An inspiring work that can be as deep as you want it to be.

Rating: 8/10 (3 March 2016)

I don't want to say that I had low expectations going into this movie, but I was preparing myself for the possibility of a clichéd story with no real conflict, or a really lame one at that, which would leave me wondering how the heck it was a classic. Thankfully, pretty much none of that was true. I wasn't huge on the hallmark happy ending, but I don't think it was a bad idea. It fits with the theme of the story and gives a good sense of completion and is perfectly plausible considering how many connections George has. I just prefer movies to end differently than that, but I could easily tolerate it in this context.
George Bailey is, as most of us already know, one of the most likable protagonists that's ever been written. He's got some amazing and selfless qualities, but still has times when he struggles with doing the right thing, just as any of us do. I totally sympathized with his plight of wanting to go out and see the world and make a huge difference but constantly having to put that dream on hold for the immediate problems that he faced at home. It's true that some of the timing was overly convenient, namely the Wall Street Crash happening on his wedding day, but it works out nicely in terms of the theme. I'm sure that there are lots of people out there that go through similar conflicts between their work and their families and their dreams, but I'd be willing to bet that the majority of them are more influenced by selfishness than George's. Not that seeing the world is exactly altruistic, but it's a heck of a lot less greedy than some people's dreams.
Most of the people George impacts seem to be genuinely well-meaning as well, but there is something that sets George apart from them. This might just be that George's particular skills are always in demand throughout the depression, making him a little more prevalent than someone with a different occupation but equally good intentions. Of course, this is contrasted by Mr. Potter, whose actions speak louder than his mannerisms in making him a villain. Now that I think about it, I can't recall that we ever actually see him swindle anybody outside of his constant efforts to buy out Building and Loan. But somehow, these attempts at fraud are more striking than seeing him actually rip somebody off might be.
I felt like the whole sequence when George lives in the world where he doesn't exist could have been shortened a bit. It was definitely a vital part of the story as we see George fall into a state of depression that he has never experienced before, but they could have cut out a couple minutes of him seeing the alternate reality. Then again, I suppose the length is helpful in emphasizing how much difference one life can make even in a concentrated setting. I know that I would be interested to see what a world without me would look like, though I might not be quite so proud of it.
It's difficult to accurately critique the technical execution 70 years later, but it feels pretty well done. The camera-work wasn't static or boring enough that it felt "old" so that's a plus. I can't judge if the acting was realistic to the 40's, but it didn't feel unrealistic for today. We do see some '40's ideals come into play a bit with the suggestion of being an "old maid" and George's apparent disappointment at not being able to join the war effort.
I can safely call this a family film, and not just because you can show it to your kids. This is something that most, if not all, dad's should see and take to heart in some fashion. I'm sure most people have seen it before, some to the point of being sickened by even a reference to it. But if you haven't yet, please give it a try. It won't be the greatest source of entertainment and might not sound riveting, but it will likely inspire you and be more entertaining than you might expect. Overall Rating: 8.3/10.