# It's a Wonderful Life - Do you like it or not?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** movies
**Created:** [December 17, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638 "2009-12-17T14:56:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 11
### Author:  [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/201 "2014-12-25T19:24:24Z")
I HATE this movie. It’s needlessly mean spirited all the way through and has nothing to do with Xmas–you’d get the same effect if it was July 4th and sparkler/fireworks trails were raining down instead of snow.
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### Author:  [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/202 "2014-12-25T19:45:53Z")
[Here’s the corrected URL.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=168GuF2dhww)
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### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/203 "2014-12-25T20:02:42Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#):
>
> I HATE this movie. It’s needlessly mean spirited all the way through and has nothing to do with Xmas–you’d get the same effect if it was July 4th and sparkler/fireworks trails were raining down instead of snow.
Mean-spirited? How so?
Potter’s kind of a caricature to be sure, but I wouldn’t think that that’s enough to hang an accusation of “mean-spirited” on the film as a whole.
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### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/204 "2014-12-25T20:10:56Z")
As to whether I like the movie or not, I’d say I like it okay. Bit schmaltzy but somehow there’s an intelligence to it. An understated schmaltz if you will.
I will also say that when I watch the film now, I am _definitely_ not watching the same film as I was when I was ten. Now I’m watching the same film my parents were watching back then, and maybe I kind of get a little emotional at some bits now.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/205 "2014-12-25T20:15:28Z")
Yes, with age and experience come different insights. Haven’t seen it in a few years myself, but still love it.
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### Author:  [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/206 "2014-12-25T20:16:25Z")
I love it.
I first saw it when I was a freshman in high school, and I fell completely, madly in love with it, so much so that for many, many years (into my early- to mid-twenties, actually), I numbered it among my ten favorite movies, ever.
Now that I’m a wizened, worn out 45 year old, it’s no longer in my ten best list. But it still ranks pretty damn high for me, certainly in my own personal top forty (thirty?) list.
And it never, ever, EVER fails to make me shed copious amounts of tears whenever I watch it.
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### Author:  [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/207 "2014-12-25T20:18:19Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> It must be destroyed! Every copy shredded, all digital versions wiped, and all memories of it zapped with that MIB thingie. Gods how I hate that movie!
Do you slowly torture kittens and keep their pelts, in necklace form, on your person at all times, as well?
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### Author:  [@Jim\_Bow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_Bow)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/208 "2014-12-25T20:19:58Z")
Another thing to consider is that this was Stewart’s first movie after returning from the war. He lost a lot of men under his command, and had also visited, after the armistice, several of the sites his unit had bombed. He was carrying a lot of, what they now call “baggage”. Plus he had also been told, by several experts, that he was too old to restart his career.
Capra was a good friend, and had Stewart in mind from the start.
I think that a lot of what Stewart had witnessed came out in several of the scenes.
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### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/209 "2014-12-25T20:29:35Z")
> [@Jim\_Bow](#):
>
> Another thing to consider is that this was Stewart’s first movie after returning from the war. He lost a lot of men under his command, and had also visited, after the armistice, several of the sites his unit had bombed. He was carrying a lot of, what they now call “baggage”. Plus he had also been told, by several experts, that he was too old to restart his career.
> Capra was a good friend, and had Stewart in mind from the start.
>
> I think that a lot of what Stewart had witnessed came out in several of the scenes.
I would love to know where this information comes from. It seems to shed so much light on Stewart’s performance.
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### Author:  [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/210 "2014-12-25T23:55:45Z")
> [@Sweet\_Raisin\_Danish](#):
>
> Nonsense – try bank fraud.
>
> Potter is the Chairman of the bank. Uncle Billy is there to deposit money in his account. He has the money in the bank and the bank deposit slip. Moreover, Potter as a representative of the bank, knows all this and conceals the money anyway.
>
> If this isn’t criminal fraud then I want to be a bank teller. “But, your honor … he just handed me the money. Why can’t I keep it?”
If you’re putting words in Potter’s mouth, I’ll speak for the judge:
“Mr. Potter, you kept the money that William Bailey handed you by mistake. You knew this was wrong and still you swore out a warrant to arrest George Bailey. Because of that I find you guilty of bank fraud and perjury.”
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### Author:  [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/211 "2014-12-26T01:23:47Z")
> [@Frylock](#):
>
> Mean-spirited? How so?
>
> Potter’s kind of a caricature to be sure, but I wouldn’t think that that’s enough to hang an accusation of “mean-spirited” on the film as a whole.
There’s a good chance I picked the wrong word. I will attempt to explain:
Since every mean thing in the movie happens to George and nobody else–his brother survives at the expense of George’s hearing, the druggist doesn’t go to prison for murder but pummels George IN THE HEAD and nobody says “BOO,” (the list goes on)–the film is out of balance, character-wise. I don’t care about George or anyone else in this movie–George is a willing patsy and it seems the town takes full advantage of it. I would’ve burned that sorry dump to the ground. Yeah, it’s a wonderful life for every selfish schmuck in that movie except George.
And just because Mr. Burns shows up at the end looking for change for a button, doesn’t redeem that sorry waste of celluloid, at all.
I like schmaltz. Wish this movie had some.
> [@Eddie\_F](#):
>
> Do you slowly torture kittens and keep their pelts, in necklace form, on your person at all times, as well?
Watch it, boyo; **silenus** killed and COOKED a MOOSE! Show some respect! Who knows who’s next? 🙂
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### Author:  [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/212 "2014-12-26T02:00:59Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#):
>
> There’s a good chance I picked the wrong word. I will attempt to explain:
>
> Since every mean thing in the movie happens to George and nobody else–his brother survives at the expense of George’s hearing, the druggist doesn’t go to prison for murder but pummels George IN THE HEAD and nobody says “BOO,” (the list goes on)–the film is out of balance, character-wise. I don’t care about George or anyone else in this movie–George is a willing patsy and it seems the town takes full advantage of it. I would’ve burned that sorry dump to the ground. Yeah, it’s a wonderful life for every selfish schmuck in that movie except George.
>
> And just because Mr. Burns shows up at the end looking for change for a button, doesn’t redeem that sorry waste of celluloid, at all.
>
> I like schmaltz. Wish this movie had some.
>
> Watch it, boyo; **silenus** killed and COOKED a MOOSE! Show some respect! Who knows who’s next? 🙂
Midge?
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### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/213 "2014-12-26T03:22:07Z")
> [@Snickers](#):
>
> Like it. I’m a sucker for Jimmy Stewart - he’s genius.
zombie or no
he’s always Jimmy Stewart.
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### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/214 "2014-12-26T06:48:16Z")
I saw it once. I liked it, but I’m not inclined to make watching it an annual holiday tradition.
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### Author:  [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/215 "2014-12-26T13:15:55Z")
You know who I feel sorry for? Nick, that’s who. One minute he’s his own boss who sells hard liquor to men who want to get drunk in a hurry, the owner of his own saloon doing a really great business, and the next he’s working for wages for Martini in George Bailey’s Bedford Falls. What do you think George Bailey did to ensure that Nick ended up behind the bar in someone else’s gin joint? Nick was sure better off with George drowned and buried at the age of 12.
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### Author:  [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/216 "2014-12-26T14:24:34Z")
I’m surprised it hasn’t been remade with Ben Stiller as George.
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### Author:  [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/217 "2014-12-26T16:38:37Z")
EDIT: Nevermind!
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/218 "2014-12-26T23:01:05Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#):
>
> …Watch it, boyo; **silenus** killed and COOKED a MOOSE! Show some respect! Who knows who’s next? 🙂
A møøse once bit my sister… No, realli!
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### Author:  [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/219 "2014-12-26T23:13:28Z")
He’s married to Donna Reed.
Oh, boo fricking hoo, George Bailey.
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### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [December 27, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-wonderful-life-do-you-like-it-or-not/521638/220 "2014-12-27T00:12:38Z")
I’m still interested in finding out why it would be considered mean-spirited.
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