Embodies goodness

Rating: 10/10 (5 January 2017)

This is one of the best films ever made. Somehow by divine providence, this gem got buried after its initial (and somehow unbelievably unsuccessful) run, and seemed doomed to be a lost Capra classic. But then it came into public domain and was revived by TV where it came into classic status as a beloved holiday film. Having seen it so many times, I almost forgot how good the acting, set design, and direction are. Look and you will see the subtleties crammed into every nook and cranny. The movements of the extras. The lived in feel of the town. The sidewalk walkers and animals roaming around. Everything breathes realism, yet the story is not one of stark realism, but of ideals.
And therein lies the classic feel of this film. Capra wanted a quasi real town that showed the ideal community he wanted to live in. Filled with flawed and normal people who are tempted to fall, but who rise to the occasion and help each other out. They don't do this of their own accord. They are inspired to it by the protagonist, George Bailey. It is his self-sacrifice that brings out the best of them. And then they get to help him out in his hour of need. It makes for a story that brings tears to the eyes every time I watch it.
This is one of those timeless classics that gets better with age. You feel like your putting on your favorite album you haven't heard in awhile or pulling out a photo album of happy memories you haven't seen in a few years. All of the actors fulfill their roles, from protagonist to extras. Great detail was put into the character relationships, making them seem like a real small town community where everyone knows each other. And they embody the goodness of man that, although tarred by sin, was put in there by God. If it's idealism is not completely realistic, it is nevertheless inspiring as the American town that we all wish we had grown up in. In that way, it is even relevant as a film of happy ideals during hard times. We need this kind of communal inter-dependency as we enter into dark times of 2017.