# I'm watching "It's a Wonderful Life" for the first time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 25, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120 "2013-12-25T02:40:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/1 "2013-12-25T02:40:15Z")
I’ve seen snippets previously, but I’ve never watched the whole movie before. I’m about half way through. George Bailey is being offered a job by the old coot Potter for $20K a year. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/2 "2013-12-25T03:03:46Z")
“And that goes for you, too!!” ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/3 "2013-12-25T03:07:16Z")
Wow. He loses it. This is heartbreaking! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/4 "2013-12-25T03:07:38Z")
Donna Reed is hot. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/5 "2013-12-25T03:13:19Z")
Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/6 "2013-12-25T03:22:49Z")
Jimmy Stewart is actually a pretty good actor. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/7 "2013-12-25T03:25:23Z")
OK. This is a Christmas Carol clone at this point. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/8 "2013-12-25T03:29:38Z")
The bartender is Sheldon Leonard of TV-producer fame, the guy whose first and last names were used for the leads on _ **Big Bang Theory** _. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/9 "2013-12-25T03:36:49Z")
I’m enjoying this movie. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/10 "2013-12-25T03:38:08Z")
“Okay, you two pixies! Out the door or through the window!” ETA: “and that’s another thing: where do you get off calling me Nick?” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/11 "2013-12-25T03:42:20Z")
Pottersville is so much more happenin’ than Bedford Falls. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/12 "2013-12-25T03:52:47Z")
And, Springfield is more happening than Shelbyville. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/13 "2013-12-25T03:57:12Z")
I liked this movie more that I thought I would. Fin. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/14 "2013-12-25T03:59:35Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever seen it all the way through in one sitting, without commercials. Something I don’t understand – if the movie is in the public domain, why can’t we see it without commercials? Or without so many? The actress who plays Zuzu was also the little girl in **The Bishop’s Wife** , another good Christmas movie. She was on a PBS special today, on Christmas movies. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/15 "2013-12-25T04:01:20Z")
I love Bert and Ernie singing outside in the rain at the honeymoon. Perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/16 "2013-12-25T04:02:40Z")
\*\*I’m watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the first time \*\* You have my deepest sympathy. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/17 "2013-12-25T04:07:16Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Something I don’t understand – if the movie is in the public domain, why can’t we see it without commercials? [It isn’t in the public domain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_a_Wonderful_Life#Ownership_and_copyright_issues), although it really should be IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/18 "2013-12-25T04:07:44Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > \*\*I’m watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the first time > \*\* > > You have my deepest sympathy. I’m not much of a TV or movie watcher. Don’t hold it against me. I did enjoy this movie however. This is the first year in my life that I’ve spent Christmas Eve alone. So, I got to choose what to watch. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/19 "2013-12-25T05:08:13Z")
What was life like on that other planet where you grew up? Wasn’t there a copy of “It’s a Wonderful Life” on the Voyager probe? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120/20 "2013-12-25T05:11:36Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > What was life like on that other planet where you grew up? > > Wasn’t there a copy of “It’s a Wonderful Life” on the Voyager probe? Hey, I haven’t seen it either, just bits and pieces. We did watch “Back to the Future II” today…isn’t that kind of the same? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-watching-its-a-wonderful-life-for-the-first-time/677120.md?page=2)