Every
Christmas was the same. After letting our stomachs loose on Man vs Food size
portions of Christmas dinner, we nursed our food babies on the sofa, feeling
more helpless than a beached whale.
With
the family sensing satisfaction and unwilling to budge, my father would seize
the opportunity to put on a much-loved Christmas film.
Innocent
enough you might think, but when a nap seems more and more imminent it can seem
impossible to summon up sufficient concentration for two hours. Last year this
normal family trait seemingly plunged to new depths, when my dad put on a film
that looked like it had descended from the dark ages. Being the typical young
person, me and my sister laughed off the idea of watching a black and white
film. Our judgemental behaviour overcame us, utterly convinced that no
Christmas film could beat Home Alone, let alone one that we thought had
struggled to make it through the Second World War.
My
sister and I reluctantly let him put it on, fully confident that we would give
it twenty minutes maximum before it bored us to death.
How
wrong was I. The longer the film went on, the more I fell in love with it. Set
in the fictional town of Bedford Falls in New York, the movie follows the life
of George Bailey, a man who has aspirations to travel the world. As the story
unfolds, viewers realise that he constantly has to sacrifice his dreams in
order to keep his father’s company, Bailey’s Building and Loan Association,
afloat.
It
has everything a family film could want. George Bailey as the protagonist
acting the good guy, whilst also having the classic role of the bad guy,
installed in the form of Henry Potter, Bedford Falls’ richest and meanest man.
It has every emotion an audience could experience; outright despair, ecstasy,
love and a real togetherness.
Just
with my stubborn reluctance to watch the film, it really is a movie that could
melt even the coldest of hearts.
The
director, Frank Capra, was one of life’s great story tellers in cinema, and
this film really does flaunt this fantastic quality. The viewer finds themselves immersed in the
character of George Bailey, who is excellently played by James Stewart. They share
his frustrations at not being able to leave Bedford Falls, with this irritation
growing as the film progresses. They metaphorically punch the air when he
finally manages to court Mary successfully. They share his despair when the
building and loan association is in great danger of collapsing, and the great
sadness when it drives to a potential suicide attempt.
It’s
A Wonderful Life also runs along the moral understanding of “A man is not a
failure if he has friends”. After his suicide attempt, George is offered the
unique opportunity to see what Bedford Falls would be like if it he had never
existed, by his guardian angel Clarence. I see this as the magical masterstroke
of the film, a teacup ride of confusion for George after what has been a
rollercoaster of emotion.
It
really is the epitome of a feel-good Christmas film, with a superb cast merely
just carrying out the magical story that Frank Capra seems to weave so
effortlessly. Ever since seeing it, I’ve wondered how it took so long to become
a huge hit, with it now sitting proudly on my shelf.
I
am no longer a judgemental twenty three year old who turns his nose up at black
and white films. If anything, the fact it wasn’t a colour film only served to
enhance the beauty of it. This year is the first Christmas since I watched it
for the first time, and I can honestly say I am excited to be devoting two
hours of a special day for such a special film.
If
you ever need just one Christmas film in your life, make it this one. I dare
you to smile whilst watching it. Go on, I dare you.
