"I had heard about it, heard an awful lot about it, for years and years and years, before I ever saw it. When I first saw it, I couldn't believe it took so long to get to what I thought was the point of it. So much about George as a boy, as a young man, as this, as that, before Clarence turns up!
Now it seems perfect to me, simply perfect. Far too wise for our generation. I cry unashamedly at the climax, which seems to me the last great example of pure Dickensian sentiment, before that noun became, quite rightly, a dirty word. I watched the film The Notebook for the first time last week: a ghastly sentimental mess. It makes me realise what a craftsman, and how fundamentally wise, and sincere, Capra was."
Thanks for coming by and sharing your thoughts, Matt.
Yes, this is really a good one, and one that snuck up on me as well. It is a long build up to the point where our hero cracks and hits the edge, but Kapra wanted us to get to know George and have an understanding of the lives that made up his world, those lives we could see as most affected by his absence. It was his family, his friends, the people in his community. Good things.
I love it when he calls ZuZu "my little ginger snap" and pulls her into his arms. Thinking about this movie, it reminds me how hardships are not uncommon, that even the best of us go through hard times. The Bible promises "In this world you will have troubles". My troubles are not much different than George's, and I believe that's true for most people.
Watching this movie again what I came to love the most was George's reaction when he realized how hard it would be on all he loved if he was never here, and with that realization he wanted it all back, the money he owed the depositors, the embarrassment of being a failure, jail for George and ruination. None of that had changed. It was the life he was going back to, and he did it gladly, without question, because of his love for those around him.
The truth is George was always like that, all through the movie. He was still the man who would do what he could for those he loved. It was grace itself that in coming back he was blessed by Mary and all the people of Bedford coming together to help him. I love it when Harry Bailey lifts that glass in toast, and they all sing Auld Lang Syne together. Love it, every time. It was a word of encouragement to each and everyone of us, and for it I thank Mr. Kapra, and George Bailey, Clarence, Mary, Uncle Billy and all the people that inhabit Bedford Falls.
"I had heard about it, heard an awful lot about it, for years and years and years, before I ever saw it. When I first saw it, I couldn't believe it took so long to get to what I thought was the point of it. So much about George as a boy, as a young man, as this, as that, before Clarence turns up!
ReplyDeleteNow it seems perfect to me, simply perfect. Far too wise for our generation. I cry unashamedly at the climax, which seems to me the last great example of pure Dickensian sentiment, before that noun became, quite rightly, a dirty word. I watched the film The Notebook for the first time last week: a ghastly sentimental mess. It makes me realise what a craftsman, and how fundamentally wise, and sincere, Capra was."
- Matthew Coniam
Thanks for coming by and sharing your thoughts, Matt.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is really a good one, and one that snuck up on me as well. It is a long build up to the point where our hero cracks and hits the edge, but Kapra wanted us to get to know George and have an understanding of the lives that made up his world, those lives we could see as most affected by his absence. It was his family, his friends, the people in his community. Good things.
I love it when he calls ZuZu "my little ginger snap" and pulls her into his arms. Thinking about this movie, it reminds me how hardships are not uncommon, that even the best of us go through hard times. The Bible promises "In this world you will have troubles". My troubles are not much different than George's, and I believe that's true for most people.
Watching this movie again what I came to love the most was George's reaction when he realized how hard it would be on all he loved if he was never here, and with that realization he wanted it all back, the money he owed the depositors, the embarrassment of being a failure, jail for George and ruination. None of that had changed. It was the life he was going back to, and he did it gladly, without question, because of his love for those around him.
The truth is George was always like that, all through the movie. He was still the man who would do what he could for those he loved. It was grace itself that in coming back he was blessed by Mary and all the people of Bedford coming together to help him. I love it when Harry Bailey lifts that glass in toast, and they all sing Auld Lang Syne together. Love it, every time. It was a word of encouragement to each and everyone of us, and for it I thank Mr. Kapra, and George Bailey, Clarence, Mary, Uncle Billy and all the people that inhabit Bedford Falls.