It’s Christmas time which means it’s also “It’s a Wonderful Life” time, the holiday movie favorite released in 1947 and vanished for a long stretch of time before popping up on television in the late 1970s.
I still remember the first time I saw “It’s a Wonderful Life” and fell instantly in love with everyone in Bedford Falls (not including Mr. Potter because I doubt even his mother was very fond of him). That love affair lasted for decades except for a few years when the movie suddenly stopped being enchanting and instead became a little irritating.
Maybe I saw it too many times or maybe I was in one of my Grinch periods for about five years. Whatever it was, during that stretch I couldn’t stand to be in the same room when “It’s a Wonderful Life” was on.
I grew especially agitated during the scene where Uncle Billy lost the money that belonged to Bailey’s Savings and Loan and Mr. Potter found — and kept — it. During my anti- “It’s a Wonderful Life” years I wanted to reach into the television and give Uncle Billy a good shake and scream, “Ask the mean old man with zero Christmas spirit about the money!” Small wonder George flipped out on Uncle Billy. Who wouldn’t?
Then there were all the takeoffs of the movie with sitcoms, cartoons and other films rehashing the same story ad nauseam. I knew it was time to take a break when instead of crying during the final scene, the one where the angel gets his wings, I was instead cynically wondering how Clarence got his angel gig in the first place. You know you’ve overloaded on holiday cheer when that scene fails to get to you.
During this “is it really such a wonderful life?” phase, my picky brain pulled apart the movie’s plot. For starters, why would George Bailey be so broke all the time? He built homes by the dozens and had to make SOME profit even if he did give all his friends a good deal. Plus, he’d be building homes during the boom time following WWII. In a few years, George could have told old man Potter to take a long walk on a short pier.
Then there was the whole thing about George resenting basically everyone because he was stuck in Bedford Falls. Mary should have taken him by the scruff of his neck years earlier and told him how good he had it but, if she had, I suppose there wouldn’t be a movie.
Thankfully, after my grinchy hiatus ended I realized Christmas wasn’t quite the same without watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” at least once. I missed Clarence and that old drafty house George and Mary turned into a home. I missed Zuzu’s petals.
Most of all I missed the lessons George learned, lessons ranging from Clarence’s words of wisdom when he said, “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. And when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” and “You see George, you really had a wonderful life.”
It’s good to remember those lessons, especially at this time of year when expectations based solely on television ads are high, and reality based solely on, well, reality is often a completely different kettle of fish.
It’s good to remember that even if we can’t afford to give our loved one a brand-new truck for Christmas, we can give them a nice keychain that might not have four-wheel drive, but it does come from the heart.
It’s good to remember that we might not live in a mansion, but if we have even the humblest of houses, we’re better off than many others.
It’s good to remember that much of the time we do have a fairly wonderful life, and I for one am glad George Bailey and Clarence make an annual trip every December to remind us.
Most of all, it’s nice to have that last scene — the one where Clarence finally gets his wings — to make me cry again.
Nell Musolf is a freelance writer based in Mankato. She can be reached at nmusolf@gmail.com.