It’s A Wonderful Life (1947) - 🤯📼First Time Film Club📼🤯 - First Time Watching/Movie Reaction/Review

The end always gets me not because how everyone shows up to help George but because of how happy and excited they are to do it - George spent his whole life helping others without asking anything in return and when he really needs the help back, the whole town is excited to get to return the favor. It’s not just kind, it’s love, and it’s Christmas, and I’m def not crying! 😭♥️

In 1982, I was on the verge of doing something very stupid. Before I had the chance though, this movie came on the TV. It was the first time I had seen it and it changed my life. This movie is the main reason I am here today to even write this. I watch it ever year and cry and thank God that he placed this movie before me to show me how wrong I was. I hope you get as much from this movie as I did and do each and every time I watch it. I am going to grab some Kleenex now and watch your reaction.

This is an important film to my Aunt. My Aunt was in a bad place in her life and was preparing to take her own life when she saw this movie on TV. She changed her mind. Thankfully she got the help she needed and is still around and my favorite Aunt. Thank you Frank Capra and others for making this movie.

Don't forget, the actor who played Mr. Potter is Lionel Barrymore, great-uncle of Drew Barrymore. Huge, deep roots to that acting family.

This film is a treasure - not very well received upon release, it took time for people to realize how meaningful it truly was - even more meaningful than its creators knew. It's cliche, but it is truly timeless.

You mentioned the bar scene where Jimmy Stewart actually broke down and cried. Jimmy Stewart was one of the first actors to sign up for WW2, and struggled to get an actual combat position instead of just filming war films and doing USO stuff. He was already a pilot, and ended up flying a B-24 Liberator over Germany. He flew 20 missions, received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Air Medals, a Presidential Unit Citation and the French Croix de Guerre, lost quite a few of his men, and suffered PTSD as a result. He didn't even want to go back to making movies afterwards, but Capra convinced him to. So the trauma, grief and anger you see in the movie was all real.

Jimmy Stewart's first film after serving in ww2. He enlisted and wasn't drafted because he wanted to serve and when they wanted him to entertain the troops he knew men were dying so he wanted to serve. He flew bombers and saw a lot of death and had PTSD (they called it shell shock back then) and this was his first film after the war. The emotion you see from him in this movie is real and raw, he was working through his pain of what he experienced in the war and you see it play out in this film. As an American, this film is a treasure and a reminder as to why they call them "The Greatest Generation". I am grateful to have known them as my grandparents generation and walked the earth with them at the same time even if it was short. This is perhaps one of the greatest films ever made.

My favorite scene is at the train station when George learns of Harry's job. A mediocre director or writer would add dialog to the scene to convey the emotions that George is feeling, but I love how we just see it in his eyes and brilliant acting with no words

The scene where George kicks over his architecture corner is what gets me first. The stunned look of shock, fear, and, worry and concern on the faces of his wife and kids... his shame and embarrassment and desire to take it back, just tears me up.

This is one of the few old-time films that makes me cry every time I watch it. Such a timeless classic.

I love "Arsenic and Old Lace". Great to hear someone is going to react to that classic.

For me, this is not only a Christmas movie, it's the absolute best Christmas film ever. Hands down. I've watched it countless times, the final message gets me through each year. Did you notice it NEVER snows in Pottersville ? Yes you can see it on the ground but look when George is begging to Clarence that he wants to live again - the moment it starts to snow is when you know he's back in good old Bedford Falls. As for the "crow", it's actually a Raven. As Matthew said, he starred in 1000+ films and was quite the star, insured for the equivalent of thousands of dollars today. Capra found a part for him in every film he made after 1938. Oh and the squirrels name was Snoopy ! Speaking of Uncle Billy, in the scene where he leaves the frame and there's a crash, some say 'Uncle Billy' improvised the cry that he was alright "live", others say it was dubbed on in post. But the crash is indeed genuine and unscripted. The footage of WW2 is genuine. It's taken from a Navy film about the USS Yorktown called 'The Fighting Lady'. After the war she was used as one of the recovery ships for the Apollo Space programme and has a replica capsule on her lower deck in Charlestown NC where she is a museum ship. Matthew mentioned the kiss from Jimmy Stewart to Ms Davis but did you notice who played her ? It's an uncredited young Ellen Corby who went on to play Grandma Walton in her latter years. So glad new generations are still enjoying this classic - and in black and white as it should be !

"Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you didn't save him." That part always gets me: it makes you really feel the weight of your being in relation to the other life you touch, for good and for bad.

11:02 The moment where Uncle Billy stumbles into trash cans offscreen was entirely unscripted. During that take, one of the crew accidentally dropped a box of props, and the actor playing Uncle Billy immediately improvised the "I'm all right, I'm all right." Jimmy Stewart's look of concern followed by his smile were both genuine reactions. The director ended up tipping that crew member $10 (equivalent to $150 today) for enhancing the scene.

"No man or woman is a failure who has friends." It's a Wonderful Life is my all time favorite Christmas film. It's the best feel-good movie that everyone needs to watch because it shows how everyone is important. No one is bigger than anyone else. We all matter because we as individuals can make a difference, no matter the situation that comes towards us. Also, Fun Fact: James Stewart was nervous about the phone kiss scene because it was his first onscreen kiss since his return to Hollywood after the war. Under director Frank Capra's watchful eye, James Stewart filmed the scene in only one unrehearsed take and it worked so well that part of the embrace was cut because it was too passionate to pass the censors.

I lost my job a month before Christmas and then I found out who my real friends are. Some people no longer associate with me, even telling me to not talk to them anymore. So now i focus on what matters and this film always is a reminder of that. Classic.

This movie was my dad's favorite. I watched it with him every single Christmas since I was a baby in 1976. When he passed in Feb 2003, I swore I would never watch it again. Then Christmas time came around. And my 9 year old stepson, who'd known my dad all his life, came to the computer room one day and he said to come into the living room right now. When I got there, he looked at me and he said "come on, it's about to start". On the table there was a bowl of chips, a bowl of pop corn, Coca-Cola with ice, some gummy bears etc... Like there had been every year my entire life. That's when I heard the music. My heart broke and I opened my mouth to thank this boy for his nice gesture but I wasn't going to be able to watch it this year. Before I could say anything he sat on the couch and said "I think it's time I watched it, even though it looks boring. Don't make me watch it alone." And the first time he heard a bell ring after he saw that movie, he smiled the biggest smile and told me "grandpa got his wings". This boy is 28 years old now. And every year he comes over with chips, pop corn, gummy bears and cokes. And we watch it together.

James Stewart displays the full range of life… joy.. frustration… anger… desperation. The story allows the viewer to really understand his character.

Frank Capra + Jimmy Stewart = magic. Check out "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" too

$8000 is worth $122,137.85 today. Also check out the snl sketch It's a Wonderful Life: The Lost Ending with William Shatner. It's very satisfying.