It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
What does an audience want to see for a movie at Christmastime? When you know the history of a movie and its first run success or lack of it, it does make you wonder.
Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, released December 1946, found that not many of the post war audience were interested in seeing it. A bigger hit movie for that year came out in November and it was William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives.
Both directors served in the Army in WW2; Wyler would see more action in the Army Air Corps, but the average American probably didn't know that. Both Wyler and Capra served on the European Front and both well understood the horrors of war. But their first films out of the gate after their service couldn't have been more different in tone or perspective while both movies are essentially American dramas. Capra's narrative style mixing humor with the story-drama with sweet endings (Capra-corn) remained in intact, while including an element of fantasy that wasn't in his earlier hits. Wyler's style had film genres that were all over the map, where he could handle comedy, drama, suspense and westerns, so his choice of story may seem more personal. And of course, both did laudable, highly-regarded documentaries during the war.
Enough of this tangent; It's a Wonderful Life was not a hit when it opened on Dec 20th of 1946 while audiences flocked to see The Best Years of Our Lives, which opened a month before. It's a Wonderful Life faded to obscurity, then was re-discovered as a gem in the Public Domain by local television stations everywhere. Proving again the older films, even when not appreciated in their first run, may find classic status with audiences decades later.
We love it now and it's getting deserved reputation as the quintessential American Christmas movie. Thank you, Frank Capra.
This Christmas Eve, there will be no excuse not to see It's a Wonderful Life, unless you are living in an area without any electricity. Enjoy your Christmas Eve with this perennial favorite that didn't make that much money in its first release. We love it, with it's message of personal character and how to respond to crises and how we come together to help one another without questioning why in time of need.
The story hasn't changed. From the opening of the stars in the heavens "conversing" with one another, to the anecdotal moments in one particular man's life and how they combine to create his character and his bonding with others in his community.
What we do matters, how we act matters.
We all know a George Bailey,
an Uncle Billy,
a Mary Hatch or
a Mr. Gower, or
a Sam Wainwright or a
Violet, Bert, and Ernie.
and sadly, we all can think of a Mr. Potter.
That is the charm of this story. I think we understand the story better now. I love these people and I want to stand up and oppose Mr Potter myself. I can understand the factors that come to play that George will be facing on Christmas Eve; I am grateful that Clarence is waiting for him when George needs an intervention most. May we all remember that we matter so much to others.
Some things borrowed from December 2017 post