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.
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.
Yes, with age and experience come different insights. Haven’t seen it in a few years myself, but still love it.
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.
Do you slowly torture kittens and keep their pelts, in necklace form, on your person at all times, as well?
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.
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.”
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?
zombie or no
he’s always Jimmy Stewart.
I saw it once. I liked it, but I’m not inclined to make watching it an annual holiday tradition.
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.
I’m surprised it hasn’t been remade with Ben Stiller as George.
EDIT: Nevermind!
A møøse once bit my sister… No, realli!
He’s married to Donna Reed.
Oh, boo fricking hoo, George Bailey.
I’m still interested in finding out why it would be considered mean-spirited.