It's A Wonderful Life
Watching It's A Wonderful LIfe on Christmas Eve has become a tradition of mine since my kids were young (they are high school/college age now). I would watch it while they fell soundly asleep. The end of the movie signalled that Santa was ready to come. This movie has a lot of lessons in it and always moves me at this time of year when thoughts turn to both the past and the future. Always serves as a great reminder of the importance of family and also the consequences of life choices we make.
An interesting tidbit is that the only surviving adult actor, Virginia Patton, later attended Michigan and lived (maybe still does) in Ann Arbor. She married a very successful automotive exec and retired young from show business. She is also the niece of old blood and guts himself.
December 24th, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
I hear you. I watched Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer the other night, sort of a fond childhood memory, and at the end I think someone was chopping onions.
December 24th, 2019 at 8:52 PM ^
and burl ives singing kind of makes it all perfect, right?
December 25th, 2019 at 5:36 PM ^
Burl Ives: best Christmas singing voice ever.
Or maybe, Bing Crosby.
Let's just call it a tie.
December 24th, 2019 at 9:25 PM ^
I hate the story of Rudolph. It’s a terrible message. Rudolph is ostracized because he has a physical abnormality. Then, where someone famous discovers he is valuable to him, everyone wants to be his friend.
December 24th, 2019 at 9:41 PM ^
No one wants to play your reindeer games.
December 24th, 2019 at 11:16 PM ^
Another way to look at it...it's a story of overcoming adversity and redemption...which seems quite appropriate around CHRISTmas.
December 25th, 2019 at 4:11 PM ^
Add to that... everyone has value and we're all made stronger through recognition of that by being more inclusive.
December 24th, 2019 at 11:24 PM ^
A lot of stories have terrible messages. Ugly duckling is the same. “You look funny and therefore we don’t like you. Oh you finally found your own kind, now you can fit in.”
December 24th, 2019 at 9:41 PM ^
Our Christmas tradition was to read “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote. Only read it if you don’t mind shedding a few tears on Christmas.
December 24th, 2019 at 9:46 PM ^
i read it as a kid and became fascinated by fruitcake (largely unknown to this asian family). Very disappointed by real thing.
December 24th, 2019 at 9:50 PM ^
you know the story about fruitcake, right?
there's only ever been one of them. it just keeps getting re-gifted year after year....
December 24th, 2019 at 10:06 PM ^
My mother's fruitcake was wonderful. Everyone loved it. People were always amazed the first time they tried it and then wanted one every year. I think it was almost all nuts and dried fruit. Since she passed away, the recipe has been lost, alas.
December 25th, 2019 at 8:11 PM ^
My mom too made a very good fruitcake, but it was definitely overshadowed by the most wonderful date-nut bread and date pinwheel cookies I've ever tasted.
December 24th, 2019 at 10:10 PM ^
I have a feeling that the homemade kind in the story is maybe not so bad? Hard to say. By the way, you can also listen to audio versions of Capote reading the story, which is wonderful too.
December 24th, 2019 at 8:53 PM ^
Zuzu's Petals!
And, boy, that Gloria Grahame had a walk you could feel in your hip pocket!
December 24th, 2019 at 9:43 PM ^
Think I’ll go home and see what the wife’s doing.
December 24th, 2019 at 10:07 PM ^
Family man.
December 25th, 2019 at 12:10 AM ^
Just saw the colorized version for the first time. That scene is awesome in color, too!
December 24th, 2019 at 8:58 PM ^
Also a tradition for the wife and I. Started it about 5 years ago. Kids are still too young to understand it but eventually I want them to partake in the tradition. Normally we are doing last minute Christmas shit during but this year we are just relaxing on the couch with beverage in hand. Merry Christmas everyone.
December 24th, 2019 at 9:03 PM ^
A movie that certainly gives perspective to life. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is watching this movie with a stomach full after the 7 fishes
December 24th, 2019 at 9:05 PM ^
No man is a failure who has friends.
merry Christmas, MGoBlog family. Even you trolls out there, every family has em.
December 24th, 2019 at 9:24 PM ^
Hello Bedford Falls! Merry Christmas Emporium!
December 24th, 2019 at 9:35 PM ^
I wish I had the courage to jump
December 24th, 2019 at 11:52 PM ^
Only to save someone.
December 24th, 2019 at 10:15 PM ^
Great movie
December 24th, 2019 at 10:17 PM ^
I wish I had Christmas traditions
December 24th, 2019 at 10:22 PM ^
Someone should start a thread about obscure Christmas traditions. For example, for 30+ years now, my brother’s friend buys him a box of Christmas Crunch. I invariably find myself at a Carl’s Jr. while Christmas shopping and order a western bacon cheeseburger. I also buy a box of Whoppers candy in the festive gingerbread house inspired package.
December 24th, 2019 at 11:13 PM ^
so what is keeping you from having any?
December 25th, 2019 at 2:58 AM ^
It’s complicated. Enjoy your Christmas.
December 25th, 2019 at 7:17 AM ^
you too, MK. would love to chat with you some day.
December 24th, 2019 at 10:26 PM ^
I wrote a seminar paper on "It's a Wonderful Life" for my film course. My take was that it's really dark because if it wasn't for George and George alone, Bedford Falls would have been a terrible place, full of drunks, prostitutes, honky tonks and people oppressed by the evil banker.
I know of a noted biostatician who uses the movie to explain the principle of causation by comparison to an alternative universe with one element changed.
The movie was not a success when it first came out. Then somehow it lost its copyright and began to be aired on television dozens of times between Thanksgiving and Christmas and really took off.
Tonight my family gathered with my father on his birthday to watch it in his senior citizen center's theater. I don't think a year goes by when I don't watch it. As one reviewer said when it came out, "It's a Wonderful Life is a pretty wonderful movie.
December 25th, 2019 at 9:50 AM ^
The MGoGirlfriend dislikes the movie because of the illogical way Mary is portrayed. She's this beautiful, intelligent, vivacious, popular woman in George Bailey World. But if he's never born, she automatically becomes this dowdy, meek little wallflower?
What bullshit. Her appeal has nothing to do with George Bailey's existence. She'd be extremely attractive without or without him in the world. Sam Wainwright certainly thought so.
She also makes the case that George needed Mary more than Mary needed George. Without her, George is shackled to the Building & Loan in Bedford Falls - a job he doesn't want in a place he wants to leave. Without Mary and their kids, he could have easily turned out bitter, and maybe even a money grubber like Potter. Whereas Mary probably would have been Mrs. Sam Wainwright (who showed himself to be a good guy) and probably been perfectly happy - and a lot wealthier.
December 25th, 2019 at 8:05 PM ^
Keep her. Don't let her get away. Don't allow her any reason to get back in circulation.
December 24th, 2019 at 10:38 PM ^
An essentially perfect film, not a wasted scene in the whole thing
Merry Christmas you wonderful old building and loan!!
December 24th, 2019 at 10:40 PM ^
great movie. too long
December 24th, 2019 at 11:54 PM ^
It is just 123 minutes: ruined like football games by commercials.
December 24th, 2019 at 10:46 PM ^
IMHO, the greatest movie of all time. I cry every year when Harry toasts George as the “richest man in town.”
December 26th, 2019 at 12:04 AM ^
It’s my favorite movie. Some critics of the time wrote it off as “Capra-corn,” but it was pretty dark for its time. Depression, frustrated dreams, suicidal ideation, financial hardship...
...but such an uplifting message. We just don’t know the impact we’ve had on others. Life is hard...yet wonderful.
And so many great scenes! My favorite is the one where they are walking home after falling in the swimming pool at the dance, George talks about lasso-ing the moon, etc. Just beautiful
December 24th, 2019 at 11:01 PM ^
Watching my Christmas tradition which is A Christmas Story Has to be the best Christmas movie ever
December 24th, 2019 at 11:12 PM ^
I’ve heard good things about the movie but never watched it. Don’t really have plans to watch it. No specific aversion to it, just never gotten around to it.
Only “real” exposure I have to that movie is watching Jim Carrey play Jimmy Stewart on SNL one year. Jimmy shows up to the Joe Pesci Show, beats Pesci with a baseball bat, and says “every time a guido sings an angel gets its wings.”
December 24th, 2019 at 11:18 PM ^
For my family the thing is to listen to Dylan Thomas read a Childs Christmas in Wales while drinking too expensive champaign alltogether with the lights low and the xmas tree on.
December 25th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
user name does not compute
December 24th, 2019 at 11:58 PM ^
Also, the guy who opens the dance floor is the actor who played Alfalfa on Little Rascals. This was one of those things that everyone already knew but me.
December 25th, 2019 at 1:10 AM ^
I have to admit that Jimmy Stewart is my all time favorite actor. He certainly appeared to be very humble yet was extremely accomplished.(including being a general in the Air Force!) So, It isn’t surprising that “it’s a Wonderful Life” is my favorite Christmas movie. It does capture the feeling of Christmas.
December 25th, 2019 at 5:18 AM ^
I agree with you. Jimmy Stewart never was tied or implicated in scandal. Served honorably in world war II. Seem to have an "every man" quality to his persona. In his later years he would occasionally show up on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and would tell good stories and had a good sense of humor. Anyway, one of the great holiday movies of all time.
December 25th, 2019 at 1:10 AM ^
But it might have been my favorite movie even without Jimmy Stewart. (As long as the lead actor was able to pull off that part.) (On second thought, I don’t think anyone else could’ve pulled off that part.)
December 25th, 2019 at 3:53 AM ^
Merry Christmas to all those who recognize the memories of growing up with a Bedford Falls story line....
And, God Bless those that have gone to get their wings....
December 26th, 2019 at 12:08 AM ^
Cary Grant wanted the part. Would have been interesting...
December 25th, 2019 at 7:00 AM ^
I never watched it growing up but my wife introduced me to it after we started dating. We live in Cleveland and a couple of weeks ago saw the movie while the Cleveland Orchestra played the sound track. Amazing experience!
December 25th, 2019 at 7:38 AM ^
Watching It's A Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve has been a tradition for us for over 18 years as well. I usually watch it after most have gone to bed and wrapped presents during the movie. Many y eww ast my wife fell asleep during the mo ie and I wrapped all of her presents right in front of her and she never saw a thing.
The end of the movie when he reads Clarence's note always chokes me up. Just typing this has an effect on me.
It always that much more as my Mgowife is struggling with Stage 4 liver cancer.
Merry Christmas to all, especially those fighting this horrible disease and the caregivers who take care of them.