The Problem with "It's a Wonderful Life"

[Sundblom Santa]

December 18, 2021

Psychology Today

By Gina Barreca Ph.D.

EXCERPT:

The problem with the Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life?

Remember Donna Reed's character, Mary?

During the part of the movie when Jimmy Stewart's character, George, gets to see what the world would have been like had he never been born, he witnesses all sorts of tragedies: the death of his beloved brother, the alcoholism and ruin of his boss, and—horror of horrors—the unmarried life of the Donna Reed character.

It is one of the climaxes of the film: George Bailey realizes with misery and terror that, had he never been born, Mary would now be not only single but—gasp!—a librarian!

He concludes, therefore, that his life was meaningful, if only because he saved people from death, ruin, and the sheer misery of a single woman who is perpetually in circulation.

I first wrote about that scene in my 1993 book, Perfect Husbands (and Other Fairy Tales), but decided to revisit it this holiday season.

I put the passage from Perfect Husbands on Facebook and my page lit up, well, like a Christmas tree.

Discovering that I'm not the only one who feels this way about one of America's most iconic holiday films was a relief and a delight.

As soon as I decided to risk exposing myself as a non-lover of the film and posted my Scrooge-like comment on Facebook, my friend humorist Amy Hartl Sherman quipped that "Donna Reed, being the hideous, unlovable person that she was, could not have possibly found another partner, right? But hey, books v. men? Is it really a loss?"

Or as Joanne Brokaw put it, “Thank God George saved her from a life of independence and learning.”

Here I’d been, preparing myself for an onslaught of criticism from the oppressively optimistic (they’re always the first to protest), and instead I was being cheered by a sense of companionship amongst the unconventional, unconvinced, and un-Clarenced.

I sighed and started enjoying the words of my fellow curmudgeons, whom I prefer to refer to as the Righteous and Wise.

Source: 

The Problem with "It's a Wonderful Life"

WWW.PSYCHOLOGYTODAY.COM

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Would Donna Reed's character really have lost her sight without Jimmy Stewart?

 

[Sundblom Santa]

So, yeah, that one was bizarre reading. Seriously, a bunch of nonsensical feminist psychobabble. While I'd normally give such nonsense a hard pass, I figured I should share it and get everyone's thoughts. When I read the article, I was really struck by the author's purposeful lack of awareness regarding Mary's change in the film versus in Phillip Van Doren Stern's original story. In the original, Mary doesn't become a spinster. She actually marries an abusive man. Granted, while I find that much more engaging than Mary becoming a librarian, the change stylistically makes more sense. They didn't need the added violence that's implied in such a scenario.

Of course, what seems lost on the author is that this is George Bailey's story, not Mary's per se. Yes, she's a crucial character and the story wouldn't be the same without her in it, but, ultimately, we're watching the rescue of George from the brink of suicidal ideation. That's the key here, and she missed the boat big time. Of course, I could also mention the fascinating use (really before its time in a lot of ways) of the "butterfly effect" (a theory saying one small change in the past or present can radically alter the future; or, more generally, the idea that all people, things, or circumstances are interconnected and interdependent on each other, especially in the context of a philosophy of determinism).

She brings up Mary, fair enough. We could mention Burt and Ernie (and the personal issues in their own lives that stemmed from not having George in those same lives in that alternate timeline). Yet, the most startling and bone chilling realization in the film from where I sit seems to be this: the men on Harry's transport died because Harry wasn't there to save them because George wasn't there to save Harry from drowning at age nine. So, George's life is wrapped up in Harry's life, the soldiers' own lives, and even, in a sense, the lives of those Kamikaze pilots. One life really does effect so many other lives.

[Santa TJS]

Why subject us here to this nonsense and crap,remove it

[Rob Thompson]

Fabulous movie, end of story for me

[RusticSanta]

My favorite movie.  Though many are unaware of the lost footage that was found by William Shatner and first shown to the public in 1986: It's a Wonderful Life: The Lost Ending

[Sundblom Santa]

2 hours ago, Santa TJS said:

Why subject us here to this nonsense and crap,remove it

Tom, the article was posted so we could perhaps have a discussion. No ill will was meant by it. I hope you understand that. I agree the psychologist is nuts. I simply meant to post the article as a springboard for discussing differences of opinion as they relate to Christmas films. Still, perhaps retracting the article is a good idea. Yet, I'm not exactly sure how to do it, or even if I technically can, or even am allowed to. @Michael Rielly, sir, could you possibly remove the article (as Mr. Sheerin has told me to)? My deepest apologies, Mr. Reilly. 

Edited January 23, 2022 by Sundblom Santa

[Black Hills Santa]

22 hours ago, Sundblom Santa said:

Tom, the article was posted so we could perhaps have a discussion. No ill will was meant by it. I hope you understand that. I agree the psychologist is nuts. I simply meant to post the article as a springboard for discussing differences of opinion as they relate to Christmas films. Still, perhaps retracting the article is a good idea. Yet, I'm not exactly sure how to do it, or even if I technically can, or even am allowed to. @Michael Rielly, sir, could you possibly remove the article (as Mr. Sheerin has told me to)? My deepest apologies, Mr. Reilly. 

No need to apologize. 

[Sundblom Santa]

1 hour ago, Black Hills Santa said:

No need to apologize. 

Thanks, Jason. Love you, brother.

[Rob Thompson]

On 1/23/2022 at 11:20 PM, RusticSanta said:

My favorite movie.  Though many are unaware of the lost footage that was found by William Shatner and first shown to the public in 1986: It's a Wonderful Life: The Lost Ending

I cant imagine that in the real one but definitely funny  

[RusticSanta]

45 minutes ago, Rob Thompson said:

I cant imagine that in the real one but definitely funny  

One of the comments claim that it was the intended ending (without the beating), but they didn't get around to filming it.  Supposedly Potter was getting arrested and screaming "I own this town".  Sounds plausible. 

I thought Dana Carvey made a pretty good George Bailey.

[Sundblom Santa]

On 1/23/2022 at 6:20 PM, RusticSanta said:

My favorite movie.  Though many are unaware of the lost footage that was found by William Shatner and first shown to the public in 1986: It's a Wonderful Life: The Lost Ending

Of course, that was back when SNL was (or could) still be funny. Now, it's just sad.

16 hours ago, RusticSanta said:

One of the comments claim that it was the intended ending (without the beating), but they didn't get around to filming it.  Supposedly Potter was getting arrested and screaming "I own this town".  Sounds plausible.

Sounds plausible, indeed. The Hays Code was well in effect by 1946, which would ordinarily (at least from what I understand) make such an ending all-but-mandatory. Still, the open-endedness feels more "true to life." The ending we have made this masterpiece (and it is a real masterpiece, thanks to Capra, whether as to lighting, the use of shadow, Capra's directing skills, or especially Jimmy Stewart) even better, if that were possible. It's a true classic. Watch it every single year. Never miss it.

Edited January 25, 2022 by Sundblom Santa

[Sundblom Santa]

16 hours ago, RusticSanta said:

I thought Dana Carvey made a pretty good George Bailey.

Heck, Dana Carvey made a pretty hilarious church lady!

Edited January 25, 2022 by Sundblom Santa