I had to analyze Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life for American Society II yesterday - had to write an essay, a classmate had to do a presentation. It is, of course, one of the great classics, one, in my opinion, everybody should watch. If you haven’t watched it yet, or haven’t watched it in a long time and want to watch it again, you can do so at Google Video.
Romantic? Yes. Emotional? Yes. Overdoing it a bit? Yes.
A deserved classic nonetheless?
Yes.
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What is American Society II, Michael? A university course?
I have always admired Jimmy Stewart…particularly for how he didn’t take the easy USO route in WWII, but instead became a bomber pilot flying runs over Nazi Germany…but never made much of it upon his return. It is challenging to see the fresh-faced kid at the opening of It’s a Wonderful Life as being someone with that experience behind him.
Capra mainlined American society. He understood it almost instinctively. For example, the story behind his “It Happened One Night” which opened to brutal reviews, and was dismissed by the public, on both coasts…then moved to the heartland states where the story of working class Americans riding a bus through Depression-era America deeply resonated, and became a huge hit…forcing the critics to reexamine it, and Hollywood to give it a swathe of Oscars — one can’t get a more all-American story than that.
Marlowe: Yes - American Society II is a course. I am studying American Studies. This is one of the courses we have to take. American Society II focuses on movies, literature, music, sports, etc. Entertainment in other words.
Exactly. He understood the heart of America.
ahh what a great movie. Used to watch it every Christmas. Have you seen his - Mr. Smith goes to Washington?
(whispering emberassed: no)
it’s a fantasy for sure.
but a good flick.
I will be sure to watch it.
It’s a Wonderful Life is one of my all time favorites. Like Interested and lots of others, I watch it every year before Christmas. Hubs and I, whenever we’re having a particularly frustrating day with the kids, like to quote George Bailey’s line (though I may have the exact wording wrong): “You call this a happy home? What are all these kids doing around here?” LOL (you probably have to be a parent to really appreciate this but it cracks us up every time)
lol - no, I can appreciate that one, and I don’t have any kids (I think).