These are the thoughts of a Texas transplant in West Michigan who makes his living as a newspaper reporter by evening, and a struggling novelist by day.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

it's a wonderful life

tonight i sat down and finally saw the movie that has eluded me all of this time. dawn was surprised i'd never seen it, since it plays most times around christmas. still, i had never been attracted to it. i just so happened that tonight i flipped through the channels and stopped on a black and white movie and this kid working behind the counter at a drugstore with two young girls watching him, who soon after whispering "i love you george bailey" in his deaf ear.

i have mixed feelings about the movie. as it went on, i kept thinking why is this such a big hit at xmas time, it's such a downer. the poor bastard was stuck in a rut, at least according to himself. and his anger, mostly underlying, kept george from becoming a likeable character for me. it was only at the end after he realizes what life withouthim would be like and he goes home that i warmed to him.

i suppose that's when the movie achieves its goal and we all see the forest despite the trees.

i must admit to becoming teary-eyed during the scene when he opens the book tom sawyer and reads the inscription by clarence "a man who has friends is not a failure." i like that phrase. the whole angel thing was a little cheese with the whole ASC (angel second class) trying to earn wings, but i forgave the movie for that after the book inscription.

the message is clear and simple. sometimes we don't see that what we have is good and meaningful. i guess a lot of us are guilty of failing to look around our lives and ignore the good we have. thanks for pointing it out clarence.

did i like themovie? yeah, i did. i don't know if i'll ever watch it again, though. i can now join the ranks of millions who have watched it and know any in-jokes when they come concerning the movie.

one thing, though. i wish old man potter had gotten his ass kicked or perhaps even shoved off that bridge into the cold water. but i guess the meaning behind the movie wouldn't have been the same. one can think it, though. even visualize it.

1 Comments:

Blogger Leftylog said...

"It's a Wonderful Life" is a good movie, though I haven't watched it for years. I'm sure you've enjoyed "A Chrsitmas Story" with Ralphie and the BB gun. Also, the Alistair Sim version of "A Christmas Carol" is worht watching over and over.

9:51 AM

 

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