It's a Wonderful Life (1946) | Movie REACTION | FIRST TIME WATCHING |

[@YasmineGalenornOfficial]

Jimmy Stewart was a MEGA actor...he was a huge star, and he was a one-star general in the military. He was brilliant. I've watched this movie almost every year since I was a very little girl.

[@middohio3875]

Certainly agree with you regarding Jimmy Stewart's acting and impressive military career. Just one correction, he was a Brigadier General in the Air Force which is a one star.

[@Dej24601]

He was NOT a 5 star general- there have only been 5 of them in history (plus an equivalent 4 Admirals in the Navy.) Stewart’s highest rank was a Brigadier General.

[@oneisnone7350]

One star, in the reserves.

[@Dej24601]

@ he flew 20 combat missions during the war, and transferred to the reserves in 1947 after the war ended.

[@johannesvalterdivizzini1523]

@@oneisnone7350 He was a genuine aviator who flew over 20 missions in the War, not a "reservist"

[@kathrynbaker7278]

I genuinely believe this movie saved my life. I watched it on television in the very early 60s, so I was 6 or 7 yo when we all sat around the tv to watch. I was so moved, even at that young age. I was convinced that my life had meaning, even though I may not know in what way. I was determined to try my best to do the right thing and trust that those actions had meaning. Life was so challenging that there were times I did not believe I could bring myself to go on, then I would remember that my life had meaning, even if I didn’t understand how or why I was here. There is no doubt that this movie gave me the inspiration to endure and live a genuine and kind life.

[@paulamoya7956]

✨💫⭐️🤍✨💫⭐️🤍✨

[@RamblersInc]

You never realise just how many loves you touch ❤️

[@bombasticbushkin8643]

early 60s? wasn't released to the public domain til '74 finally when the copyrights weren't renewed

[@kathrynbaker7278]

@@bombasticbushkin8643 there were a few movies that were released once per year on television. It’s a Wonderful Life, the Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, and Gone with the Wind are the ones I remember. They were definitely not public domain at that time and these were big events. There were no video recorders, no pause buttons, or even remotes for that matter. The whole family would gather around the television for these special once per year viewings.

[@Dej24601]

The “run on the bank” scenes after George’s wedding is an example of things that were happening around the Crash of 1929 which led to the Great Depression.

[@RamblersInc]

Yep. I can imagine it was happening at a lot of places.

[@maryrichardson1318]

In 1919 when Mr. Gower's son Robert died, there was the world wide Spanish Flu epidemic, and thousands died, most especially people in their late teens and early 20s. Soldiers coming home after WWI was one of the things that helped it spread. Most reactors do not make that connection.

[@Dej24601]

@ in the early days of Covid, there was more general info, more old photos, more old newspaper articles, etc on the Spanish Flu, to compare and contrast another global pandemic. Interestingly, the “Spanish Flu” affected younger and healthy people more significantly whereas Covid hit stronger on the elderly and those already ill. In the series Downton Abbey, there was an episode set in 1919 where 3 people in the household got it- one fairly mild, one very serious and one deadly.

[@lightningbug276]

I was just going to write that 😊

[@mikecarew8329]

Jimmy Stewart was beloved - the Hanks of his time but with a genuine war hero layer on top. He was a bomber pilot in Europe and flew over 20 combat missions as a B-24 pilot he also was in a command position and thus assigned men to missions. He had what we would now call PTSD and survivor’s guilt. His pain can be seen all over this film (his first post-war). Crying was not in the script for the bar praying scene. Yet he stayed in the Air Force reserves and rose all the way to Brigadier General and his last combat mission was as an observer on a B-52 bomber over Vietnam in the 60s.

[@chuckvelten5337]

Know what you're trying to say. Tom Hanks couldn't carry Jimmy Stewart's jacket.

[@mikecarew8329]

@ truth. I just meant he was as well known and widely liked.

[@thomastimlin1724]

Donna Reed who plays Mary, became a huge star, won an Academy award for best supporting actress in the 1954 movie From Here to Eternity. Then after several movies before and after that, she satrred in her own TV situation Comedy the Donna Reed Show from 1958 to 1966. The little boy who plays little Tommy [sitting on George's knee] kept right on acting . His name is Jimmy Hawkins. Among the many TV shows he played in, the Donna Reed Show was one of them, playing one of her TV daughter's boyfriends Scotty several times. He was in movies as well. It pays to have already worked with a star to get an acting job.

[@chrispittman8854]

Now you're ready for "Mister Smith Goes To Washington."

[@RamblersInc]

Added to the watchlist 👍

[@philhunter9134]

The director, the studio, the actors, all iconic.

[@kathyastrom1315]

Thomas Mitchell, who played Uncle Billy, was an amazing actor. He was the first man to win the top three acting awards (Oscar, Tony, and Emmy). He was the first actor to appear in three of the Best Picture nominees in one year in 1939, when he was in Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (costarring Jimmy Stewart), Gone with the Wind, and won the Oscar for his portrayal of the doctor in Stagecoach, the film that made John Wayne’s career (which I highly recommend you see-it’s fantastic!). Uncle Billy is an interesting character. He is a very fragile man mentally, so his ending up in an asylum in the George-less world makes sense. When George confronts him about losing the money, he says that his head hurts, obviously from the stress. He relies so much on his brother and then George to basically keep him going.

[@marthaanderson2656]

1939 was an AMAZING year for movies, so many classics in one year.

[@Pamtroy]

He was also the first Columbo -- long before Peter Falk. He played Columbo on stage, and would likely have starred in the TV version if he hadn't died from a heart attack.

[@RamblersInc]

I felt for Uncle Billy. Such a simple mistake that can happen to anyone.

[@bluefriend62]

Great reaction! Would love to see you guys react to more Golden Age classics. I think you'd love Casablanca (1942).

[@Dej24601]

Frank Capra is a multiple Oscar winner for Best Director plus many, many other awards. He directed some of the most classically well-known films of the 1930’s and 1940’s. He was born in Sicily and infused his films with a respect for the ordinary citizen. He was an expert at handling crowds while still retaining focus on the main characters. During WW2, he helped create films to support the war effort.

[@allisterfiend_2112]

Casablanca should be on your list.

[@Dej24601]

Absolutely! One of the best films ever made!

[@RamblersInc]

Now it is 😂

[@Pamtroy]

Like the Godfather, practically every line in Casablanca has become a famous quote. "We'll always have Paris," "Not so fast, Louis," "Here's lookin' at you, kid..."

[@Dej24601]

@@RamblersInc just a note- Casablanca is extremely dependent on the audience paying close attention to every word of dialogue, every facial expression and body language gesture. There are no moments of simple “filler” as in most films today where the audience can look away, talk over or ignore, and a person doesn’t want to miss details which make the underlying themes clear, as well as surface plots and the gradual character revelations. There were numerous writers involved, some to provide professional writing on just one aspect of the script, and the script is as polished and complex as any ever written. The film was made while the Allies were not doing well, the Axis powers were dominating and no one knew how the war would actually end, which cause an underlying tension that gives an authentic atmosphere to the film. Also many of the cast and crew were either refugees themselves or trying to get relatives or colleagues out of Europe to safety, which again adds a strong element of truth to the film.

[@thomastimlin1724]

@@Pamtroy "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." "Round up the usual suspects." "I stick my neck out for one" [said 3 timesin the movie]. HE NEVER said "Play it Again Sam," that's all BS someone started years ago..

[@Dej24601]

James (Jimmy) Stewart is one of best known and best loved American actors from the 1930’s until he died in 1997. He worked several times with Frank Capra. In his early years, he made a lot of comedies. This film was his first after returning from his service as a pilot in WW2. He suffered PTSD and this film channeled some of his trauma from those wartime experiences. He began to make more Westerns, and many films with darker themes where he played characters with ambiguous qualities. He became known for his work with Hitchcock and they made 4 films together. Later in life, he did some voiceover work, and more comedies but after losing one of his sons in the Vietnam war, he took fewer acting roles. He was best friends with another iconic actor, Henry Fonda.

[@gailseatonhumbert9199]

They were roommates in New York City when they were starting out.

[@FilmBuff54]

James Stewart was one of the greatest actors of Hollywood’s Golden Age. When he made “It’s a Wonderful Life,” he was only 38, but he seemed older, in part because he was drafted into the Army during WWII. He could have chosen to essentially do PR for the military, but instead he chose to fly combat missions for the Air Force and flew many combat missions, that included the loss of personnel, so he was suffering from some PTSD after the war. At the beginning of the movie, his adult character is supposed to be 22, but he definitely looks older.

[@gallendugall8913]

Yeah, when you see him in After the Thin Man made before the war, that is a different person

[@FilmBuff54]

@ He made “The Philadelphia Story” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” in 1939, when he was about 31. Seven years later, he definitely looked much older, after going through the war.

[@johannesvalterdivizzini1523]

The raven, Uncle Billy's pet, "Jimmy", was a famous performer in his day, being used over and over in Hollywood films. He was in the Wizard of Oz as a crow which perches on the Scarecrow's shoulder.

[@edp5886]

I genuinely love Annie's character - Lillian Randolph nailed the role.

[@alanpeterson4939]

After the copyright expired on this movie, any TV station could air it wherever they wanted to. For decades, you could watch it twenty or thirty times just before Christmas. It was constantly on American TVs in December. The movie became part of America’s collective conscious.

[@RamblersInc]

I can see why a lot of people claim it as the best Christmas movie ever.

[@meganlutz7150]

Enjoyed your reaction. Some of the best movies ever made are black and white. If you’d like to try another one I highly recommend Casablanca (1942). You guys would love it.

[@RamblersInc]

Added to the watchlist 👍

[@ruth2141]

You owe it to yourself to explore more of the classic US and British movies. Great actors, directors, writers, designers and decorators.

[@manofiske3318]

Stewart's character is sporting the black armband (11:54 ) which is worn in honor of the recent _passing_ of a respected friend, colleague, loved one, etc.; a tradition that endures to this day

[@BarbaraPanigot]

Fun fact: George Bailey has two best friends, Bert and Ernie (the cop and the cabbie-not sure which is which). This is where the two muppet characters on Sesame Street get their names.

[@Stogie2112]

According to Senior Writer Jerry Juhl (The San Francisco Chronicle; 1999), the naming of Bert and Ernie was just a coincidence. “I was the head writer for the Muppets for 36 years and one of the original writers on Sesame Street. The rumor about 'It's a Wonderful Life' has persisted over the years. I was not present at the naming, but I was always positive it was incorrect. Despite his many talents, Jim had no memory for details like this. He knew the movie, of course, but would not have remembered the cop and the cabdriver. I was not able to confirm this with Jim before he died, but shortly thereafter I spoke to Jon Stone, Sesame Street's first producer and head writer and a man largely responsible for the show's format. He assured me that Ernie and Bert were named one day when he and Jim were studying the prototype puppets. They decided that one of them looked like an Ernie, and the other one looked like a Bert. The movie character names are purely coincidental.”

[@theirishslyeyes]

This is my favorite movie, ever 😭 I'm so glad that such an old movie is still getting love

[@cjpreach]

100% agreed. Best movie ever.

[@Eowyn187]

It's not just the best Christmas movie, it's a beautiful story of faith. Edited... only 3 minutes in and I'm loving it! You guys are gonna love it. You got it all from the start! ❤

[@diogenesagogo]

George is a hero, but he's a flawed hero - which makes him all the more heroic; he's always fighting a deep down resentment at his dreams being thwarted, & it only boils over when everything he's done - which is driven by duty & responsibility - lies in tatters. This is a great, great movie.

[@FilmBuff54]

On repeat viewings of this great film, pay close attention to what a great visual storyteller Frank Capra is. Every shot conveys information that is important to the story and no shots are wasted. Capra is up there with some of the greatest directors of all times, as a visual storyteller.

[@stillaboveground2470]

Clarence: "Your brother, Harry Bailey, broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine." George Bailey: "That's a lie! Harry Bailey went to war! He got the Congressional Medal of Honor! He saved the lives of every man on that transport!" Clarence: "Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry.” I get a lump in my throat every time I see that scene.

[@billolsen4360]

Same here. Even more impactful than Harry's toast at the end.

[@RamblersInc]

Goes to show just how many lives George impacted.

[@rllangevin3841]

The best Christmas movie ever. We watch it every year.

[@FilmBuff54]

Frank Capra is my 3rd favorite director of all times. He arrived in America with his family, who were Sicilian peasants, early in the 20th Century, and ended up going to Cal Tech, a prestigious university in Pasadena, CA. In addition to directing Oscar-winning movies, he directed the “Why We Fight” series of war propaganda documentaries during WWII. He made a lot of successful movies, with my favorites being this movie, “It Happened One Night,” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” 1934’s “It Happened One Night” was the first film to sweep all the major Oscar categories. Capra was sometimes criticized for being too sentimental in his movies, which critics sometimes knocked by calling them “Capracorn.”

[@kennethalfonso3241]

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and “Arsenic and Old Lace” are 2 other Frank Capra films you should consider watching for your channel.

[@owen1213]

Don't forget, Capras You Can't take it With You. Starring both Stewart and Barrymore.

[@user-mg5mv2tn8q]

Capra's very last movie was Pocketful of Miracles, in 1961. It was a remake of an earlier movie he'd directed, Lady for a Day. The studio kept interfering during production, which Capra very strongly resented, and they made the whole experience so unpleasant for him that when it was all done he just walked away from Hollywood and retired permanently. And yet, though Capra hated it, Pocketful of Miracles is actually not bad at all. It's a good comedy with a very sweet story, you can tell that the cast are enjoying themselves, even if their director isn't, and Peter Falk is hilarious in a supporting role that earned him an Oscar nomination.

[@kathyastrom1315]

Mr. Gower’s son died in 1919 from the Spanish Flu. That also killed my grandmother’s 19-month-old baby sister Hazel in November 1918.

[@itsjuliescottyay]

My great aunt died of it too., when she was 2 years old. My middle name, Gail, is for her.

[@wham-shirt-trimmer]

​@@itsjuliescottyayMy condolences.

[@RamblersInc]

Sorry to hear that. Beautiful that you carry her name.

[@MagsonDare]

My great-grandfather died in his mid-30's due to the flu pandemic. My great-grandmother survived the initial bout during the pandemic, but it shattered her heatlh and she was permanently hospital-bound for several years after until she died (in her late 30's). Her death certificate says "pneumonia" but her obituary says "complications from the 1918 flu." Fortunately grandpa was fine, or I wouldn't be here....

[@Lethgar_Smith]

Excellent reaction! Your editing was great. Kept in all the good parts, laughed at all the little jokes, understood the meanings of everything and totally got the emotional weight of George Baily's life. This movie has supposedly saved the lives of thousands. It has the power to reveal great truths that can lift a person from the darkest depths of despondency.

[@Gort-Marvin0Martian]

Jimmie Stewart was suffering from PTSD from his actions in WW2. The scene in Martini's when he's praying, he has said he was feeling that PTSD at that moment. Just amazing. In my opinion this might be the best Christmas film. Maybe. There are truly so many. Always love watching you guys react and review. Have a wonderful Christmas yourselves. As we say in Texas; y'all be safe.

[@PolferiferusII]

I especially like that people weren't perfect people in this movie (except lovely Mary, perhaps). They were portrayed as good at heart (except loathsome Potter, clearly!), but able to be moved by good or bad impulses, very realistic and therefore more touching, imo. Such a gem.

[@RamblersInc]

It must have been tough for a lot of actors back then. I agree. This goes to the top of my Christmas movie list now.

[@jkennedy1048]

9:05, when the camera zoomed in to show a close-up of Mary and you said "WOW! That was my reaction the first time I saw this movie as a kid. And to this day, I have that same reaction just about every time! 😍

[@RamblersInc]

Lucky George.

[@marthaanderson2656]

my heart is sad that my two favorite commentors do not know who Jimmy Stewart is. I think you cannot go wrong by doing a couple of his movies next year. Comedies dramas westerns thrillers; he did them all

[@RamblersInc]

We're getting there 😂 We've already added Mr Smith Goes To Washington to the list.

[@treefeathers]

His Hitchcock movies are some of my favorites - Rear Window, Vertigo, Rope

[@johndrews206]

34:06 George wasn't supposed to cry. "During filming, James Stewart was actively suffering from PTSD and depression due to his service in World War II. Stewart told friends that he related a lot to the character of George Bailey, some of the scenes where George acted out in anger was considered "cathartic" for Stewart and his struggles with mental health. Stewart's acting became notably darker after the war as he knew he had killed civilians in Germany and occupied Europe."

[@DirigoDuke]

The reason that particular scene seems a little grainy is because when Capra realized what he had, and knowing he’d be unlikely to get Stewart to emote in the exact same way again, he kept the original take, but zoomed in to make it a close-up, thus messing up the resolution a little bit. But it works somehow because the graininess of the picture, I think, actually helps in its own way to portray just how George Bailey must be feeling.

[@lightningbug276]

When Harry arrives in the last scene , he raises a toast to his brother George, “the richest man in town “.😢❤

[@RamblersInc]

beautiful scene

[@billolsen4360]

13:00 We had two banking families in the town where I grew up. Mr Smith took advantage of the depression to foreclose on as many farms in the area as possible and built the ugliest mansion in town. Mr Jones worked with the indebted farmers to refinance in any way possible and helped most of them to survive and keep their land. The Jones family still owned their bank in the 1960's when I was a kid there and they were still loved by everyone in the county. When old Mr. Jones died, it was the biggest funeral I'd ever seen. They also had a modest and beautiful family mansion. What someone builds is rather a reflection of their character.

[@RamblersInc]

That's heart warming. We never think about what we mean to other people sometimes.

[@Stogie2112]

Black & White films for which I give my Highest Recommendation: "12 Angry Men" (1957) by Sidney Lumet. The most fascinating trial jury of all time! Three Academy Award nominations "Psycho" (1960) by Alfred Hitchcock. A masterpiece of suspense and murder! Four Academy Award nominations "Dr. Strangelove: or How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964) by Stanley Kubrik. Greatest satire of the Cold War ever! Four Academy Award nominations

[@RamblersInc]

Added all 3 to the watchlist 👍

[@Pamtroy]

Sheldon Leonard, who plays Nick, was famous for his almost musical New York accent. He was also a writer and producer.

[@jlerrickson]

There were moments throughout the story where we saw that George wasn't entirely happy with his life, and they usually revolved around the physical house or any set back to do with the building and loan. The scene where he and Mary get together doesn't make sense unless you remember that he was trying to decide if he would let Harry out of their agreement for good, thereby destroying any hope of leaving Bedford Falls. SNL did a skit where they gave an alternate ending to the film: revenge on Potter.

[@JM-er2yl]

That skit was hilarious! The Simpsons also did a bit about the run on the banks and Moe starts a big brawl trying to get his money out of Joe (Your money is in Joe's house).

[@libertyresearch-iu4fy]

Fun fact: When drunk Uncle Billy goes off screen, and you hear a crash; it was unplanned. What actually happened was a kid dropped a tray of props at that moment. But the actor improvised as if he had crashed into something. The movie won an Oscar for best sound design, and the kid got a $10 bonus for "improving the soundtrack".

[@RamblersInc]

😂Genius bit of improv....kind of.

[@JeffreyCantelope]

Frank Capra was the quintessential American movie director & Jimmy Stewart was the quintessential American actor for that time.

[@stillaboveground2470]

In 2011, there was a novel written as a sequel entitled "The Last Temptation of Clarence Odbody". It tells the story of what would have happened to everyone after George deleted himself by drowning. I read it. It's not warm and fuzzy, needless to say.

[@RamblersInc]

Yeh that's got to be super depressing.

[@Stogie2112]

Potter's offer of $20,000.00 in 1940 is estimated to be worth over $438,000.00 today. 😮

[@RamblersInc]

Woah. Proud of George because that offer would have been snapped up by a lot of people.

[@flynngames4703]

I remember hunting for when this movie would play on tv every year as a kid. It never felt like Christmas until I watched it.

[@mikeeckel2807]

When George is running thru the town after he "came back" to reality hd rons by the movie theater (The Bijou). The film listed on the marquee is "The Bells of St Mary's." The man who plays as "Clarence" was in that movie also....Free advertisement?

[@RamblersInc]

or crazy coincidence😂

[@janeathome6643]

"The Bells of St. Mary's" was a huge hit! Another great movie with Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald as two priests ministering to rough and tumble neighborhood.

[@manueldeabreu1980]

Fun fact: This movie bombed in the theaters. There was a slip up and the rights weren't renewed and it ended up in public domain. Because there was no residual cost, tv stations played this non-stop during Christmas and became a classic. The rights were finally renewed in the 1980's and so it isn't on all the time. The story really is almost an inversion of A Christmas Carol. The character is black pilled but finds joy in how his life helped people, where the latter was a miserable person who realized it is better to help people. You are the first reactor who shared the same thought I had.

[@przemekkozlowski7835]

There was a time when this movie seemed to be on every time you turned on the TV during the week before Christmas. I is an epic movie but that was way too much. It was actually a big deal when they restricted it to a couple airings per year. Of course, that does not matter now with streaming :)

[@NoLegalPlunder]

Another great Christmas movie with Jimmy Stewart is Shop Around the Corner. It’s a must-see movie by the great Ernst Lubitsch.

[@Audra1964]

Sorry for all the chastisement you’re getting over not knowing Jimmy Stewart. 😅My first thought was, oh boy, are you in for a treat! My favorite Stuart film is called Harvey. The story centers on Elwood P Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) whose best friend is a Pooka named Harvey, a 6’, 3 1/2” tall white invisible rabbit. It’s about whimsy, kindness, and whether or not “normal” is all it’s cracked up to be. Sample Quote: Dr. Sanderson: I think that your sister's condition stems from trauma. Elwood P. Dowd: From what? Dr. Sanderson: Uh, trauma. Spelled t-r-a-u-m-a. It means shock. There's nothing unusual about it. There's the "birth trauma" - the shock of being born... Elwood P. Dowd: That's the one we never get over.

[@RamblersInc]

At least we know just how big of a star he was now 😂

[@mrcapra]

I love watching your movie reactions. You guys got me when you watched The Sting. You two are the best argument for two people reacting, one catches what the other misses and you have combined knowledge and understanding. Well done! Very enjoyable.

[@patticriss2238]

We can see it today. The more wealth you accrue, the more everything becomes a game you MUST win. No limitations..

[@PolferiferusII]

So true! And so much becoming a crass Pottersville, and without anything to distinguish one from the other. I like to think of it this way: Imagine putting the highest value on something that has no intrinsic value whatever. It isn't even paper money and coin anymore, just digital evaluations in a cloud. In the process of it's accrual we devalue and degrade water, air, soil, and souls, all things with intrinsic value, each irreplaceable and without equivalents. Value not only for a good life, but any life whatsoever! Its really a kind of mania. I'm agnostic, but if ever a devil stalked the earth, they could think of no better delusion to whammy folk with than this. Potter's case was terminal, I think.

[@RamblersInc]

Pottersworld

[@cliveklg7739]

My Dad was a George Baily in that everyone who met him liked him, he was always able to make a friend out of anyone he met. When he passed, the largest church in town didn't have room for all those who attended. It was standing room only inside and out. 😥 He was never rich with money, but he was always rich with friends. 😊

[@RamblersInc]

That's so beautiful to hear. Goes to show what you really leave behind

[@Divamarja_CA]

I used the closing quote in my Sr. Class Yearbook. This movie has been woven into my life for a long, long time. Formerly appointment TV viewing, then I started going to the annual 9pm showing at the Stanford Theatre, and now I’m back to watching it on my own. I still cry at the same parts and I still am discovering new things to look at and listen to in the movie. It’s so layered and beautiful. And when Harry’s voice breaks at the end, I am DUN. D-U-N, dun.

[@RamblersInc]

It's such a beautiful way to remind ourselves about what we mean to other people.

[@captainsplifford]

You should *definitely* watch more black and white movies! My first recs off the top of my head are Some Like It Hot, The Philadelphia Story, My Man Godfrey, and It Happened One Night. And maybe some Marx Brothers. 😀

[@cjpreach]

My favorite movie of all time. A life lesson in every scene.

[@Cardsfan46]

The actress that played Violet on It's A Wondered Life married her stepson. She had kids with both of them.

[@RamblersInc]

Both of who? her husband and stepson?

[@Cardsfan46]

@@RamblersInc yes

[@RamblersInc]

Well.........that's weird.

[@isoldejaneholland8370]

In real life, the guy who played Mr. Potter was a big softie. In fact, the night Lionel Barrymore - yes, Drew's great-uncle - moved into the new house he was building, they heard a faint mewing sound coming from within the walls. When they broke it open with a sledgehammer, they found two kittens; he adopted both of them on the spot.* Sadly, the wheelchair was not just a prop; severe arthritis ran in the family, and both he and his sister Ethel needed wheelchairs by the time they were sixty. *The mother cat never came back for her kittens. They rather notoriously hide babies in secure, concealed spots, - like a big empty house - and when she returned from hunting or whatever and saw the new people there, she probably took off.

[@RamblersInc]

That's such a sweet story ❤️ Yeh I can imagine, arthritis is no joke.

[@isoldejaneholland8370]

@RamblersInc Yeah, - it runs in my family, too; my grandmother got titanium knees at 67. The kitten story was in a book called The House of Barrymore. Even Lionel was a "nepo baby" because his parents were famous stage performers back in the 1870s. A dynasty in truth.

[@Rosinedal]

Many seem to miss the point of Mary being the librarian. Mary love the town she grew up in, and the library is probably the only place left in Pottersville for children to dream of something bigger and better than Pottersville. She's a fighter with or without George. When George talks to Violet in the street on his way to Mary they mention how much time HE spent as a child in the library reading about the big world he always wanted to explore so it is an important place in the story. Mary is not just an old maid. She is fighting for the future by taking care of the one place where people can find a way out of Pottersville.

[@mav2knight]

This is without a doubt the best Xmas movie made. I know generations younger than mine may disagree but the story is timeless. I'm 66 years old and have seem this every year without fail. First with my mom and dad and later with my children. To this day, I still cry at the end because after all, "George Bailey is and always has been the richest man in town".. in so many ways..

[@PolferiferusII]

There may have been some that compared, that were lost due to decay-prone film stock, which used to be ubiquitous. Everyone who once saw those is likely not around anymore to remember or comment. But I agree with you. I know of none that compares.

[@RamblersInc]

I.....might have to agree. Now I know why so many put it at the top of their list.

[@DeLee596]

Mary was played by a young Donna Reed. Donna had her own TV show in the 50's named, of course, The Donna Reed show.

[@PattiHartley-o4s]

Yes, this is the story of Bob Cratchit. This film is listed 11th on the American Film Institute’s list of greatest films of all time.

[@RamblersInc]

11th? We might have to go through that list.

[@lechat8533]

There are so many beautiful B/W movies from the Golden Era, and many carry a positive message for the viewers. "It`s A Wonderful Life" makes you think about your own life and what it would be like if you had never been born. It`s quite overwhelming to think about the impact you`ve made in your lifetime. James Stewart was and still is one of the most loved American actors, not just in the US but all over the world. He was a Hollywood actor without scandals, who was married for 45 years to the same woman. Thank you for your beautiful reaction. Every Christmas this movie is on my obligatory watch list.

[@GatBlackistan]

Never clicked on a reaction so fast. Thumbs up before I even watch.

[@GatBlackistan]

I was hoping for tears but still a great reaction.

[@PolferiferusII]

@@GatBlackistan There was mist, at least, if not tears :)

[@johnmavroudis2054]

George was, as they put it, being “worn down” by Potter… He was a supremely good man, but you could tell it was wearing on him… before that day where he completely spiraled down. It makes logical sense that he things were so, so bad with the loss of that money that it all went dark for him… and it took Clarence to show him his value and how, actually fortunate, he truly was. Mary was a total rock star and, along with George, a true hero of the story. I absolutely LOVE your guys’ reactions to this… your channel is always smart, and empathetic. Either this film or your Battlestar Galactica shows… always a good watch. Two recommendations… One for Christmas: “THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER” (also starring the great (and even younger) Jimmy Stewart… total classic film. Another TV show with brilliant stories, acting: “THE WEST WING”… Especialy the first four seasons… one of the best TV shows, ever. Cheers!… and Happy Holidays!

[@RamblersInc]

You're 100% right. Mary is the hero of this. She's behind him every step of the way, starting off with offering the honeymoon money to save the business.

[@MoMoMyPup10]

Mary would be in her 30's when George became 'never born', and back then you'd be considered an 'old maid' at that age, no matter how you look

[@Stogie2112]

Manesh, you were tearing up at the end, weren't you? I could see it. 👍 😊 "It's a Wonderful Life" is indeed a mirror image of "A Christmas Carol". In this film, we see how George did wonderful things for others, but was a miserable man. He needed a strong reminder of just how wonderful he has been. Ebenezer Scrooge was a miserable man who caused others to be miserable. He needed a strong reminder of just how miserable he has been.

[@RamblersInc]

Such a beautiful story. It maybe not the life he initially wanted but to see just how many lives he touched was heart warming.

[@annemck]

This is my favorite holiday movie. I watch it almost every year.

[@Jmiranda70]

Jimmy Stewart was the Tom Hanks of that era if he was to be compared to a modern day actor as far reputation goes, as an actor and as a person

[@doug3691]

Turns out it's actually a very good movie! Thanks for sharing your reactions and happy holidays.

[@browniewin4121]

This is such an absolutely wonderful and worthwhile movie.

[@ROLANDSONOFSTEPHEN690]

I love the fact that you actually thought that Mr. Potter was going to give George the money. Owe you children of summer. Lol The magic of Jimmy Stewart is a national treasure. This film is just brilliant.

[@RamblersInc]

He didn't even get his just dues at the end.

[@Rayray-kj9cc]

The most beautiful story ever!!! ❤❤🎄🎄

[@Stogie2112]

Sheldon Leonard (Nick the nasty bartender) was a hugely famous actor, writer, director and producer His very famous "tough guy" voice with a heavy New York City accent was a perfect compliment to the gangster roles he played. Leonard went on to direct and produce many very successful TV sit-coms, such as The Danny Thomas Show, Gomer Pyle USMC, The Andy Griffith Show, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He also produced "I Spy" , a secret agent TV series starring Bill Cosby and Robert Culp.

[@DirigoDuke]

Sheldon Leonard is also where the main characters in The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon and Leonard, got their names. The creators of TBBT have said in interviews that it was an intentional homage.

[@rabbitandcrow]

Thanks for the great reaction! Frank Capra was a huge director and was known for the realistic character development and dialogue in his movies, as well as sometimes sentimental themes (even back then some critics razzed Capra's movies as being corny - "Capra-corn"). He made three films with James Stewart. The other two are You Can't Take It With You and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington - both worth seeing.

[@wesleyrodgers886]

A voice you can instantly recognise. A great actor.

[@PolferiferusII]

That goes for both Barrymore and Stewart!

[@thegodlessvulcan]

It is no wonder his mom is so run down in the Potterverse. Lost her only son to drowning before age 10, her husband to a stroke either at same time as in the Bedfordverse or even earlier, brother in law goes mad. She's alone and barely surviving by taking in strangers into her house in a town that has gone to seed. Highly recommend watching more black and white films. You get used to them most of the time because you usually get sucked into the stories. Check out Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, Night of the Hunter, The Invisible Man, etc. All good pre-color films.

[@raymeedc]

That was the infamous 1929 stock market crash that began the Great Depression in America that caused the run on the bank in the film.

[@Ashley-tw6ho]

I'm so happy to have stumbled upon y'all's channel. I truly enjoyed this reaction. The actor Jimmy Stewart who played George is actually a distant older cousin of mine. And watching this movie every year sometimes multiple times even if it's not Christmas is practically mandatory and never gets hold in our home. I hope you will watch more movies of him in it. Also, check out "The Shope Around the Corner". I'm also a huge fan of older musicals. But safely some of those older favs of mine never gets reaction too. People are missing out. I hope y'all will be open to watching Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Oklahoma, and Sound of Music for starters. I could go on and on cause I'm a huge movie fan of many different genres of movies. But I especially love the older classics all the way up to the 1990s which I probably re-watch the most.

[@RamblersInc]

Wow. Small world. This might have to be a yearly staple for me too.

[@xtinkerbellax3]

I totally get your Christmas Carol connection.

[@maureenseel118]

PS: The run on the bank when George/Mary were on their way to their honeymoon, that was the crash of 29 and the beginning of the great depression. George managed to keep the Building and Loan alive and Potter got the rest.

[@RamblersInc]

Sigh... with their honeymoon money 😢

[@bradrichert3966]

Your Scrooge analogy was spot-on, except it's "Anti-Scrooge". He's done so much for everyone but doesn't see it, and needs to be shown the way. One Angel vs. 3 ghosts. The ending is basically the same. Good feels for both stories. And you guys really didn't know who Jimmy Stewart was? Wow.

[@MarkM430]

The Original Bert and Ernie, the police officer and the cabbie. Yeah, not the takeaway that most people get from this absolutely excellent movie. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) is from the same director, and is an equally fantastic movie.

[@johndrews206]

Being from Rochester this is an all-time classic. We did have a huge presence in ww2 building tanks and parts of plans. Bedford falls is based on Seneca Falls, which is where Capra's aunt lived. "Seneca Falls is a historic location along a branch of the Erie Canal and is often referred to as the 'birthplace of women's rights',[citation needed] where the 1848 women's rights convention was held. Many also believe it to have been the inspiration for the fictional town of "Bedford Falls", portrayed in filmmaker Frank Capra's classic 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life."

[@ploppill34]

I want a record player rotisserie😂😂😂

[@RamblersInc]

😂 I have to give it to her. That was an amazing invention.

[@abhinavs1137]

Seriously, very fun, wonderful analysis & reaction. Discovered the movie by chance when scourging through a lot of classic content. Watching a reaction such as this is a double treat as you get the fun of watching the movie & watching you guys' amazing take on it👌👌👌

[@mrcapra]

The "run on the bank" was caused by the stock market crash in 1929 which led to the Great Depression. This was fresh in the mind of movie goers in 1946. And it was great watching your reaction to this classic! Frank Capra directed some great movies including "It Happened One Night" 1934. This was the first movie to win the Oscar for Best Movie, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay. That wouldn't happen again until 1975 with "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".

[@samgamgee42]

Still making my way through your Ted lasso series ....enjoy your reaction videos ....glad you're doing this classic. Sincerely, a 67-year-old USA Rock and roller

[@lynnecurrie7561]

If you don't get choaked up at the end, are you even alive?? Great reaction guys! This classic still stands the test of time.❤❤

[@RamblersInc]

Such a beautiful ending.

[@NascarMom66]

First time I've come across your channel. Excellent reaction and reactors.

[@Eowyn187]

1:00 This makes it more of a watch for us... those names are huge in the industry. All the names. Capra, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, and so many more. Saying it's a "classic" doesn't begin to do it justice.

[@jenniferdarling6]

Thank you both❤ 🎄

[@RamblersInc]

❤️🎄

[@videoinformer]

The script was extremely tight. A good example was how the story went from George saying he didn't want to get married to anyone, ever, to George and Mary Kissing tearfully, to the announcement of the newlyweds on their way out of their wedding reception for their honeymoon. Everything in between was left out and left to the imagination.

[@HeatherDeweyPettet]

In addition, I have heard that some of the kissing scene was cut to satisfy the censors.

[@Dej24601]

@@videoinformer yes, and it was more customary in older films to honestly show characters with ambivalent feelings- he desperately wanted a life of adventure far from home, but also desperately loved Mary and everything to do with family. Audiences could relate to characters with complex feelings, not expecting them to be just a hero or villain, and were used to film endings which were often ambiguous or unresolved. The war did reinforce the reality that life often brings undesired consequences or unexpected changes or would require personal sacrifices or adaptations and that a person’s individual needs or desires may have to be set aside for larger issues.

[@stillaboveground2470]

There is no chance that a woman who looked like Donna Reed would have been an old maid! Either Sam Wainwright or "Alfalfa" would have married her.

[@TedLittle-yp7uj]

Capra himself worried over what to do about Mary but decided that audiences would not have accepted her marrying anyone but George. If ever there was a woman meant for one man, it is Mary.

[@mamahand9390]

And she’s all of 35 years old at the time 😂

[@RamblersInc]

They stuck a hat and glasses on her thinking it would make a difference 🤣

[@AndyMakesPlaylists]

Frank Capra was one of the greatest directors in the history of movies. His film "It Happened One Night" was the first one to win Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director. He directed "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" one of the movies that won World War II. James Stewart, the star, was the most important and greatest movie star in the history of movies. @RamblersInc #RamblersInc

[@JM-er2yl]

The algorithm brought me here. I love seeing younger generations experience my favorite film for the first time especially when they discover classic black and white films are actually good. My theory is because they didn't have special effects & CGI, so they had to rely on good storytelling. Other classics to consider: Casablanca, Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.

[@RamblersInc]

Casablanca is definitely on the list.👍

[@KateBoyle-vf1ep]

Lionel Barrymore (Mr Potter) was a great actor, my favorite movie of his was called "On Borrowed Time". (1939) In it he plays a grandfather who is raising his orphan grandson when death comes to take him he traps death up a tree so he can stay and protect his grandson.. It's awesome!!

[@peggygoddard8038]

In the top five romantic moments EVER in movie....holding up the money-- "How much do you need?".

[@RamblersInc]

🥹

[@williamberry9013]

Oldest is 1946? Feel free to do 1942's "Casablanca" made during WW2 when we heard the term "concentration camp" but didn't think that was much different than "prison camp"

[@RamblersInc]

Added to the watchlist 👍

[@kathyastrom1315]

The timeline of the film really lines up historically. It opens in 1919, when the Spanish Flu epidemic is waning but still killing people like Mr. Gower’s son. Then it jumps forward to 1928, when Prohibition is still in force so you have jokes about illicit gin. Then, George and Mary get married at the end of 1932, when the country’s banks are failing all over. FDR’s first action when he’s inaugurated in March 1933 is to impose a bank holiday and then rush through banking reform legislation to give the economy some stability. An interesting thing I only noticed while watching your reaction was that George must have gotten Bailey Park going immediately after that reform legislation was passed because the timeline has them having their first child within a few years of being married.

[@GuyMulinder]

Love you guys! Great reaction to a brilliant movie! Merry Christmas

[@RamblersInc]

Merry Christmas 🎄

[@mimi4811]

You should check out Jimmy Stewart's Hitchcock films, all masterpieces!

[@janeathome6643]

Vertigo!!!