Wouldn’t some of us have loved to “walk into” this movie (cf. this topic on MPSIMS) and change something? I would have loved to confront Potter, knock his gooney bodyguard to the ground, and kick the bottom of Potter’s wheelchair. Then I’d tell him, “Why don’t you wait for your ‘thrifty working class’ [a line of his early in the movie] to help you up, Potty?” He was such a larger-than-life villain I think he deserved larger-than-life treatment. (Not that the movie didn’t work out just fine for everyone else * despite * Potter.) 
I think that may have been a skit on Saturday Night Live.
I thiknk it was, at that…but hey, how many of the Teeming Millions would have wanted to do something like that? I think SNL just exploited a widespread sentiment!
I’d rewrite the entire movie so it was more like the original short story.
(I daresay I am the only one on this board who’s actually read “The Greatest Gift,” and I’m certainly the only one who read it BEFORE ever seeing the movie.)
In the story, George is a minor bank clerk, not the head of the S&L. He does absolutely nothing of particular note (which is why it is much more understandable that he wishes he’d never been born – a flaw of the film), but is shown that his mere existance had a positive effect on the community.
Further, in the story, Mary ends up married to a wife beater. In the movie, she’s an old maid. I’d say the former was worse (and the movie logically should have shown Mary married, since she was going with someone before she fell for George).
Finally, George in the story catches on to the situation much quicker than Jimmy Stewart, who I keep wanting to shake as he continues to try to rationalize everything.
Ignoring the book, I’d make George Bailey less of a doormat. He would have been much better off he he’d been a little bit more assertive.
I see what you mean, Chuck. Could you * imagine * Mary Hatch getting married to * Alfalfa?? * (Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer was her escort at Harry’s grad-nite dance.)
Never saw the SNL skit, but here’s my idea.
I’d enter the movie as an investigator for the State Banking Department.
I’d shut the building and loan.
I’d arrest George Bailey and that sot Uncle Billy for failure to maintain core and risk-adjusted capital at required levels, failure to maintain adequate liquidity, failure to develop adequate internal controls, self dealing, selling securities without a license, and for about a dozen other things.
Then I’d throw them in jail along with the rest of the S&L crooks and incompetents.
But then, I didn’t like the movie
Livin’ on Tums, Vitamin E and Rogaine
Whatever turns you on, Manhattan. What would you do about * Potter? *
Pretty much the same thing, but he’d probably just get better lawyers and beat the rap. 
Livin’ on Tums, Vitamin E and Rogaine
Yeah…he could get all the money he can while he’s alive, so he’ll be real rich when he’s dead.
“You can’t take it with you.”–Mark Twain (?)
I was thinking more of the guy who phoned Mary and asked her to put George on the line too so both could hear.
but you all have to admit. potter did have a really cool wheelchair.
To deal with men by force is as impractical as to deal with nature by persuasion.
Was the Production Office Code in effect at the time IAWL was made? One of the provisions was that crime could not triumph or go unpunished; yet, despite the fact that George is bailed out by his friends and family, Potter clearly gets away with stealing the money he found. Wassup with that?
Easy…nail Donna Reed.
I saw the movie for the first time this year, and this is kind of OT but, I would be afraid if I was able to do what George did, I would find out everyone’s life would be better without me.
The guy who phoned Mary was Sam Wainwright–who was cuddling with some other woman who may have been the wife Jane who came back to Bedford Falsls with him to visit George in Bailey Park–so although Mary’s mother disliked George she relanted and later realized that her daughter was better off not marrying sam after all. Hee-Haw!!
As for the Production Code, it was in force. However, Capra pointed out that, although they produced some footage with Potter coming to the Bailey house and seeing the joy inside (and turneing glumly with the 8 grand to go home) and this footage was scrapped, a story in which a guardian angle, like Clarence, figured so prominently, Capra said ‘we could expect that some form of retribution against Potter would be forthcoming.’ In other words, it was left to the viewers’ vivid imaginations how Potter would pay–dearly!