Best Movie Ever, Period.

Rating: 10/10 (19 February 2007)

What can be said ill of this lovely movie? This is one of my all time favorites. I love seeing all of the old things that people used to be able to do, before political correctness, and before parents threatened to sue anyone who owned a tree, or a curb, or lived on a street, if God forbid little Johnnie got hurt by not watching what he was doing. Remember the pool scene in this movie? That is such a great part, and shows old fashioned American high spirits, and fun. Nowadays, everyone would be wearing helmets, life jackets, and the pool would have barbed wire, laser beam censors around it. ( not that I'm against pool safety for children, I am completely for it! but remember this is a "high school" dance here, in the movie ). Also, the little dog barking in the house when George and his brother are all rowdy; the good humored teasing between friends throughout the movie; little touches like these remind us of what it used to be like, to live in America.
I love the Christian message, most of all. I love the scene in the graveyard, when the angel tells George, "Harry Bailey died because YOU weren't there to save Harry!" So many tearjerking, beautiful scenes like that really run this movie's message home, and it's an all around winner, for the holidays. I'm not quite so sure it's appropriate for little kids though; George's anger on Christmas Eve could be a little scary, or disturbing, for some youngsters. Frank Capra deserves to get several jewels in his crown for this one, for bringing the spirit of Christmas, and a reminder of the importance of life long friendships, to so many of us at what can be a lonely, and stressful time of year. If we watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and wish that we were part of a community like that, then we can go out and start to build that kind of life for ourselves. It's a good ideal to live up to. Basic, good people working hard, and finding the treasures of life along the way.