one sentence, the movie’s plot is “George Bailey lives his life,” and the climax comes when (SPOILER!) he discovers that life is wonderful (END SPOILER!). Yeah, it’s one of those movies. No central plot, or anything. It’s all focused on learning about life, and all of its goodness. There’s a lot of movies like that...

Perhaps I’ve led you to think that the movie is only good because of Mr. Stewart. No, no, please do not get such an idea. The movie’s goodness goes to its scores of writers (okay, there’s about five of them, but that’s still too many to mention), and Capra’s direction, since Capra is the second most badass director of the Old Movie Tymes, you dig? (Orson Welles gets in first). This movie is packed full of both hilarious and powerful scenes. When young George Bailey faces his boss early in the film, and discovers that his boss is, quite frankly, a drug addict, it’s a powerful scene; one of the more effective scenes in memory, as a matter of fact. And later on in the film, when George’s love, Mary (played quite well by the beautiful Donna Reed), is accidentally disrobed (don’t worry, parents, she is not actually seen), it’s a hilarious scene; one of the funnier scenes in memory, in fact ;). Capra, also, being a very smart director, knows how to make us admire the film’s elliptical cheesiness. When angels are talking in certain scenes throughout the film, a younger angel, “Clarence”, arrives, and they play the opening notes of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (or “The Alphabet Song”, if you prefer, but since the scenes take place in the stars, and Clarence’s name doesn’t contain every letter of the alphabet, I’d guess it’s the former). Capra, using this technique, shows he was way ahead of his time in displaying intentional cheesiness. This is something I wish other early film directors would have utilized.

Some old movies are just frickin’ amazing. As I’ve told you, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is one of those frickin’ amazing old movies. If you haven’t watched it over your Christmas break, I instruct you to do it now. Now! NOW, fool! Out that door, and off to your local library/Blockbuster/Hollywood video/generic video store/friend’s house/hotel film selection you go. And when you finish watching this *wonderful* movie, remember that I am one of the reasons you got to enjoy its *wonders*.

Rating: A

“Teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” -Zuzu Bailey

“Teacher would get fired if he said that now.” -Dad

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up to Age 4