My "hero's journey" analysis of a classic American cinematic masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (30 January 2019)

George Bailey must learn his LIFE LESSON that "No man is a failure who has friends."

George's BIG FLAW is that there is a voice inside that tells him he doesn't need any friends-that he's better than them; that's why he wants to leave Bedford Falls.

His DARK VOICE WITHIN is represented by POTTER, the meanest man in town who believes money and social status is more important than friendship. Deep down, POTTER is jealous of George's father who has the respect of the COMMUNITY.

THE GUIDE that helps George to self-awareness is Clarence, an Angel Second Class. Clarence's REWARD is that he will receive his wings if he's able to help his charge.

George's REWARD is self-awareness of his goodness and the end to the dark voice within that drives him to want to take his own life.

Clarence must come up with a plan to help George gain self-awareness; but since he knows nothing about him, Clarence (as well as the audience) must sit back and see how George arrived at his DARK MOMENT OF DESPAIR.

THE EXPOSITION establishes George's goodness. He's heroic in saving his kid brother Harry from drowning after he falls through the ice (but in doing so develops a physical FLAW-losing the hearing in one of his ears).

Through his intelligence and resourcefulness, he also saves MR. GOWER a potential DARK FORCE druggist from ruin after he accidentally puts poison in a prescription order for a customer.

As a teenager George meets MARY, his eventual LOVE INTEREST who complements his basic goodness.

But George still believes he will leave the town until THE INCITING INCIDENT: George's father has a stroke and dies.

But before the journey, George REFUSES to take the reins at the building and loan.

POTTER appears and attempts to take over the Building and Loan but George agrees to be elected president which begins THE JOURNEY INTO THE CHANGED WORLD.

George spurns POTTER'S offer to work for him.

George makes another SACRIFICE for Harry who is now engaged and offered a job out of town by staying as head of the Building and Loan.

George realizes that getting married and raising a family with Mary is a better option for him.

But he SUFFERS A REVERSAL as he can't even go on a honeymoon at the MIDPOINT where a run on the bank causes him to spend all of his honeymoon money on saving the business.

Instead George's friend Bert and Ernie, a cabdriver and cop, serenade at an old house which will now be refurbished by the newlyweds as George attempts to adjust to his new reality.

During World War II George remains in Bedford Falls due to his hearing loss. Harry's elevation to hero winning the Congressional Medal of Honor only reminds George of the (illusory) opportunities he may have missed.

A DARK MANEUVER occurs when Uncle Billy absentmindedly puts all of the bank's proceeds in Potter's hands who keeps the money and effectively makes George a felon.

George's anger comes out when he lashes out at Uncle Billy. A series of ESCALATING REVERSALS including George's sullen reaction at home where he yells at one of his children's teachers over the phone which leads George to be slugged by the teacher's husband after arriving at Martini's bar.

THE DARK MOMENT occurs when George is about to jump off the bridge.

Instead Clarence dives into the water and George again SACRIFICES himself by diving in to save Clarence.

Later George's casual remark that he wishes that he was never born gives Clarence the idea to show George what it would be like if indeed he wasn't born.

The nightmare sequence in "POTTERSVILLE" is George's CRISIS and ORDEAL. It culminates when George discovers Mary is an old maid at the library and doesn't recognize him.

The Community is totally corrupted without the presence of George Bailey.

After the ORDEAL George has an EPIPHANY, realizing all the people in his life were truly meaningful to him and the dark voice of Potter (who once offered him a job) is no longer extant.

The ROAD BACK takes George through the streets of the RESTORED Bedford Falls.

A FINAL CRISIS is when George expects to be arrested but instead is RESURRECTED when his friends donate money and save him.