December 12, 2023 • 56 mins
Ever wondered what our world would look like if one person never existed? This episode of our podcast takes you on a journey through Frank Capra's beloved holiday classic, "It's a Wonderful Life", and the life-altering experiences of the film's protagonist, George Bailey. While examining the profound impact George had on his family, friends, and the entire town of Bedford Falls, we uncover the incredible power held by a single individual's actions.
As we navigate through George's sacrifices, financial struggles and emotional turmoil, we bring to light the power of family, community, and individual actions to shape the lives of others. We stumble upon George's despair and the transformative influence of a celestial visitor. Fasten your seatbelts as we navigate the eye-opening sequence where George sees the world without him. We'll explore how this revelation alters his perspective, giving you a fresh appreciation for this timeless holiday favorite.
Finally, we rejoice in George's journey of redemption and the uplifting ending of "It's a Wonderful Life". By touching upon the film's core themes, we highlight the massive ripple effect one person's actions can have on the world around them. This episode promises to instill in you a newfound admiration for this enduring classic and inspire you to consider the difference you make in your own community. It's not just about analyzing a film; it's about recognizing our value in the lives of others.
Experience "It's a Wonderful Life" like never before as we unravel its depth and resonance in this endearing episode.
If you'd like to own your own copy for when this film isn't streaming, look no further!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Please subscribe, rate, and review! Thank you for listening! Hope you enjoy!
Website: https://moviestheyreprettygood.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/moviestheyreprettygood
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087938154530
Twitter: https://twitter.com/moviesgoodpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8iGT7riyJ_K2DFLwfbTemg
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello and welcome to another episode of Movies, colin
.
They're pretty good.
I'm your host, travis Dutting,and today we're going to talk
about my personal favoriteChristmas film, frank Capra's
1946 masterpiece.
It's a Wonderful Life, so let'sget right into it.
(00:24):
We're opening on a narration ofvarious prayers for a character
, george Bailey.
That's the main characterplayed by Jimmy Stewart.
We just hear various people like, okay, please pray, or please
be with George, please pray forGeorge.
That's what they're doing andwe're just getting that there's
(00:50):
a lot of people that like andcare about this character.
So after that we cut to acouple of galaxies having a
conversation.
We can kind of gather that oneof them is supposed to be God
and the other is named Joseph,and they're saying like, oh,
like poor George Bailey, likethere's something, something
(01:12):
needs to be done.
Let's send someone down to helpthem out.
And they decide to send one ofthe newer angels, clarence, who
doesn't have his wings yet andthis is going to be his mission
to get his wings.
Because this is a concept thatthey talk about in the movie how
angels need to, like, worktheir way up to getting their
(01:35):
wings and then, once they havetheir wings, they're at full
power, basically.
So we hear Clarence, theythey're like OK, like this is
your job, you're going to gohelp this guy.
He's thinking about ending hislife.
They say he's thinking aboutthrowing away the greatest gift
(01:59):
to man, or something like that.
And then he's like, oh, he'sthinking of ending his life, ok.
So then in order to intervene,they're going.
Clarence needs to know as muchas he can about George's life.
(02:20):
So they basically are showinghim flashbacks of George's life,
like leading up to this moment,and which is perfect as a
narrative device to show us, theaudience, george's life leading
up to this moment.
So we see a bunch of kidssledding.
(02:40):
They're going down a hill.
They're using snow shovels assleds, which is pretty ingenious
.
They're going down the hill andthey're sliding onto like a
frozen pond.
During this we see young George,we see his brother as well,
harry Bailey, and when it'sHarry's turn to go down, he
(03:04):
slides too far and goes throughthe ice and George saves his
life.
But we hear through narrationthat he gets an infection and
basically ends up losing hishearing and his left ear.
So then we cut to him at hisjob, where he works for Mr Gower
(03:29):
.
So he works at the pharmacy, hedoes deliveries, he works the
counter, everything like that,and he's like a young kid.
So this is like pre-child laborlaws and stuff like that.
I mean, if the movie is set in1946, then this is obviously way
before, so lost my spot in thenotes.
(03:54):
Oh yeah, and this is also wherewe're introduced to young Mary,
who will end up spoiler alertbeing George's wife later in the
movie.
She's sitting at the counterand then another young girl
comes in named Violet and she'skind of like a little flirty
(04:16):
with George and George is likenot interested.
He's not interested in eitherof them really at the moment.
But at one point when George islike leaning down to get like a
scoop ice cream for Mary, sheleans over and like says into
his left side, like the ear thathe can't hear in, that she'll
(04:37):
love him till the day that hedies, basically, or till the day
I die, either way, either way.
So oh, and then this is alsowhen we see that Mr Gower seems
a little upset about somethingand George clocks this, then
notices a telegram on thecounter addressed to Mr Gower,
(05:01):
informing him that his son,robert, has passed away due to,
I think, pneumonia or the flu.
Yeah, it was influenza, yeah.
So George is like okay, now Isee why he's so upset.
He goes into the back becauseMr Gower needs him to make a
(05:28):
delivery of some pills to acustomer.
George notices, because MrGower drops the pills, that he
was using the wrong medicinebecause he's all frazzled,
obviously because his son justdied.
So George is like okay, likehe's trying to tell Mr Gower.
(05:51):
He's not really listeningbecause he's too distraught.
So he is exiting the store,sees a sign that says like what
is it?
Oh, yeah, ask dad, he knows.
So he's like all right.
Then he goes to his dad's office.
His dad works at BaileyBuilding and Loan Bailey
(06:11):
Brothers Building and Loan, andhis dad's in the meeting with Mr
Potter, who was like therichest man in town, super
greedy, the villain of the movieplayed by Lionel Barrymore,
drew Barrymore's greatgrandfather, I think and so he's
(06:34):
trying to like find out, he'strying to like get some help
from him, but his dad'sobviously busy, but he's also in
there, while Mr Potter's kindof like berating his dad and
putting him down.
And so George like stands upfor him and everything ends up
leaving.
And I think it's like, eventhough he didn't get any direct
advice from his dad.
He still like like I don't know, like learned it on his own,
(06:59):
pretty much like he had like thepower to like stand up to Mr
Gower, not that he like reallyneeded to, but just like hey,
like.
So he goes back to the shop, mrGower's on the phone, saying,
like what do you mean?
Like I sent those pills out anhour ago.
It should have been there.
I'll get them there soon, youknow.
And then he starts yelling atGeorge, ends up slapping him in
(07:22):
the ear to where his ear startsbleeding.
So I mean, it was definitely adifferent time, so I don't think
you'd see too much of that now.
And then also, like later on,still care about this character.
But but George says like youdid something wrong, like you
(07:45):
put poison in those pills, likethey could have died.
I know you didn't do it onpurpose.
I know you're upset and knowabout your son.
Like I understand, like I'd bethere too.
And then Mr Gower's like herealizes like the error of his
ways and apologizes to Georgeand like gives him a hug and
he's like oh, and then they'reboth like kind of cry together
(08:05):
and everything.
So it is like it, what couldhave easily been like a very
terrible scene, like ends up onthe lighter end.
So, moving on, now we flash toGeorge, all grown up, he's about
to go on a trip to Europebefore starting college.
(08:28):
So basically, he just graduated, he's going to go to Europe and
everything.
He's at the store picking up asuitcase.
He wants to buy something big,and the shop owners like showing
him this one.
And he's like, nah, I needs tobe like way better than that.
And he pulls one out and it'slike, oh, there's the second
(08:51):
hand one.
He's like, oh, that's perfect.
And he's like, how much?
And then no charge.
He's like, what do you mean?
No charge?
And he's like, oh, mr Gower,your old boss came in, picked
this one out for you, and thenhe even had his name on the
ground in it and everything.
So it's super sweet.
He goes over to Mr Gower,thanks him and everything and
(09:12):
then heads back home.
So during dinner we find outthat there is a school dance
because of the graduation thatnight.
I don't think he just graduated, I think it's Harry just
graduated, the younger brother,but he's been working to save up
(09:35):
to go on this trip and go tocollege, basically so, but he's
still going to go to thegraduation dance that night and
everything.
So there at the dance we seeViolet, the blonde girl from
before when they were littlekids, is trying to dance with
(09:56):
them and he's about to.
But then Mary's brother comesand he's like hey, like, like
remember my sister Mary, like Ithink you should dance with her.
And so he goes and dances withher.
Some guys trying to talk to herand try to get her to dance and
she's just you could tell she'slike not interested, but she's
being polite and everything.
(10:16):
I'm pretty sure I should havelooked this up beforehand, but
if I remember correctly, my dadtold me that that's the original
alfalfa from our gang, like wayback in the 30s and stuff.
So but yeah, so that guy's allupset like hey, like you're
(10:39):
stealing my date or whatever.
But Mary's like immediatelylike oh, it's George Bailey,
like I've loved him since I wasa kid.
Like of course we're going togo dance with him.
So they start dancing andeverything they're doing
Charleston competition,basically.
And oh, yeah.
So we see that the nerdy guy isoff to the side, kind of like
(11:03):
sulking about losing his dateand not getting to dance with
Mary, excuse me.
And then someone comes up tohim and is like hey, like you
jealous.
And he's, like you knowwhatever, like hey, just so you
know, like there's a pool underthe floor of the dance floor and
just so happens that the buttonto open the pool is right
(11:28):
behind you and it also happensthat George Bailey is dancing
right over the opening and Ijust so happen to have the key
here, so gives them the key,opens, the hits the button to
open the pool and then the floorstarts to slowly open and then
so people are noticing exceptfor George and Mary who are
(11:48):
still dancing and doing theCharleston and everything and
they keep like getting likecloser and closer to the edge.
And then people are like kindof screaming and cheering and
everything like that, and theythink that and they think that
they're just like cheering themon.
And then you know a couple, acouple of fake outs and then
they finally go over the edgeand fall into the pool and
(12:11):
there's, there's laughing andthey're still dancing in the
pool and everything.
And then other kids start tojump in the pool and then
eventually, even the I don'tknow if it's a teacher or the
principal, but one of thefaculty decides like, oh, oh
well, and then he dives in sogreat scene, love it One second.
(12:32):
So they're, george and Mary arewalking home.
They're singing a song likeBuffalo gals Once you come out
tonight and dance by the lightof the moon.
They're having a great time.
(12:52):
They're talking, they comeacross this old house and George
is like oh, like you throw awindow or throw a rock, and if
you break something and make awish, then that wish will come
true, basically.
So he throws a rock, glassbreaks, he makes a wish that you
(13:13):
know is talking about how hewants to travel the world and
everything like that.
And then Mary throws it andthen breaks even more and makes
a wish, but she won't tell whatit is Then.
But she's also saying how sheloves that old house and like
George is like nah, that placeis like hideous, it's abandoned,
like all that stuff.
(13:34):
And she's like, no, like it'svery charming and I really like
that place.
So they keep talking andeverything.
And then there's a old man onhis porch, like kind of
eavesdropping on them becausethere he lives next door to that
abandoned house, and at onepoint he just kind of interrupts
(13:56):
them.
He's like aren't you going tokiss her already.
And then he's like that Georgeis yelling back at him and he's
like, ah, like youth is wastedon people like you, or something
like that.
And then, like, gets in, getsup and goes inside.
All grumpy Mary goes to runaway, but George is standing on
(14:17):
the rope to her, or the, thesash to her robe, and it comes
off and so she is now completelynaked, but like hiding in the
bushes.
And George realizes like okay,like the, the, the robes on the
ground, like.
And then she's like, oh, giveit back to me.
And he's just messing with her,Like he can't see anything or
(14:39):
anything.
He's just kind of rambling on,like joking with her.
But during this a car pulls upand it's George's uncle, billy,
saying like your dad had astroke, like you need to come
now, and he just tosses the ropeonto the bushes.
He's like Mary, I got to go,I'm sorry.
And then drives off, cut tofinding out that his dad died.
(15:04):
Harry, or George keeps sayingHarry, george had to cancel his
Europe trip to be there to takecare of like the estate and
everything for the business, aswell as like the funeral and
everything.
So he's about to like leave,get on a train and go to college
(15:24):
after this meeting.
And by then he finds out thatthe that they're basically going
to close the business and MrPotter wants to dissolve the
company entirely.
And he makes this big speech,like you know, like Don't, don't
(15:44):
fall for this mr Potter guy,like he's gonna, like he's gonna
have everyone like paying toomuch rent and everything like
that, and it's gonna destroy thetown and everything.
I can't control like whathappens.
But basically like if you dothis, then you're just
destroying everything my dadbuilt.
But you know, doesn't matter,cuz I'm out of here, I'm going
(16:07):
to college, see ya.
And so, as he's like sayinggoodbye to people out in the
Lobby of the business, thenSomeone comes out and he's like,
oh, the board members havedecided to To keep it open and
they're not going with Potter.
But there's one catch is thatyou have to run it.
(16:27):
So Basically, he ends upsacrificing his college, like
sacrifice, going to college,gives that money to his brother
Harry, lets him go to collegeand then Runs the company.
The runs his dad company,basically.
So next, let me find my placein my notes again.
(16:54):
Oh yeah, so cut to.
Four years later, george iswaiting at the train station and
Harry's coming home and he'slike, okay, like Harry's coming
home, now he can run thebusiness and I can finally go to
college and do all the stuffthat I want to do.
(17:16):
And then who does Harry havewith him?
But his new wife, who has afather.
That has offered Harry a job.
So George once again knows like, even even though Harry is
trying to say like I know, likeI promise, like I would come
back, so I'm not necessarilytaking that job, but George is
like Also just such a nice guythat he's not going to be like
(17:40):
you know, like that's a betterjob, you should take that job
and everything like that.
So once again, like sacrificinghis own happiness and
everything.
So there's a party at at thehouse celebrating that Harry's
back from college and that he'smarried.
So One funny part is thatthey're out on the porch.
(18:01):
Uncle Billy comes out and he'sjust like completely drunk but
as he's like stumbling away.
This is a piece of trivia thatmy dad was just telling me that
there's a sound of like itsounds like trash cans, like
getting knocked over, and butwhat it really was was someone
(18:24):
on set dropped something andduring the take and it sounded
like you know, crashing throughtrash cans and the actor playing
Uncle Billy Adlibbed like hewas yelling off from the side
that he fell over drunk into thetrash cans.
So save the take.
Everything.
It's perfect, it's a good joke,it's good, good, good Jag, good
(18:46):
gag.
Oh, I'm tired, oh yeah.
So then His mom comes out and istalking to George Saying like
oh, did you hear that Mary'sback in town?
She got back from college too.
So I mean they I don't thinkthey went to the same college,
(19:08):
but you know they've left at thesame time.
And so George is like okay,like I'm gonna go visit her, and
heads over there.
But he's kind of like Just notreally sure what he's doing with
his life.
You know Cuz he had like a planand that even though he's very
(19:29):
happy for Harry, it's kind oflike the plans got a change now,
no matter what.
So he's kind of hanging out infront of Mary's house like
Contemplating whether he shouldgo in or not, and she notices
from the upper window like hey,like your mom just called and
said you were on your way overhere.
And he's trying to play it offlike oh no, I was just out for a
(19:50):
walk.
I didn't tell anyone elsecoming here, but so she invites
him in, goes inside the.
She has a painting that shemade of a, something that he had
said to her when during theirwalk after the dance and
(20:10):
everything, and he said that hewanted to throw a Lasso around
the moon and pull it down andgive it to her, basically.
And so she has like a paintingof that that she wants to show
him.
But he's just so like it has somuch on his mind that he's not
even like clocking, like theRomanticism of that or anything
(20:31):
like that, and he's just kind ofbeing like a Jerk to her a
little bit and just kind of likebrushing off things that she's
saying because he just is inshambles mentally at this point.
And then and the, her mom'supstairs like yelling down, like
oh, sam Wayne Wright, who'sanother one of their classmates,
(20:53):
is gonna call tonight, you know, and Like I think he's
interested in Mary, but Mary isnot interested in Sam, she's
only interested in George, youknow, as she has been since she
was a little girl.
So the mom keeps saying likewhat's George doing here?
Like get him out of here.
Like Sam's gonna call anyminute.
And and they're like likewhat's going on down there?
(21:15):
And then she's just like Marysays that he's a Violently
making love to me or we'remaking violent love to me,
mother, and she's just so likeyou know, like grabs a robe and
goes to her room and everything.
So then Sam finally does call,while George is like trying to
leave and but then he ends upforgetting his hat so he comes
(21:41):
back in the house and but thenSam's on the phone, he wants to
talk to George and the mom'slike like why are you calling
George?
Like he doesn't want to talk,to talk, to Talk to him.
And then Mary's like no, likehe literally just said like put
George on the phone and she'supstairs listening on the
extension and everything.
And Basically he has this likeoffer to that he's gonna start
(22:06):
investing or start producingplastics and he wants them to
invest.
I think they end up turningthem down and the conversation
basically ends with them hangingup the phone.
They say like no, we're notinvesting or whatever.
Then he's like starts yelling ather like I never want to get
married to anybody, like I don'twant to stay in this town, Like
(22:28):
all this stuff.
But then just like breaks down,crying hugs or and then like
kisses are Cut to them, gettingmarried like pretty much right
away I.
But then as they're leaving fortheir honeymoon and driving
away, they look and there's likea big crowd around the banks
(22:50):
and stuff and the building aloneand he's like, oh my gosh, like
what's going on?
It's a run on the bank, becausethis is probably taking place
during the Great Depression.
And sure enough, big crowdoutside the building alone goes
over there to kind of figureeverything out.
And Uncle Billy's in there withthe door locked and everything
(23:15):
You've like locked everybody out, which is not what you're
supposed to do.
That's basically guaranteeddeath to your business.
At that point let's everybodyin and just kind of like tries
to talk them down.
They're like we want our moneynow.
Uncle Billy tells George likethere's no money here, like I
literally had to go take all themoney over to the bank, like
(23:37):
all the cash that we had hereand that still wasn't enough to
cover our debts and everything.
Because I mean, I don't reallyknow how it works in this
situation, because I know it'snot.
They're not like a straightbank, they're a building alone,
it's like a loan place.
And so he gives this speech tothe people out there is like hey
(23:58):
, like no, you can't just likecome get your money, like your
money is in his house and hismoney is in this person's house,
and stuff like that.
And you even signed when you,when you got the loan from us,
that it would take 60 days toget your money.
And they're like no, like weneed it now because basically
(24:20):
this would happen a lot duringthis time where and I don't
really know what would cause itbut people would just panic and
try to get all their money outof the bank, you know, because
the banks were failing, it wasthe depression.
But he's just trying to say likehey, like this facility doesn't
(24:40):
work like that, we don't haveyour money here right now.
But then Mr Potter says likehey, like, I'll bail you guys
out, I already bailed the bankout, I'll use my own money and
I'll pay their loans for 50cents on the dollar.
So basically he's going to likejust give them half their money
(25:03):
that they are owed.
And George says no, but thensomeone comes in, is trying to
get like the crowd like hey,like Potter is going to give,
give 50 cents on the dollar orcash.
And so some people are going togo.
And he's like the one guy'slike, oh, rather good, half to
nothing.
And though I wouldn't, becauseI mean in a desperate situation,
(25:27):
yes, but like you, that money'sstill there and you're still
owed that money.
It's not going away, but so I'drather not lose half of it.
So, but then Mary sees, likewhat's about to happen and she's
like, hey, I got cash and shehas, like the, the honeymoon
fund, $2,000.
(25:47):
And so she's like, okay, thisis her like kind of making the,
the step.
Like, okay, like George won'tdo it this time, so I'm going to
do it.
And so they offer to pay out,like hey, like how much do you
need right now to get you untilthe banks reopen?
(26:08):
And that same guy before thatwas like, oh, I'd rather get
half the nothing.
He still wants his full $242.
And everyone else is like no,like just give me 20.
That's enough to get me by, youknow, but that guy is just
ridiculous.
So yeah, basically they end upusing their own money to bail
(26:29):
everybody out.
So they crowds died down, they.
They close the doors right atsix o'clock, because that's what
Mr Potter said.
It's like if you close beforesix pm tonight, then you'll
(26:50):
never reopen.
And then so they make it to sixo'clock.
They managed to help all thecustomers and they still have $2
left.
And then he's like George islike realized, is like oh it's
late, like supposed to be ontrain, wait trains definitely
left.
Where's Mary, like any need tofind my wife?
(27:12):
And then she's right at thatmoment she's calling the
building alone and like Georgelike Mrs Bailey's on the phone,
so she wants him to come home.
And he's like okay, like well,where's home?
Because they don't have a houseyet.
And she's like gives him theaddress, like I forget, it's
like 300 something, second morestreet, and so he gets a cab, he
(27:36):
goes there and it's the oldhouse from their walk like way
earlier in the movie and it'snot fixed up yet.
But you find out that shebought the house and she's got a
few of the townspeople there tolike make it seem like it's a
hotel.
It's raining, the roof isleaking, there's posters of
(27:57):
different like destinations,like covering the windows
because the windows are brokenand all this stuff, and they
just like try to make it like ahoneymoon place in this like
rundown house.
But they bought the house andnow they have a home and
everything.
So it's like a silver liningand like what could have easily
been like a very disappointingday, you know, and it just
(28:19):
doesn't matter because they haveeach other.
And so we see that cut to alittle bit later.
George has built like aneighborhood of like affordable
homes for people, that way theydon't have to like rent to Mr
Potter and they call it BaileyPark.
(28:41):
He's there at like the grandopening ceremony, is giving this
house to.
Well, I don't know giving buthelping.
Move in martini who owns the.
He's an immigrant who owns thebar in town, clever, and oh yeah
(29:02):
.
So Sam Wayne writes there andhe's like oh, like hey, like the
plastics business has taken off, like you were, guys really
should have invested, and he'slike rich now and everything and
like he's being like fairlynice about it.
But also, you know, it justkind of that's the last thing
George wants to hear after he'sliterally given up everything
(29:24):
except for that money to invest,to like everybody else, to help
other people.
So after Sam leaves a littleupset, you know what should be a
good day, and he's just likeslamming the door and just like
man, just a little defeated atthis point.
So so Mr Potter calls a meetingwith George because he basically
(29:48):
is like running numbers andeverything and seeing like, oh
man, like George is sellingthese houses for half of what
they're worth to these people.
If I had a stake in this orwhatever you know, or if I could
take over, if I can hire George, close his business, then I
(30:09):
could, you know, rent thesepeople and take advantage of
them.
And so he calls a meeting withGeorge, says like hey, like I
want to hire you, I want you towork for me.
You'll have so much moneyYou'll never know what to do
with it and all this stuff.
But you know, in the end Georgeis like no, like I'm not going
(30:29):
to do that, like no, I'm notgoing to work for you.
I mean, he definitely toys withthe idea but just ends up doing
the right thing and not takingthe offer, because all he's
going to do is buy out thecompany and close it.
You know that's all he reallywants to do.
So then he goes home, marytells him that that she's
(30:57):
pregnant and he's, he's happy.
And then we get kind of amontage of World War two starts.
They're refurbishing the house.
He can't go because of his ear.
Harry ends up going yeah, harrywins the Medal of Honor for
saving a bunch of people and allthis stuff.
(31:18):
Then we cut to its ChristmasEve.
Harry's and the mom are inWashington DC, he's getting his
medal and then he's gonna comehome on for Christmas and
everything like that.
Then we see Uncle Billy, he'sgoing over to the bank to
(31:39):
deposit $8,000 for the businessyou know, and while he's in
there he runs into Mr Potter andso he's like Showing him the
newspaper.
He's like look like you alwayssay that the Baileys are good
for nothing, but he won theMedal of Honor and all this and
just kind of like shoving it inhis face.
Well, during that like becausehe picks up the newspaper and
(32:04):
he's holding it with the samehand, that he's holding the
envelope full of $8,000 in cashand During this moment ends up
giving the newspaper back to MrPotter along with the envelope.
So he doesn't realize till he'sat the Window making a deposit
and the bankers, like aren't youforgetting something?
Like usually, when you make adeposit, like there's cash
(32:27):
involved.
And you know he's like oh, likehe's just checking his pockets
and he just can't find theenvelope anywhere.
He starts freaking out.
He doesn't remember that headded in his hand when he given
the newspaper and everything.
Mr Potter gets into his office,opens the newspaper and, being
the greedy old man that he is,doesn't say anything about it.
(32:47):
He's like, well, this is minenow Can't wait to watch this
business fail.
And so then Uncle Billy'sfreaking out.
Obviously.
He tells George, like whathappened?
George is at the office, so isthe bank examiner there to like
(33:09):
do an audit on them, and youknow perfect timing, of course.
And George like goes with UncleBilly to his house.
They retrace the steps, allthis stuff, and obviously they
don't find it because Mr Potterhas it and and so at the end of
the search he just ends up likekind of berating Uncle Billy and
(33:33):
just calls him like a drunkenfool and stuff.
He leaves Uncle Billy's there.
He starts crying, you know cuzyou know it's his fault that it
is.
You know it was an accident,but in in the end it really is.
And Well, technically I guessit's mr Potter fault cuz he has
(33:56):
it, knows where it came from, isdoing the wrong thing.
But you know, and so Georgegoes home he now has four kids
that this does get talked aboutin the montage.
Now he ended up with four kids,two boys, two girls.
Mary's decorating becausethere's gonna be a Christmas
(34:20):
party that night.
The older daughter isPracticing on the piano.
I forget her name, I forget mostthe kid.
Only know one kid's name, zuzu,and she's the one who's sick
upstairs.
I think there's a Tommy, but Icould be wrong, but none of
their names get said, quite asmuch as Zuzu, and that will come
(34:44):
later.
Why so he's there?
He's Visibly agitated.
Everyone can tell like there'ssomething wrong.
But depending on how old of akid you are, you're not really
gonna pick up on stuff andyou're still just gonna be like,
you know, bugging your dad andstuff like that and asking
questions and everything.
(35:05):
He goes upstairs to visit Zuzubecause she's sick in bed.
She got sent home from schoolbut she forgot her coat and you
know now she's running 99 degreetemperature, you know.
So very low grade fever.
But you know, definitely sit inbed till you feel better.
(35:27):
You know, don't make it worse.
So he goes up there, he'stalking to her.
She has like a paper flower.
Maybe is a paper flower just areal flower, I don't remember.
But either way she's got thisflower, but some of the pedals
came off and she wants her dadto fix it.
He kind of does like a goodtrick of like kind of turning to
the side, taking the brokenpedals and stuffing them into
(35:50):
his pocket, like where she can'tsee, and then brings it back to
her because you know she's notgonna notice.
She didn't count the pedals, soso yeah, it goes back
downstairs, just ends upsnapping and like he has like
these models because he alwayswanted to be an architect and
design cities and things likethat, and there's models of
(36:12):
buildings and bridges thatpresumably he made at some point
, just kind of daydreaming orwhatever, because you know maybe
someday he will still get to dothat and Just is looking at it,
snaps, knocks over all themodels, kicks over the tables,
everything like that, startsyelling at the kids, like yells
at the daughter playing thepiano, like how many times
(36:33):
you're gonna play that song andall this stuff, and you know the
kids start crying.
He right realizes like oh mygod, like why am I doing this?
Why am I taking it out on them?
Ends up leaving.
As soon as he leaves, though,mary's like alright, like let me
call Uncle Billy see what'sgoing on because George isn't
telling me what's going on.
The kids are like should wepray for daddy?
(36:56):
Yes, like he's gonna need allthe prayers he can get.
Basically is what Mary says.
So after he leaves, he goes tomr Potter to beg him for help.
Like hey, like this is whathappened.
I lost this $8,000 and Like Ijust need help, like I.
You know, it's not adiscrepancy in the numbers, it's
just the physical money ismisplaced.
(37:19):
You know, mr Potter's just likenope, like cuz he, he knows the
truth, and it's just like gonnause it to his advantage.
So he's like no, like I'm not,I'm not helping you, I'm using
this opportunity to make sureyou close for good and Says that
he's gonna call the districtattorney and everything like
(37:39):
that.
And so George leaves, heads tothe bar Uh, he's there drinking
um, and he starts to pray likelike God, like I know I'm not a
praying man, but just like Ineed help, you know, and Either
(38:00):
martini or Nick, like one of thetwo, because martini is the bar
owner, nick is like the headbartender.
They're like hey, like what'sgoing on, like you know, and at
some point like hey, mr Bailey,and someone down the bar here's
Bailey, which Bailey like andthis is like, this is George
Bailey, and earlier the zoosteacher had called To make sure
(38:26):
she was okay.
George picks up the phone andyells at her and just like, what
do you like?
How stupid are you to send akid home with no jacket and all
this stuff?
She's sick, she's probablygonna get a pneumonia because of
you.
And just like is yelling andyelling and yelling at her and
she ends up like Hanging up andcrying and the husband picks up
(38:46):
and yells at George and all thisstuff.
So the guy that overhears thatGeorge Bailey is at this bar is
the teacher's husband, and so heJust decks him in the face, you
know, punches him to the groundand he's like it's like what do
you get off?
Like yelling at my wife, likeshe, she cried for an hour after
(39:07):
talking to you, after youyelled at her, and it's like
she's tired of teaching yourstupid kids and all this stuff,
and you know like she worked sohard.
And Then he gets thrown out ofthe bar by the other guy like
hey, like martini's, like that'smy best friend, george Bailey.
Like you don't hit him, likeyou're out of here, you're never
coming back again and all thisstuff.
(39:28):
Um, so, eventually, uh, georgegets up and he's like okay, like
I'm out of here.
And they're like no, like youshouldn't go, like this, like
you should rest for a little bit, because he's drunk and he's
stumbling a little bit, so buthe's just like insisting, he's
(39:48):
like no, like I'm going, gets inhis car, crashes into a tree,
but you know, this is the 40s,so the cars weren't going that
fast and he stumbles out.
The guy whose house it is likecomes out and yells at him like
hey, like what are you doing?
Like my great-grandfatherplanted that tree his oldest
tree here, you know and likeLike why are you leaving your
(40:13):
car here?
Like you drunk fool, like allthis stuff.
But George is just like hadenough, and he's just stumbling
away, comes to this bridge, he'slooking over the edge and
everything.
And then we see that there'ssomeone watching him and it's
Clarence.
You know he's, you know he'skind of watching him from also
on the bridge, and Clarencedecides to jump in and which
(40:38):
gets George's attention becausehe gets in there.
He's like flailing around inthe water like help, help, and
then George jumps in to save himand everything, uh, and then we
see them like warming up insideof the like I don't know guard
shack or something, some kind oflike Facility, um, and there's
(40:59):
a guy in there that's like Gavehim blankets and stuff and he's
helping them warm up on the fireand everything like that.
Um, and they're getting dressedand Clarence is like mentioning
stuff and the George is likestill too out of it to like pick
up on these like various thingsthat he's saying.
But Clarence is very likeblatantly saying like oh, like
(41:22):
I'm an angel, you know, and allthis stuff and and, uh, like, oh
, like, your clothes are weird,is what the guy says.
And then he's like oh, like,yeah, I got this on my last
birthday and I was buried in it,you know.
And because he's got these likefrilly clothes and everything,
because he's from like at least100 years ago, uh, and he's like
(41:58):
talking to George, like well,like Glad you didn't go through
with it.
And he's like go through withwhat.
He's like, well, you were gonnakill yourself, like, weren't
you, and I jumped in there tosave you, you know?
And the the guard is like hey,it's against the law to commit
suicide around here and um, butthen George is, they're still
(42:21):
talking.
And George is like I likeeverything would be better off
if I was never born.
And Clarence is like, okay,like, if, if you, if that's what
you want, like I can show youlike and like what it's like if
you were never born.
And he's like, just like that,like you were never born.
And then so they go to leave andeverything.
(42:43):
Um, they go to find his car,which of course, it's not there
because he didn't exist to crashit.
Um, he even talked to theneighbor and the guy's like,
when he flied, not the neighborbut the guy, that whose tree
they crashed into, and he's likewhat are you talking about?
Like You're drunk, like get outof here.
Um, then, uh, oh, yeah, at onepoint he said, oh, this is the
(43:10):
oldest tree in Pottersville andGeorge is like Pottersville,
like what are you talking about?
It's like, yeah, like this isPottersville, like it has been
for years, you know.
And so they go to the bar andhe's like, okay, maybe I left
the car at the bar and I'm justlike was too drunk to remember
that and I dreamt that I crashedit in a tree.
(43:31):
They go in there, they'retalking to Nick and he's like
hey, like like I know it washere earlier.
And Nick's like what are youtalking about?
Like I don't know who you are.
And he's like where's Martini?
He's like who you know.
He has no idea who Martini is.
He's like I'm the owner of thisplace and Nick's like
(43:53):
overhearing like theirconversation about Clarence
being an angel and stuff likethat.
And at some point he's hadenough and he was like all right
, out, you two pixies go andthen kicks him out of the bar
and they get thrown out into thesnow.
But before that happens, mrGower comes in and but he's just
(44:15):
like completely out of it,super drunk, and everything like
that.
Nick's like he's getting likebullied and stuff.
Nick like splashes him in theface with like a seltzer bottle
or squirts him in the face andthen he's like hey, like what
are you doing?
Like that's Mr Gower, and he'slike well to see in.
Nick's like see, there'sanother reason I don't like you.
That guy or that Rummy orsomething like that, so said
(44:39):
that he got.
He spent 20 years in jail forpoisoning a kid.
So that goes to show that sinceGeorge wasn't around, he wasn't
there to stop him from givingthose pills out and a kid ended
up dying.
So George runs downtown he'sseeing all these signs and it's
(45:00):
all these bars and strip clubsand all this stuff and like it's
just completely different thanit ever was before because
Potter took it over and seesViolet getting arrested, she's
like screaming and likeresisting arrest and all this
stuff.
He runs to his house or triesto go to his house, takes a cab
(45:24):
there and he's like talking toErnie and Ernie's like and like
I don't know who you are, man,ernie flag is down, the cop and
it's like hey, like I got aweird one back here, you know,
but still takes them over to thehouse.
Of course it's still run downbecause they didn't buy it and
fix it up.
And then at some point, likewhen they're like all right,
(45:45):
buddy, like it's time to get outof here, and George is like
Bert, ernie, like like you're myfriends, and I just do think it
is funny.
It took me forever to realizethat the cop, that those two
were named Bert and Ernie, sothey try to arrest them.
George runs away, clarence, theyare Bert.
(46:07):
The cop has him on the ground,has Clarence and Clarence is
like Joseph, help me, you knowto the other angel and Clarence
disappears like right in thehands of Bert, and so he's
freaking out.
And so they get away.
They head over to the what usedto be Bailey Park, like the
neighborhood that George built,and it's just a cemetery, which
(46:31):
makes me think, like becausethere's a lot of headstones
there.
So did George like pave over acemetery to build that like low
income housing?
Because that's pretty messed upif you did.
But I have no idea.
But there he finds Harry'sheadstone and that Harry died
when he was nine because Georgewasn't there to save him.
(46:52):
And George is like what are youtalking about?
Like Harry's a war hero hesaved like like a transport full
of people, and Clarence is likeno, like all those people in
that transport died becauseHarry wasn't there to save him,
because you weren't there tosave Harry.
You know he's just trying toreally drive that point home,
like how much of an impact oneperson can have, and that which
(47:15):
is the whole point of the movie.
So he's just like all right,like where's Mary, though, like
I have to see Mary.
And Clarence is like I'm notsupposed to tell you.
And he's like come on, clarence, please.
Like I have to like see her,and he's like you're not going
to like it and basically likeshe's she never married like
(47:40):
said that she's an old maid,which is kind of funny, like the
worst person, the worst thingyou could ever be as a woman is
unmarried, which just goes toshow you, like how old fashioned
it is.
I think that's like probablythat's, in my opinion, the one
flaw of the movie.
I know I'm not alone in that.
(48:00):
It's not otherwise perfectmovie, but that's like where
it's just kind of like okay,like there's worse things that
could have happened, or likeliterally, and they could have
logic their way into makinganything else like happen to her
, you know, and but that's justall they did.
(48:21):
Like the worst thing ever anunmarried woman.
So, oh yeah, he does end upgoing back to his mom's house
first, before that I forgotabout that, um, and it's a
boarding house, you know, likehis dad still died and
everything, um, and she's likelike I don't know who you are,
(48:43):
you know what are you doing here?
Like we don't have any rooms,we're full.
And she's like, well, like whatabout?
Like Uncle Billy, like your,your brother-in-law, and it's
like what?
Like?
It's like when did you talk tohim last?
And he's like what?
Like this morning duh?
And she's like, well, that'show I know you're lying, because
he's been in in the same asylumfor years, you know.
(49:05):
So, uh, uncle Billy's in aninsane asylum.
Uh, harry's dad, all that stuff,like his mom, just you know,
lost, lost a kid, lost her oneson, really young, and lost her
husband, and now she's justrunning a boarding house and
it's just a grumpy old woman.
Uh, so he does go find Mary.
(49:28):
She's just at the library.
You know the other worst thingthat can happen to a woman?
I was working at a library,apparently.
Um, she's like wearing glassesand stuff, so somehow, like
George being in her life madeher vision better, I guess.
Uh, then, like they purposelymake her look all like, uh, like
(49:48):
bland and everything, and sohe's like Mary is.
She's like like who's thisstrange man?
Like yelling at me, and so shestarts running away.
She runs into some likerestaurant or bar or something.
Um, george runs in there andhe's like it's like Mary.
And then she just starts likescreaming and like get him away
(50:10):
from me.
And he's like, hey, like that'smy wife.
And then she like screams andfaints, like once he says that
and which is also just funny andweird.
Um, so he takes off, running outof this place, the Bert the cop
he's I'm running and juststarts opening fire at him, like
as he's running through acrowded down square.
(50:32):
So oh my gosh, it's just insane.
Um, but yeah, at this pointhe's just like no, like this
isn't right.
He runs back to the bridge andhe's just begging Clarence.
He's like Clarence, please,like I'm sorry, like I'll change
, like you know whatever.
Like I want my old life back.
I'm glad I was born.
I wish I was born, all thisstuff.
(50:53):
As he's there crying on thebridge, car pulls up, bert gets
out, the cop and is like George,like we've been looking for you
, and so, like George is likewhat?
Like you know who I am, likeyou know all this stuff, and so
he's like super happy, he runshome.
He's running home, he's runningthrough town.
(51:15):
He's so happy to see all theold businesses there.
He's like Merry Christmas,bedford Falls.
Merry Christmas, you old,building them alone, you know
all.
Just naming out all thebusinesses and same Merry
Christmas to all the people.
He pounds on Mr Potter's windowand says Merry Christmas to you
, mr Potter.
Mr Potter is like I don't likehappy new year to you.
(51:35):
In jail or whatever you know,even though he couldn't hear him
because he already ran off.
Um, so he runs home.
Uh, the bank examiner is there.
Uh, they're like a reporterwith the cameras there.
Uh, I think the DA is there andwith like a warrant for his
arrest and everything.
And he's like, oh, like Mr Bankexaminer, like, and he's just
like all being all nice to themand he's like, oh, like I assume
(51:57):
you have a warrant for myarrest.
Like, okay, like I'm going tojail tonight, and he's all like
happy about it.
Goes upstairs, he hugs his kids, um, gives them, you know,
kisses and everything.
He's just like giving them thisbig hug and he's like so happy
to see them.
Mary comes home and she's like,oh, like George, like I'm so
happy to see you, likeeveryone's on their way and he's
like what are you talking about?
(52:18):
And she just like clears offthis like uh, card folding table
and then income people.
Uh, it's uh Uncle Billycarrying this like giant basket
and he just dumps it on thetable and it's just full of cash
.
And like the whole town justlike they got word that like
George was in trouble and theyall like pitched in to like bail
(52:38):
them out, because he had bailedthem out, like back when the
run on the bank was happening.
And just like, everyone in townis coming and the, even the
bank examiner, puts down moneyand the DA puts down money and
he rips up the warrant andeverything and they're all
singing old Langzine.
Harry comes home like he made ithome.
He flew home himself, you knowcause.
(53:02):
He's a, you know, war pilot ormilitary pilot, or military
pilot, war pilot, Um, yeah.
And then, uh, oh yeah.
And then there's a telegramfrom a Sam Wainwright in London
and he's like, he's like, hey,like Mr Gower told me you needed
money and uh, I've instructedmy business to wire you up to
(53:23):
$25,000 and you know, merryChristmas.
And then, harry, when Harrycomes in, he like proposes a
toast and he says to my bigbrother, george, the richest man
in town.
And then they're seeing oldLangzine.
I'm crying, the, the.
They look at he looks on thetree, there's a book and it's uh
(53:43):
, clarence's book, like a firstedition of, uh, huckleberry Finn
or Tom Sawyer, one of the two.
Um, and there's a message inthere to him.
And then, like Mary's like,who's that from?
He's like, oh, it's from an oldfriend.
And then bell rings on the treeand then Susan's like teacher
says every time a bell rings, anangel gets its wings, and like,
(54:07):
then you just know thatClarence got his wings and that
you know he got a happy ending,and George gets a happy ending
and everyone but Mr Potter getsa happy ending, and that's the
way it should be.
And that is like why, oh man,it's just that that end scene is
so good and I love the messagebehind it because it's very easy
(54:31):
and not that everyone has suchan extreme impact on the world
like this example in this movie,you know, um, but it's very
easy to not realize what animpact you have on other
people's lives and it's veryeasy to be like, oh, it's better
if I wasn't born, or anythinglike that.
(54:52):
And I'd say, in extremely,except for in extremely rare
cases, that's just never the,that's never the case, you know,
and it's just a beautifulmessage, it's a beautiful movie
and it's a wonderful life, youknow.
So, um, yeah, so, before I gettoo worked up thinking about
(55:15):
that, um, thank you guys forwatching or listening.
Whichever you're doing, um, Ihope you stay tuned for a couple
more, two more Christmasepisodes, uh for this year.
And uh, yeah, uh, be sure tofollow on Instagram uh, at
movies.
They're pretty good.
That's also the name of theYouTube channel.
If you're listening and wouldlike to watch um, there should
(55:39):
be a link in the show notes umto a couple of those things.
Uh, so you should be able tofind everything on there or on
the podcast website.
But Instagram is where I'm themost uh active and that's where
I post um what the next movie isgoing to be and where you could
watch it Uh.
So, thank you guys for listening, thank you for watching Uh.
(56:01):
Thank you for subscribing.
Uh, if you haven't, pleasesubscribe.
Like the video.
Uh rate the podcast If you'relistening um, everything helps,
just everything.
Spread the word If you knowsomeone else that might be
interested in it.
I understand if you'reinterested in it, I understand
if you don't, um, just if youthink that I like it, you know
(56:21):
uh.
So, once again, thank you guysand uh see you next week.
Thanks, bye.
Hello and welcome to another episode of Movies, colin
.
They're pretty good.
I'm your host, travis Dutting,and today we're going to talk
about my personal favoriteChristmas film, frank Capra's
1946 masterpiece.
It's a Wonderful Life, so let'sget right into it.
(00:24):
We're opening on a narration ofvarious prayers for a character
, george Bailey.
That's the main characterplayed by Jimmy Stewart.
We just hear various people like, okay, please pray, or please
be with George, please pray forGeorge.
That's what they're doing andwe're just getting that there's
(00:50):
a lot of people that like andcare about this character.
So after that we cut to acouple of galaxies having a
conversation.
We can kind of gather that oneof them is supposed to be God
and the other is named Joseph,and they're saying like, oh,
like poor George Bailey, likethere's something, something
(01:12):
needs to be done.
Let's send someone down to helpthem out.
And they decide to send one ofthe newer angels, clarence, who
doesn't have his wings yet andthis is going to be his mission
to get his wings.
Because this is a concept thatthey talk about in the movie how
angels need to, like, worktheir way up to getting their
(01:35):
wings and then, once they havetheir wings, they're at full
power, basically.
So we hear Clarence, theythey're like OK, like this is
your job, you're going to gohelp this guy.
He's thinking about ending hislife.
They say he's thinking aboutthrowing away the greatest gift
(01:59):
to man, or something like that.
And then he's like, oh, he'sthinking of ending his life, ok.
So then in order to intervene,they're going.
Clarence needs to know as muchas he can about George's life.
(02:20):
So they basically are showinghim flashbacks of George's life,
like leading up to this moment,and which is perfect as a
narrative device to show us, theaudience, george's life leading
up to this moment.
So we see a bunch of kidssledding.
(02:40):
They're going down a hill.
They're using snow shovels assleds, which is pretty ingenious
.
They're going down the hill andthey're sliding onto like a
frozen pond.
During this we see young George,we see his brother as well,
harry Bailey, and when it'sHarry's turn to go down, he
(03:04):
slides too far and goes throughthe ice and George saves his
life.
But we hear through narrationthat he gets an infection and
basically ends up losing hishearing and his left ear.
So then we cut to him at hisjob, where he works for Mr Gower
(03:29):
.
So he works at the pharmacy, hedoes deliveries, he works the
counter, everything like that,and he's like a young kid.
So this is like pre-child laborlaws and stuff like that.
I mean, if the movie is set in1946, then this is obviously way
before, so lost my spot in thenotes.
(03:54):
Oh yeah, and this is also wherewe're introduced to young Mary,
who will end up spoiler alertbeing George's wife later in the
movie.
She's sitting at the counterand then another young girl
comes in named Violet and she'skind of like a little flirty
(04:16):
with George and George is likenot interested.
He's not interested in eitherof them really at the moment.
But at one point when George islike leaning down to get like a
scoop ice cream for Mary, sheleans over and like says into
his left side, like the ear thathe can't hear in, that she'll
(04:37):
love him till the day that hedies, basically, or till the day
I die, either way, either way.
So oh, and then this is alsowhen we see that Mr Gower seems
a little upset about somethingand George clocks this, then
notices a telegram on thecounter addressed to Mr Gower,
(05:01):
informing him that his son,robert, has passed away due to,
I think, pneumonia or the flu.
Yeah, it was influenza, yeah.
So George is like okay, now Isee why he's so upset.
He goes into the back becauseMr Gower needs him to make a
(05:28):
delivery of some pills to acustomer.
George notices, because MrGower drops the pills, that he
was using the wrong medicinebecause he's all frazzled,
obviously because his son justdied.
So George is like okay, likehe's trying to tell Mr Gower.
(05:51):
He's not really listeningbecause he's too distraught.
So he is exiting the store,sees a sign that says like what
is it?
Oh, yeah, ask dad, he knows.
So he's like all right.
Then he goes to his dad's office.
His dad works at BaileyBuilding and Loan Bailey
(06:11):
Brothers Building and Loan, andhis dad's in the meeting with Mr
Potter, who was like therichest man in town, super
greedy, the villain of the movieplayed by Lionel Barrymore,
drew Barrymore's greatgrandfather, I think and so he's
(06:34):
trying to like find out, he'strying to like get some help
from him, but his dad'sobviously busy, but he's also in
there, while Mr Potter's kindof like berating his dad and
putting him down.
And so George like stands upfor him and everything ends up
leaving.
And I think it's like, eventhough he didn't get any direct
advice from his dad.
He still like like I don't know, like learned it on his own,
(06:59):
pretty much like he had like thepower to like stand up to Mr
Gower, not that he like reallyneeded to, but just like hey,
like.
So he goes back to the shop, mrGower's on the phone, saying,
like what do you mean?
Like I sent those pills out anhour ago.
It should have been there.
I'll get them there soon, youknow.
And then he starts yelling atGeorge, ends up slapping him in
(07:22):
the ear to where his ear startsbleeding.
So I mean, it was definitely adifferent time, so I don't think
you'd see too much of that now.
And then also, like later on,still care about this character.
But but George says like youdid something wrong, like you
(07:45):
put poison in those pills, likethey could have died.
I know you didn't do it onpurpose.
I know you're upset and knowabout your son.
Like I understand, like I'd bethere too.
And then Mr Gower's like herealizes like the error of his
ways and apologizes to Georgeand like gives him a hug and
he's like oh, and then they'reboth like kind of cry together
(08:05):
and everything.
So it is like it, what couldhave easily been like a very
terrible scene, like ends up onthe lighter end.
So, moving on, now we flash toGeorge, all grown up, he's about
to go on a trip to Europebefore starting college.
(08:28):
So basically, he just graduated, he's going to go to Europe and
everything.
He's at the store picking up asuitcase.
He wants to buy something big,and the shop owners like showing
him this one.
And he's like, nah, I needs tobe like way better than that.
And he pulls one out and it'slike, oh, there's the second
(08:51):
hand one.
He's like, oh, that's perfect.
And he's like, how much?
And then no charge.
He's like, what do you mean?
No charge?
And he's like, oh, mr Gower,your old boss came in, picked
this one out for you, and thenhe even had his name on the
ground in it and everything.
So it's super sweet.
He goes over to Mr Gower,thanks him and everything and
(09:12):
then heads back home.
So during dinner we find outthat there is a school dance
because of the graduation thatnight.
I don't think he just graduated, I think it's Harry just
graduated, the younger brother,but he's been working to save up
(09:35):
to go on this trip and go tocollege, basically so, but he's
still going to go to thegraduation dance that night and
everything.
So there at the dance we seeViolet, the blonde girl from
before when they were littlekids, is trying to dance with
(09:56):
them and he's about to.
But then Mary's brother comesand he's like hey, like, like
remember my sister Mary, like Ithink you should dance with her.
And so he goes and dances withher.
Some guys trying to talk to herand try to get her to dance and
she's just you could tell she'slike not interested, but she's
being polite and everything.
(10:16):
I'm pretty sure I should havelooked this up beforehand, but
if I remember correctly, my dadtold me that that's the original
alfalfa from our gang, like wayback in the 30s and stuff.
So but yeah, so that guy's allupset like hey, like you're
(10:39):
stealing my date or whatever.
But Mary's like immediatelylike oh, it's George Bailey,
like I've loved him since I wasa kid.
Like of course we're going togo dance with him.
So they start dancing andeverything they're doing
Charleston competition,basically.
And oh, yeah.
So we see that the nerdy guy isoff to the side, kind of like
(11:03):
sulking about losing his dateand not getting to dance with
Mary, excuse me.
And then someone comes up tohim and is like hey, like you
jealous.
And he's, like you knowwhatever, like hey, just so you
know, like there's a pool underthe floor of the dance floor and
just so happens that the buttonto open the pool is right
(11:28):
behind you and it also happensthat George Bailey is dancing
right over the opening and Ijust so happen to have the key
here, so gives them the key,opens, the hits the button to
open the pool and then the floorstarts to slowly open and then
so people are noticing exceptfor George and Mary who are
(11:48):
still dancing and doing theCharleston and everything and
they keep like getting likecloser and closer to the edge.
And then people are like kindof screaming and cheering and
everything like that, and theythink that and they think that
they're just like cheering themon.
And then you know a couple, acouple of fake outs and then
they finally go over the edgeand fall into the pool and
(12:11):
there's, there's laughing andthey're still dancing in the
pool and everything.
And then other kids start tojump in the pool and then
eventually, even the I don'tknow if it's a teacher or the
principal, but one of thefaculty decides like, oh, oh
well, and then he dives in sogreat scene, love it One second.
(12:32):
So they're, george and Mary arewalking home.
They're singing a song likeBuffalo gals Once you come out
tonight and dance by the lightof the moon.
They're having a great time.
(12:52):
They're talking, they comeacross this old house and George
is like oh, like you throw awindow or throw a rock, and if
you break something and make awish, then that wish will come
true, basically.
So he throws a rock, glassbreaks, he makes a wish that you
(13:13):
know is talking about how hewants to travel the world and
everything like that.
And then Mary throws it andthen breaks even more and makes
a wish, but she won't tell whatit is Then.
But she's also saying how sheloves that old house and like
George is like nah, that placeis like hideous, it's abandoned,
like all that stuff.
(13:34):
And she's like, no, like it'svery charming and I really like
that place.
So they keep talking andeverything.
And then there's a old man onhis porch, like kind of
eavesdropping on them becausethere he lives next door to that
abandoned house, and at onepoint he just kind of interrupts
(13:56):
them.
He's like aren't you going tokiss her already.
And then he's like that Georgeis yelling back at him and he's
like, ah, like youth is wastedon people like you, or something
like that.
And then, like, gets in, getsup and goes inside.
All grumpy Mary goes to runaway, but George is standing on
(14:17):
the rope to her, or the, thesash to her robe, and it comes
off and so she is now completelynaked, but like hiding in the
bushes.
And George realizes like okay,like the, the, the robes on the
ground, like.
And then she's like, oh, giveit back to me.
And he's just messing with her,Like he can't see anything or
(14:39):
anything.
He's just kind of rambling on,like joking with her.
But during this a car pulls upand it's George's uncle, billy,
saying like your dad had astroke, like you need to come
now, and he just tosses the ropeonto the bushes.
He's like Mary, I got to go,I'm sorry.
And then drives off, cut tofinding out that his dad died.
(15:04):
Harry, or George keeps sayingHarry, george had to cancel his
Europe trip to be there to takecare of like the estate and
everything for the business, aswell as like the funeral and
everything.
So he's about to like leave,get on a train and go to college
(15:24):
after this meeting.
And by then he finds out thatthe that they're basically going
to close the business and MrPotter wants to dissolve the
company entirely.
And he makes this big speech,like you know, like Don't, don't
(15:44):
fall for this mr Potter guy,like he's gonna, like he's gonna
have everyone like paying toomuch rent and everything like
that, and it's gonna destroy thetown and everything.
I can't control like whathappens.
But basically like if you dothis, then you're just
destroying everything my dadbuilt.
But you know, doesn't matter,cuz I'm out of here, I'm going
(16:07):
to college, see ya.
And so, as he's like sayinggoodbye to people out in the
Lobby of the business, thenSomeone comes out and he's like,
oh, the board members havedecided to To keep it open and
they're not going with Potter.
But there's one catch is thatyou have to run it.
(16:27):
So Basically, he ends upsacrificing his college, like
sacrifice, going to college,gives that money to his brother
Harry, lets him go to collegeand then Runs the company.
The runs his dad company,basically.
So next, let me find my placein my notes again.
(16:54):
Oh yeah, so cut to.
Four years later, george iswaiting at the train station and
Harry's coming home and he'slike, okay, like Harry's coming
home, now he can run thebusiness and I can finally go to
college and do all the stuffthat I want to do.
(17:16):
And then who does Harry havewith him?
But his new wife, who has afather.
That has offered Harry a job.
So George once again knows like, even even though Harry is
trying to say like I know, likeI promise, like I would come
back, so I'm not necessarilytaking that job, but George is
like Also just such a nice guythat he's not going to be like
(17:40):
you know, like that's a betterjob, you should take that job
and everything like that.
So once again, like sacrificinghis own happiness and
everything.
So there's a party at at thehouse celebrating that Harry's
back from college and that he'smarried.
So One funny part is thatthey're out on the porch.
(18:01):
Uncle Billy comes out and he'sjust like completely drunk but
as he's like stumbling away.
This is a piece of trivia thatmy dad was just telling me that
there's a sound of like itsounds like trash cans, like
getting knocked over, and butwhat it really was was someone
(18:24):
on set dropped something andduring the take and it sounded
like you know, crashing throughtrash cans and the actor playing
Uncle Billy Adlibbed like hewas yelling off from the side
that he fell over drunk into thetrash cans.
So save the take.
Everything.
It's perfect, it's a good joke,it's good, good, good Jag, good
(18:46):
gag.
Oh, I'm tired, oh yeah.
So then His mom comes out and istalking to George Saying like
oh, did you hear that Mary'sback in town?
She got back from college too.
So I mean they I don't thinkthey went to the same college,
(19:08):
but you know they've left at thesame time.
And so George is like okay,like I'm gonna go visit her, and
heads over there.
But he's kind of like Just notreally sure what he's doing with
his life.
You know Cuz he had like a planand that even though he's very
(19:29):
happy for Harry, it's kind oflike the plans got a change now,
no matter what.
So he's kind of hanging out infront of Mary's house like
Contemplating whether he shouldgo in or not, and she notices
from the upper window like hey,like your mom just called and
said you were on your way overhere.
And he's trying to play it offlike oh no, I was just out for a
(19:50):
walk.
I didn't tell anyone elsecoming here, but so she invites
him in, goes inside the.
She has a painting that shemade of a, something that he had
said to her when during theirwalk after the dance and
(20:10):
everything, and he said that hewanted to throw a Lasso around
the moon and pull it down andgive it to her, basically.
And so she has like a paintingof that that she wants to show
him.
But he's just so like it has somuch on his mind that he's not
even like clocking, like theRomanticism of that or anything
(20:31):
like that, and he's just kind ofbeing like a Jerk to her a
little bit and just kind of likebrushing off things that she's
saying because he just is inshambles mentally at this point.
And then and the, her mom'supstairs like yelling down, like
oh, sam Wayne Wright, who'sanother one of their classmates,
(20:53):
is gonna call tonight, you know, and Like I think he's
interested in Mary, but Mary isnot interested in Sam, she's
only interested in George, youknow, as she has been since she
was a little girl.
So the mom keeps saying likewhat's George doing here?
Like get him out of here.
Like Sam's gonna call anyminute.
And and they're like likewhat's going on down there?
(21:15):
And then she's just like Marysays that he's a Violently
making love to me or we'remaking violent love to me,
mother, and she's just so likeyou know, like grabs a robe and
goes to her room and everything.
So then Sam finally does call,while George is like trying to
leave and but then he ends upforgetting his hat so he comes
(21:41):
back in the house and but thenSam's on the phone, he wants to
talk to George and the mom'slike like why are you calling
George?
Like he doesn't want to talk,to talk, to Talk to him.
And then Mary's like no, likehe literally just said like put
George on the phone and she'supstairs listening on the
extension and everything.
And Basically he has this likeoffer to that he's gonna start
(22:06):
investing or start producingplastics and he wants them to
invest.
I think they end up turningthem down and the conversation
basically ends with them hangingup the phone.
They say like no, we're notinvesting or whatever.
Then he's like starts yelling ather like I never want to get
married to anybody, like I don'twant to stay in this town, Like
(22:28):
all this stuff.
But then just like breaks down,crying hugs or and then like
kisses are Cut to them, gettingmarried like pretty much right
away I.
But then as they're leaving fortheir honeymoon and driving
away, they look and there's likea big crowd around the banks
(22:50):
and stuff and the building aloneand he's like, oh my gosh, like
what's going on?
It's a run on the bank, becausethis is probably taking place
during the Great Depression.
And sure enough, big crowdoutside the building alone goes
over there to kind of figureeverything out.
And Uncle Billy's in there withthe door locked and everything
(23:15):
You've like locked everybody out, which is not what you're
supposed to do.
That's basically guaranteeddeath to your business.
At that point let's everybodyin and just kind of like tries
to talk them down.
They're like we want our moneynow.
Uncle Billy tells George likethere's no money here, like I
literally had to go take all themoney over to the bank, like
(23:37):
all the cash that we had hereand that still wasn't enough to
cover our debts and everything.
Because I mean, I don't reallyknow how it works in this
situation, because I know it'snot.
They're not like a straightbank, they're a building alone,
it's like a loan place.
And so he gives this speech tothe people out there is like hey
(23:58):
, like no, you can't just likecome get your money, like your
money is in his house and hismoney is in this person's house,
and stuff like that.
And you even signed when you,when you got the loan from us,
that it would take 60 days toget your money.
And they're like no, like weneed it now because basically
(24:20):
this would happen a lot duringthis time where and I don't
really know what would cause itbut people would just panic and
try to get all their money outof the bank, you know, because
the banks were failing, it wasthe depression.
But he's just trying to say likehey, like this facility doesn't
(24:40):
work like that, we don't haveyour money here right now.
But then Mr Potter says likehey, like, I'll bail you guys
out, I already bailed the bankout, I'll use my own money and
I'll pay their loans for 50cents on the dollar.
So basically he's going to likejust give them half their money
(25:03):
that they are owed.
And George says no, but thensomeone comes in, is trying to
get like the crowd like hey,like Potter is going to give,
give 50 cents on the dollar orcash.
And so some people are going togo.
And he's like the one guy'slike, oh, rather good, half to
nothing.
And though I wouldn't, becauseI mean in a desperate situation,
(25:27):
yes, but like you, that money'sstill there and you're still
owed that money.
It's not going away, but so I'drather not lose half of it.
So, but then Mary sees, likewhat's about to happen and she's
like, hey, I got cash and shehas, like the, the honeymoon
fund, $2,000.
(25:47):
And so she's like, okay, thisis her like kind of making the,
the step.
Like, okay, like George won'tdo it this time, so I'm going to
do it.
And so they offer to pay out,like hey, like how much do you
need right now to get you untilthe banks reopen?
(26:08):
And that same guy before thatwas like, oh, I'd rather get
half the nothing.
He still wants his full $242.
And everyone else is like no,like just give me 20.
That's enough to get me by, youknow, but that guy is just
ridiculous.
So yeah, basically they end upusing their own money to bail
(26:29):
everybody out.
So they crowds died down, they.
They close the doors right atsix o'clock, because that's what
Mr Potter said.
It's like if you close beforesix pm tonight, then you'll
(26:50):
never reopen.
And then so they make it to sixo'clock.
They managed to help all thecustomers and they still have $2
left.
And then he's like George islike realized, is like oh it's
late, like supposed to be ontrain, wait trains definitely
left.
Where's Mary, like any need tofind my wife?
(27:12):
And then she's right at thatmoment she's calling the
building alone and like Georgelike Mrs Bailey's on the phone,
so she wants him to come home.
And he's like okay, like well,where's home?
Because they don't have a houseyet.
And she's like gives him theaddress, like I forget, it's
like 300 something, second morestreet, and so he gets a cab, he
(27:36):
goes there and it's the oldhouse from their walk like way
earlier in the movie and it'snot fixed up yet.
But you find out that shebought the house and she's got a
few of the townspeople there tolike make it seem like it's a
hotel.
It's raining, the roof isleaking, there's posters of
(27:57):
different like destinations,like covering the windows
because the windows are brokenand all this stuff, and they
just like try to make it like ahoneymoon place in this like
rundown house.
But they bought the house andnow they have a home and
everything.
So it's like a silver liningand like what could have easily
been like a very disappointingday, you know, and it just
(28:19):
doesn't matter because they haveeach other.
And so we see that cut to alittle bit later.
George has built like aneighborhood of like affordable
homes for people, that way theydon't have to like rent to Mr
Potter and they call it BaileyPark.
(28:41):
He's there at like the grandopening ceremony, is giving this
house to.
Well, I don't know giving buthelping.
Move in martini who owns the.
He's an immigrant who owns thebar in town, clever, and oh yeah
(29:02):
.
So Sam Wayne writes there andhe's like oh, like hey, like the
plastics business has taken off, like you were, guys really
should have invested, and he'slike rich now and everything and
like he's being like fairlynice about it.
But also, you know, it justkind of that's the last thing
George wants to hear after he'sliterally given up everything
(29:24):
except for that money to invest,to like everybody else, to help
other people.
So after Sam leaves a littleupset, you know what should be a
good day, and he's just likeslamming the door and just like
man, just a little defeated atthis point.
So so Mr Potter calls a meetingwith George because he basically
(29:48):
is like running numbers andeverything and seeing like, oh
man, like George is sellingthese houses for half of what
they're worth to these people.
If I had a stake in this orwhatever you know, or if I could
take over, if I can hire George, close his business, then I
(30:09):
could, you know, rent thesepeople and take advantage of
them.
And so he calls a meeting withGeorge, says like hey, like I
want to hire you, I want you towork for me.
You'll have so much moneyYou'll never know what to do
with it and all this stuff.
But you know, in the end Georgeis like no, like I'm not going
(30:29):
to do that, like no, I'm notgoing to work for you.
I mean, he definitely toys withthe idea but just ends up doing
the right thing and not takingthe offer, because all he's
going to do is buy out thecompany and close it.
You know that's all he reallywants to do.
So then he goes home, marytells him that that she's
(30:57):
pregnant and he's, he's happy.
And then we get kind of amontage of World War two starts.
They're refurbishing the house.
He can't go because of his ear.
Harry ends up going yeah, harrywins the Medal of Honor for
saving a bunch of people and allthis stuff.
(31:18):
Then we cut to its ChristmasEve.
Harry's and the mom are inWashington DC, he's getting his
medal and then he's gonna comehome on for Christmas and
everything like that.
Then we see Uncle Billy, he'sgoing over to the bank to
(31:39):
deposit $8,000 for the businessyou know, and while he's in
there he runs into Mr Potter andso he's like Showing him the
newspaper.
He's like look like you alwayssay that the Baileys are good
for nothing, but he won theMedal of Honor and all this and
just kind of like shoving it inhis face.
Well, during that like becausehe picks up the newspaper and
(32:04):
he's holding it with the samehand, that he's holding the
envelope full of $8,000 in cashand During this moment ends up
giving the newspaper back to MrPotter along with the envelope.
So he doesn't realize till he'sat the Window making a deposit
and the bankers, like aren't youforgetting something?
Like usually, when you make adeposit, like there's cash
(32:27):
involved.
And you know he's like oh, likehe's just checking his pockets
and he just can't find theenvelope anywhere.
He starts freaking out.
He doesn't remember that headded in his hand when he given
the newspaper and everything.
Mr Potter gets into his office,opens the newspaper and, being
the greedy old man that he is,doesn't say anything about it.
(32:47):
He's like, well, this is minenow Can't wait to watch this
business fail.
And so then Uncle Billy'sfreaking out.
Obviously.
He tells George, like whathappened?
George is at the office, so isthe bank examiner there to like
(33:09):
do an audit on them, and youknow perfect timing, of course.
And George like goes with UncleBilly to his house.
They retrace the steps, allthis stuff, and obviously they
don't find it because Mr Potterhas it and and so at the end of
the search he just ends up likekind of berating Uncle Billy and
(33:33):
just calls him like a drunkenfool and stuff.
He leaves Uncle Billy's there.
He starts crying, you know cuzyou know it's his fault that it
is.
You know it was an accident,but in in the end it really is.
And Well, technically I guessit's mr Potter fault cuz he has
(33:56):
it, knows where it came from, isdoing the wrong thing.
But you know, and so Georgegoes home he now has four kids
that this does get talked aboutin the montage.
Now he ended up with four kids,two boys, two girls.
Mary's decorating becausethere's gonna be a Christmas
(34:20):
party that night.
The older daughter isPracticing on the piano.
I forget her name, I forget mostthe kid.
Only know one kid's name, zuzu,and she's the one who's sick
upstairs.
I think there's a Tommy, but Icould be wrong, but none of
their names get said, quite asmuch as Zuzu, and that will come
(34:44):
later.
Why so he's there?
He's Visibly agitated.
Everyone can tell like there'ssomething wrong.
But depending on how old of akid you are, you're not really
gonna pick up on stuff andyou're still just gonna be like,
you know, bugging your dad andstuff like that and asking
questions and everything.
(35:05):
He goes upstairs to visit Zuzubecause she's sick in bed.
She got sent home from schoolbut she forgot her coat and you
know now she's running 99 degreetemperature, you know.
So very low grade fever.
But you know, definitely sit inbed till you feel better.
(35:27):
You know, don't make it worse.
So he goes up there, he'stalking to her.
She has like a paper flower.
Maybe is a paper flower just areal flower, I don't remember.
But either way she's got thisflower, but some of the pedals
came off and she wants her dadto fix it.
He kind of does like a goodtrick of like kind of turning to
the side, taking the brokenpedals and stuffing them into
(35:50):
his pocket, like where she can'tsee, and then brings it back to
her because you know she's notgonna notice.
She didn't count the pedals, soso yeah, it goes back
downstairs, just ends upsnapping and like he has like
these models because he alwayswanted to be an architect and
design cities and things likethat, and there's models of
(36:12):
buildings and bridges thatpresumably he made at some point
, just kind of daydreaming orwhatever, because you know maybe
someday he will still get to dothat and Just is looking at it,
snaps, knocks over all themodels, kicks over the tables,
everything like that, startsyelling at the kids, like yells
at the daughter playing thepiano, like how many times
(36:33):
you're gonna play that song andall this stuff, and you know the
kids start crying.
He right realizes like oh mygod, like why am I doing this?
Why am I taking it out on them?
Ends up leaving.
As soon as he leaves, though,mary's like alright, like let me
call Uncle Billy see what'sgoing on because George isn't
telling me what's going on.
The kids are like should wepray for daddy?
(36:56):
Yes, like he's gonna need allthe prayers he can get.
Basically is what Mary says.
So after he leaves, he goes tomr Potter to beg him for help.
Like hey, like this is whathappened.
I lost this $8,000 and Like Ijust need help, like I.
You know, it's not adiscrepancy in the numbers, it's
just the physical money ismisplaced.
(37:19):
You know, mr Potter's just likenope, like cuz he, he knows the
truth, and it's just like gonnause it to his advantage.
So he's like no, like I'm not,I'm not helping you, I'm using
this opportunity to make sureyou close for good and Says that
he's gonna call the districtattorney and everything like
(37:39):
that.
And so George leaves, heads tothe bar Uh, he's there drinking
um, and he starts to pray likelike God, like I know I'm not a
praying man, but just like Ineed help, you know, and Either
(38:00):
martini or Nick, like one of thetwo, because martini is the bar
owner, nick is like the headbartender.
They're like hey, like what'sgoing on, like you know, and at
some point like hey, mr Bailey,and someone down the bar here's
Bailey, which Bailey like andthis is like, this is George
Bailey, and earlier the zoosteacher had called To make sure
(38:26):
she was okay.
George picks up the phone andyells at her and just like, what
do you like?
How stupid are you to send akid home with no jacket and all
this stuff?
She's sick, she's probablygonna get a pneumonia because of
you.
And just like is yelling andyelling and yelling at her and
she ends up like Hanging up andcrying and the husband picks up
(38:46):
and yells at George and all thisstuff.
So the guy that overhears thatGeorge Bailey is at this bar is
the teacher's husband, and so heJust decks him in the face, you
know, punches him to the groundand he's like it's like what do
you get off?
Like yelling at my wife, likeshe, she cried for an hour after
(39:07):
talking to you, after youyelled at her, and it's like
she's tired of teaching yourstupid kids and all this stuff,
and you know like she worked sohard.
And Then he gets thrown out ofthe bar by the other guy like
hey, like martini's, like that'smy best friend, george Bailey.
Like you don't hit him, likeyou're out of here, you're never
coming back again and all thisstuff.
(39:28):
Um, so, eventually, uh, georgegets up and he's like okay, like
I'm out of here.
And they're like no, like youshouldn't go, like this, like
you should rest for a little bit, because he's drunk and he's
stumbling a little bit, so buthe's just like insisting, he's
(39:48):
like no, like I'm going, gets inhis car, crashes into a tree,
but you know, this is the 40s,so the cars weren't going that
fast and he stumbles out.
The guy whose house it is likecomes out and yells at him like
hey, like what are you doing?
Like my great-grandfatherplanted that tree his oldest
tree here, you know and likeLike why are you leaving your
(40:13):
car here?
Like you drunk fool, like allthis stuff.
But George is just like hadenough, and he's just stumbling
away, comes to this bridge, he'slooking over the edge and
everything.
And then we see that there'ssomeone watching him and it's
Clarence.
You know he's, you know he'skind of watching him from also
on the bridge, and Clarencedecides to jump in and which
(40:38):
gets George's attention becausehe gets in there.
He's like flailing around inthe water like help, help, and
then George jumps in to save himand everything, uh, and then we
see them like warming up insideof the like I don't know guard
shack or something, some kind oflike Facility, um, and there's
(40:59):
a guy in there that's like Gavehim blankets and stuff and he's
helping them warm up on the fireand everything like that.
Um, and they're getting dressedand Clarence is like mentioning
stuff and the George is likestill too out of it to like pick
up on these like various thingsthat he's saying.
But Clarence is very likeblatantly saying like oh, like
(41:22):
I'm an angel, you know, and allthis stuff and and, uh, like, oh
, like, your clothes are weird,is what the guy says.
And then he's like oh, like,yeah, I got this on my last
birthday and I was buried in it,you know.
And because he's got these likefrilly clothes and everything,
because he's from like at least100 years ago, uh, and he's like
(41:58):
talking to George, like well,like Glad you didn't go through
with it.
And he's like go through withwhat.
He's like, well, you were gonnakill yourself, like, weren't
you, and I jumped in there tosave you, you know?
And the the guard is like hey,it's against the law to commit
suicide around here and um, butthen George is, they're still
(42:21):
talking.
And George is like I likeeverything would be better off
if I was never born.
And Clarence is like, okay,like, if, if you, if that's what
you want, like I can show youlike and like what it's like if
you were never born.
And he's like, just like that,like you were never born.
And then so they go to leave andeverything.
(42:43):
Um, they go to find his car,which of course, it's not there
because he didn't exist to crashit.
Um, he even talked to theneighbor and the guy's like,
when he flied, not the neighborbut the guy, that whose tree
they crashed into, and he's likewhat are you talking about?
Like You're drunk, like get outof here.
Um, then, uh, oh, yeah, at onepoint he said, oh, this is the
(43:10):
oldest tree in Pottersville andGeorge is like Pottersville,
like what are you talking about?
It's like, yeah, like this isPottersville, like it has been
for years, you know.
And so they go to the bar andhe's like, okay, maybe I left
the car at the bar and I'm justlike was too drunk to remember
that and I dreamt that I crashedit in a tree.
(43:31):
They go in there, they'retalking to Nick and he's like
hey, like like I know it washere earlier.
And Nick's like what are youtalking about?
Like I don't know who you are.
And he's like where's Martini?
He's like who you know.
He has no idea who Martini is.
He's like I'm the owner of thisplace and Nick's like
(43:53):
overhearing like theirconversation about Clarence
being an angel and stuff likethat.
And at some point he's hadenough and he was like all right
, out, you two pixies go andthen kicks him out of the bar
and they get thrown out into thesnow.
But before that happens, mrGower comes in and but he's just
(44:15):
like completely out of it,super drunk, and everything like
that.
Nick's like he's getting likebullied and stuff.
Nick like splashes him in theface with like a seltzer bottle
or squirts him in the face andthen he's like hey, like what
are you doing?
Like that's Mr Gower, and he'slike well to see in.
Nick's like see, there'sanother reason I don't like you.
That guy or that Rummy orsomething like that, so said
(44:39):
that he got.
He spent 20 years in jail forpoisoning a kid.
So that goes to show that sinceGeorge wasn't around, he wasn't
there to stop him from givingthose pills out and a kid ended
up dying.
So George runs downtown he'sseeing all these signs and it's
(45:00):
all these bars and strip clubsand all this stuff and like it's
just completely different thanit ever was before because
Potter took it over and seesViolet getting arrested, she's
like screaming and likeresisting arrest and all this
stuff.
He runs to his house or triesto go to his house, takes a cab
(45:24):
there and he's like talking toErnie and Ernie's like and like
I don't know who you are, man,ernie flag is down, the cop and
it's like hey, like I got aweird one back here, you know,
but still takes them over to thehouse.
Of course it's still run downbecause they didn't buy it and
fix it up.
And then at some point, likewhen they're like all right,
(45:45):
buddy, like it's time to get outof here, and George is like
Bert, ernie, like like you're myfriends, and I just do think it
is funny.
It took me forever to realizethat the cop, that those two
were named Bert and Ernie, sothey try to arrest them.
George runs away, clarence, theyare Bert.
(46:07):
The cop has him on the ground,has Clarence and Clarence is
like Joseph, help me, you knowto the other angel and Clarence
disappears like right in thehands of Bert, and so he's
freaking out.
And so they get away.
They head over to the what usedto be Bailey Park, like the
neighborhood that George built,and it's just a cemetery, which
(46:31):
makes me think, like becausethere's a lot of headstones
there.
So did George like pave over acemetery to build that like low
income housing?
Because that's pretty messed upif you did.
But I have no idea.
But there he finds Harry'sheadstone and that Harry died
when he was nine because Georgewasn't there to save him.
(46:52):
And George is like what are youtalking about?
Like Harry's a war hero hesaved like like a transport full
of people, and Clarence is likeno, like all those people in
that transport died becauseHarry wasn't there to save him,
because you weren't there tosave Harry.
You know he's just trying toreally drive that point home,
like how much of an impact oneperson can have, and that which
(47:15):
is the whole point of the movie.
So he's just like all right,like where's Mary, though, like
I have to see Mary.
And Clarence is like I'm notsupposed to tell you.
And he's like come on, clarence, please.
Like I have to like see her,and he's like you're not going
to like it and basically likeshe's she never married like
(47:40):
said that she's an old maid,which is kind of funny, like the
worst person, the worst thingyou could ever be as a woman is
unmarried, which just goes toshow you, like how old fashioned
it is.
I think that's like probablythat's, in my opinion, the one
flaw of the movie.
I know I'm not alone in that.
(48:00):
It's not otherwise perfectmovie, but that's like where
it's just kind of like okay,like there's worse things that
could have happened, or likeliterally, and they could have
logic their way into makinganything else like happen to her
, you know, and but that's justall they did.
(48:21):
Like the worst thing ever anunmarried woman.
So, oh yeah, he does end upgoing back to his mom's house
first, before that I forgotabout that, um, and it's a
boarding house, you know, likehis dad still died and
everything, um, and she's likelike I don't know who you are,
(48:43):
you know what are you doing here?
Like we don't have any rooms,we're full.
And she's like, well, like whatabout?
Like Uncle Billy, like your,your brother-in-law, and it's
like what?
Like?
It's like when did you talk tohim last?
And he's like what?
Like this morning duh?
And she's like, well, that'show I know you're lying, because
he's been in in the same asylumfor years, you know.
(49:05):
So, uh, uncle Billy's in aninsane asylum.
Uh, harry's dad, all that stuff,like his mom, just you know,
lost, lost a kid, lost her oneson, really young, and lost her
husband, and now she's justrunning a boarding house and
it's just a grumpy old woman.
Uh, so he does go find Mary.
(49:28):
She's just at the library.
You know the other worst thingthat can happen to a woman?
I was working at a library,apparently.
Um, she's like wearing glassesand stuff, so somehow, like
George being in her life madeher vision better, I guess.
Uh, then, like they purposelymake her look all like, uh, like
(49:48):
bland and everything, and sohe's like Mary is.
She's like like who's thisstrange man?
Like yelling at me, and so shestarts running away.
She runs into some likerestaurant or bar or something.
Um, george runs in there andhe's like it's like Mary.
And then she just starts likescreaming and like get him away
(50:10):
from me.
And he's like, hey, like that'smy wife.
And then she like screams andfaints, like once he says that
and which is also just funny andweird.
Um, so he takes off, running outof this place, the Bert the cop
he's I'm running and juststarts opening fire at him, like
as he's running through acrowded down square.
(50:32):
So oh my gosh, it's just insane.
Um, but yeah, at this pointhe's just like no, like this
isn't right.
He runs back to the bridge andhe's just begging Clarence.
He's like Clarence, please,like I'm sorry, like I'll change
, like you know whatever.
Like I want my old life back.
I'm glad I was born.
I wish I was born, all thisstuff.
(50:53):
As he's there crying on thebridge, car pulls up, bert gets
out, the cop and is like George,like we've been looking for you
, and so, like George is likewhat?
Like you know who I am, likeyou know all this stuff, and so
he's like super happy, he runshome.
He's running home, he's runningthrough town.
(51:15):
He's so happy to see all theold businesses there.
He's like Merry Christmas,bedford Falls.
Merry Christmas, you old,building them alone, you know
all.
Just naming out all thebusinesses and same Merry
Christmas to all the people.
He pounds on Mr Potter's windowand says Merry Christmas to you
, mr Potter.
Mr Potter is like I don't likehappy new year to you.
(51:35):
In jail or whatever you know,even though he couldn't hear him
because he already ran off.
Um, so he runs home.
Uh, the bank examiner is there.
Uh, they're like a reporterwith the cameras there.
Uh, I think the DA is there andwith like a warrant for his
arrest and everything.
And he's like, oh, like Mr Bankexaminer, like, and he's just
like all being all nice to themand he's like, oh, like I assume
(51:57):
you have a warrant for myarrest.
Like, okay, like I'm going tojail tonight, and he's all like
happy about it.
Goes upstairs, he hugs his kids, um, gives them, you know,
kisses and everything.
He's just like giving them thisbig hug and he's like so happy
to see them.
Mary comes home and she's like,oh, like George, like I'm so
happy to see you, likeeveryone's on their way and he's
like what are you talking about?
(52:18):
And she just like clears offthis like uh, card folding table
and then income people.
Uh, it's uh Uncle Billycarrying this like giant basket
and he just dumps it on thetable and it's just full of cash
.
And like the whole town justlike they got word that like
George was in trouble and theyall like pitched in to like bail
(52:38):
them out, because he had bailedthem out, like back when the
run on the bank was happening.
And just like, everyone in townis coming and the, even the
bank examiner, puts down moneyand the DA puts down money and
he rips up the warrant andeverything and they're all
singing old Langzine.
Harry comes home like he made ithome.
He flew home himself, you knowcause.
(53:02):
He's a, you know, war pilot ormilitary pilot, or military
pilot, war pilot, Um, yeah.
And then, uh, oh yeah.
And then there's a telegramfrom a Sam Wainwright in London
and he's like, he's like, hey,like Mr Gower told me you needed
money and uh, I've instructedmy business to wire you up to
(53:23):
$25,000 and you know, merryChristmas.
And then, harry, when Harrycomes in, he like proposes a
toast and he says to my bigbrother, george, the richest man
in town.
And then they're seeing oldLangzine.
I'm crying, the, the.
They look at he looks on thetree, there's a book and it's uh
(53:43):
, clarence's book, like a firstedition of, uh, huckleberry Finn
or Tom Sawyer, one of the two.
Um, and there's a message inthere to him.
And then, like Mary's like,who's that from?
He's like, oh, it's from an oldfriend.
And then bell rings on the treeand then Susan's like teacher
says every time a bell rings, anangel gets its wings, and like,
(54:07):
then you just know thatClarence got his wings and that
you know he got a happy ending,and George gets a happy ending
and everyone but Mr Potter getsa happy ending, and that's the
way it should be.
And that is like why, oh man,it's just that that end scene is
so good and I love the messagebehind it because it's very easy
(54:31):
and not that everyone has suchan extreme impact on the world
like this example in this movie,you know, um, but it's very
easy to not realize what animpact you have on other
people's lives and it's veryeasy to be like, oh, it's better
if I wasn't born, or anythinglike that.
(54:52):
And I'd say, in extremely,except for in extremely rare
cases, that's just never the,that's never the case, you know,
and it's just a beautifulmessage, it's a beautiful movie
and it's a wonderful life, youknow.
So, um, yeah, so, before I gettoo worked up thinking about
(55:15):
that, um, thank you guys forwatching or listening.
Whichever you're doing, um, Ihope you stay tuned for a couple
more, two more Christmasepisodes, uh for this year.
And uh, yeah, uh, be sure tofollow on Instagram uh, at
movies.
They're pretty good.
That's also the name of theYouTube channel.
If you're listening and wouldlike to watch um, there should
(55:39):
be a link in the show notes umto a couple of those things.
Uh, so you should be able tofind everything on there or on
the podcast website.
But Instagram is where I'm themost uh active and that's where
I post um what the next movie isgoing to be and where you could
watch it Uh.
So, thank you guys for listening, thank you for watching Uh.
(56:01):
Thank you for subscribing.
Uh, if you haven't, pleasesubscribe.
Like the video.
Uh rate the podcast If you'relistening um, everything helps,
just everything.
Spread the word If you knowsomeone else that might be
interested in it.
I understand if you'reinterested in it, I understand
if you don't, um, just if youthink that I like it, you know
(56:21):
uh.
So, once again, thank you guysand uh see you next week.
Thanks, bye.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!