I used to watch this every Christmas Eve for over 35 years with my mother. She died 3 months ago at age 90 and this will be my first Christmas without her. Thank you ladies for bringing back the memories. I hope you ladies and all your loved ones, a joyful Christmas.

@SueProv

5 ай бұрын

I'll be praying for you. It will be difficult but hopefully you'll be carried through by loved ones and memories.

@browniewin4121

5 ай бұрын

Sorry for your loss. It will remain a wonderful memory for you each time yousee it from now on.

@williamgause4029

5 ай бұрын

A brilliant Christmas movie

UNQUESTIONABLY the most life-affirming movie EVER....!! 😃

It's one of my favourite films exactly because it's ready to go dark into George's anger and despair. And James Stewart plays it so well. Excellent.

The bell at the beginning and end has nothing directly to do with the story. It is the logo of Liberty Pictures, a company formed by Frank Capra, William Wellman, and George Stevens. Unfortunately, though they were great directors, they were poor business men. This movie bore the whole burden of founding this company and could not pay back the start up costs. Though the film was modestly successful (it slightly out grossed Miracle on 34th Street) it needed to be massively more popular to make a profit. The company folded before it really got started.

@Perktube1

5 ай бұрын

But it fit really well nonetheless.

@1237barca

Ай бұрын

Incorrect. You think the ppl making the movie were unaware? lol

That was Alalfa from the Little Rascals that was talking to Mary at the dance and who opened up the dance floor...

@maryk446

4 ай бұрын

Yes. Poor Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer died at age 32 in 1958 when he was shot by someone he had an argument with. He never got past the Alfalfa role and had trouble getting hired after "The Little Rascals" was over. People always used to ask him to sing off-key like his character did. It really bothered him.

New generations won't be able to read Clarence's note. Due to passing into Public Domain, this movie was on TV at Christmas for 20 years. Watching multiple times you catch the details and callbacks in the screenplay. A box office flop, "It's A Wonderful Life" finally got its due.

Every time I watch this film, I say to myself "Maybe THIS time Uncle Billy won't mistakenly pass the money on to Potter; maybe THIS time, he'll catch his mistake!" The sign of a truly great movie...that no matter how many times you've seen it, you're so caught up in it that you feel that it's really happening.

An almost inaudible line from Billy during the the scene in his house is when he says he's been in rooms that have been locked since "I've lost Laura". Billy is a widower, and seems to have been one for a very long time: I'm willing to bet that Laura died several years before the first scene where we see Billy, during the Mr. Gower sequence. It explains a lot about his state of mind and how the people around him handle it; and it makes his fate in the non-George world even more understandable.

@rikk319

5 ай бұрын

Uncle Billy was a very sympathetic character, and his family really tried to care for him by giving him purpose in his life, despite his lack of mental focus, but they really shouldn't have ever put him in charge of money in any way. He did have a kind heart, though.

@bethd2439

5 ай бұрын

So many new things to see in this movie every time you watch it. I literally just noticed watching this reaction that when they close up the B&L on the day of the run on the bank and he remembers that he has a wife, he mentions that he missed the train. This seems like a really odd line in light of the size of the town and that after he is brought back to his real life he runs all the way from the bridge home, including past the B&L. Not quite sure what train might have taken him the short distance he literally ran. 😂 There are so many key accurate details in the movie, but goofs in movies are not unheard of. I just wonder whether this was a line from some earlier script version where that scene maybe was originally written to happen outside Bedford Falls. The other thing I noticed this year was thar Mary witnessed the interaction between George and Mr Gower and that must have instructed her intimate knowledge of him emotionally and his character and an understanding of his reactions and motivations.

@samanthaosborne4134

3 ай бұрын

​@@bethd2439I think train means something else cause I know of some people call buses trains that could be what he means

The best Christmas movie ever made.

@johnnehrich9601

5 ай бұрын

One of the best overall life-affirming movie ever made.

My favorite movie of all-time. Life Lessons in scene after scene.

Sam didn't just give him the money because they were childhood friends. Sam also gave him the money because of how George touched his life - during that phone call at Mary's house, when she and George were sharing the phone, Sam said he and his father were going to invest in a new factory in Rochester. George asked "Rochester? Why Rochester?" He recommended that they get the old tool and machine shop in Bedford Falls. He could get it for a fraction of the cost of a new factory, and all the labor he could need since half the town was thrown out of work when the old factory shut down. So, by investing in the factory in Bedford Falls, Sam saved a fortune, got a lot of skilled labor in his own hometown, and ended up making a fortune making plastic hoods for planes for WWII. Sam owes a huge part of his fortune to George.

@EricVoegelin

5 ай бұрын

Also Sam was Mary's old admirer. He gave the money in honor of that too.

@wingedbuffalo4670

5 ай бұрын

All those additional reasons are completely valid (i.e., childhood friendship, financial advice leading to a good portion of Sam's fortune, plus his enduring friendship with Mary [even if he was entertaining bimbos on the side while pretending to woo Mary]). But I'll add another even more fundamental reason above and in addition to all those reasons: George's CHARACTER. George Bailey was UNIVERSALLY KNOWN as a man not only of compassion for others, and a man of shrewd business sense who could (and did) stand up to Potter throughout life when everybody else groveled to him, AND BEAT HIM, BUT ALSO as a man of RELIABILITY who "got things done." In common parlance, George Bailey was TRUSTWORTHY and a "GOOD business BET." Sam knew that he was NOT placing his company/bosses/shareholders at any form of "risk" for "default" on the $25k loan/advancement because George Bailey's promise to repay was as good as gold -- a SURE THING. There was once a time in America where such CHARACTER and trustworthiness existed in abundance ... sadly, not so much anymore. @@EricVoegelin

@maryk446

4 ай бұрын

@@EricVoegelin And Sam's childhood friend Marty was Mary's brother and the uncle of George Bailey's three children, who would have been affected if their father went to jail. Sam was not really a bad guy at all.

1:21 - "Then I've only an hour to dress. What are they wearing now?" I never put it together, even after all the countless times I've seen this movie...When we finally do meet Clarence, he's still wearing his old under garment (he says, "I died in it!") so he never did have time to change.

This is not only one of the best Christmas movies ever made, but one of the all-time best movies in cinematic history. This is one of those movies that stays with you and anyone can relate to. I adore this movie and the message that comes along with it. I'm also glad you went with the black & white version. I just don't care for the colorized version at all. The black & white one just has something special about it.

Thanks for sharing your reaction 😊 The black and white version is most authentic, and the original colorized version was not very good. The technology is better now, so the most recent colorized version is not so bad, but I'd still recommend watching as the cinematographer originally planned it, especially for a first time viewing.

@j.woodbury412

5 ай бұрын

I prefer the black and white version too myself.

My dad, brother and I have been watching this movie every Christmas for over 20 years. My brother passed away this year so its a little sadder. "You've misplaced $8000?" Such a powerful line. That he accepts responsibility for everything. Some facts about the movie: When the Old man Gower hit young George Baily he actually made the child actors ear bleed accidently. Since this movie is now 78 years old, the only people still alive are the children.

Mary told George her wish in his bad ear so he still doesn't know her wish. And Sam owes George a whole lot more than 25 grand. He gave him the idea of how to make plastics and to build his 1sr factory in town. This movie makes me cry everytime it reminds me of my dad he was like George Bailey he did a lot of work for the community and the churches.

t's a Wonderful Life is more than a Christmas movie I am not christen and I love it. It is a feel good movie and one of the first time travel element movies. It is so much about time travel or alternative realities that Back to the future allude to it :). Fun fact the movie was not a financial success when it came out and was forgotten. Only because of a copyright registration error ( Which was fixed decades later) the movie was considered public domain for years and because of the that the Tv Networks aired over and over every Christmas till it became a cult classic. Another fun fact the scene with the uncle that was drunk and fell down was adlib because one of the stage worker dropped something in the middle of filming. I love George speech to Mr Potter about the working class. The actor who plays Mr Potter is by the way Drew Barrymore great uncle. If you want another great Jimmy Stewart movie you should watch Mr Smith goes to Washington.

I still watch this Its very sentimental One of my Favorite Movies My Oldest Daughter Tamara is 42 years old she is very emotional and she cry's at the end of the Movie.

One of the ones we never miss, every time around this year

Mary Bailey is probably the greatest, most beautiful wife and mother in movie history

I love that you are all reacting to this! Me, My mom and grandma used to watch this every year together and they are some of my fondest memories😍 have a wonderful holiday season!

Did you notice the cop and the cabbie were named...Bert and Ernie...

@fynnthefox9078

5 ай бұрын

Sesame Street crew were asked about that and it was sheer coincidence.

@mrcapra

5 ай бұрын

​@@fynnthefox9078And I've never believed them. I think it was a subconscious choice.

Clarence: "Your brother, Harry Bailey, broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine." George Bailey: "That's a lie! Harry Bailey went to war! He got the Congressional Medal of Honor! He saved the lives of every man on that transport!" Clarence: "Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry.” I get a lump in my throat every time I see that scene.

I cannot believe you lady's have not seen this movie. It's almost 80 years old. I watch it every year. It's a A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. God Bless y'all ✌️✌️ & ❤❤

Its A Wonderful Life is easily the greatest Christmas movie. Thats not to say that other movies like A Christmas Carol (1951) are bad. But this movie really is the most timeless emotional rollercoaster. Its A Wonderful Life hits you harder the more times you see it. Also, Its A Wonderful Life is also the most important Christian movie this side of The Passion.

A wonderful story about life and good friends. Did you notice the movie playing at the theater? “The Bells of St Mary” was released the year before and starred Henry Travers (Clarence the angel) in it. It too included Christmas in the story. Another great picture.

Loved watching you guy react! You guys didn’t catch that the Cop & Taxi driver were named Bert & Ernie……. SanJoséBob

Happy Holidays 🎄,& As Always Love Seeing Your Reactions To All These Great Movie's, Especially This One 😊

love it so much.

My family always watched this movie every Christmas year as a tradition

This movie is a tradition in my family. I cant believe you've never seen it.

The girl with long brown hair, green shirt looks like the girl co-star of Bad Santa. Tis the season ladies. Be warned, it's extremely rated R.

The crow is Jimmy the raven has appeared in over a thousand films including the Wizard of Oz .

@HassoBenSoba

2 ай бұрын

Years ago, when American society was much more agrarian (farm-based), families kept animals---like chickens (for eggs), goats (like the Martini family's) for milk, etc, and before non-domestic animal laws were passed, a crow as a pet (or the squirrel at Uncle Billy's) would not have been unusual. That's part of Frank Capra's amazing attention to detail that provides us, in 2024, such an authentic view of America's past.

great movie! I remember watching it yearly on broadcast tv! My mother always told me about the "Run On The Banks!" everyone asked for their money at the same time and they didn't have enough money in a short day! Being from the Great Depression times, born in 1933, she realized how scary it was! Walt

The salary that Potter offered George would be over $400,000 today.

Fans of Sesame Street know the origins of the names 'Bert and Ernie'.

Love this reaction and analysis. An even deeper understanding of what George is going through can be had by realizing the present day value of the amounts of money they are taking about in this movie and the impact of what has happened in the context of the business he is in and the situation related to the loss of the money and the specific timing of the events. George Bailey didn’t just lose some of his family’s money thereby making his life a little harder, which understandably leads some other reactors (particularly young people) to think he is overreacting to the loss of the $8000 and that it wasn’t that bad and really being confused by the severity of his reaction even with his family and kids. This was not a minor frustration that he brought home from work. To the contrary, this would have been enormously devastating. At present day value, $8000 would be closer to the equivalent of nearly $150,000. Additionally, he didn’t just lose some of his personal money or savings. Rather that was a very large sum of money belonging to community members held in a highly regulated financial institution. To make it worse, the federal bank examiner (the government oversight program/position that grew significantly as part of the Federal Reserve system instituted after the Great Depression to prevent the failure of banks and financial institutions) was actually already on site to evaluate the books and financial soundness of the Building and Loan. George’s words to Uncle Billy about the likelihood of bankruptcy and prison were not idle, the sky is falling, irrational fears. Rather, the inability to account for that much money would have had catastrophic consequences. He wasn’t just a little stressed about maybe losing his own house. He was worried about scandal and going to prison and ruining, literally ruining his family. You add the layer of his concern for the other people in his community, you realize that the failure of the Building and Loan would likely lead to the failure of all the customers who lost their money in the B&L. His reaction and behavior when he comes home is the result of pure fear and desperation. His reaction would have also been colored by the fact that this came about fairly close on the heels of the Great Depression, which these characters would have just lived through, and which would have influenced his desperate reaction. Also, the scene with Potter offering him the job his reactions become more understandable with the understanding that $20k a year in present day value would be the equivalent of an annual salary of more than $300k a year. The fact that he could even remotely bring himself to turn that down in light of his historic ambitions and his desire to provide for his wife is astounding and reveals his character even more when one really understands the value. You can also see it in the internal dialogue in his head and his conversation with Mary when he gets home after that meeting. Much of that is overshadowed by her revelation of being pregnant. But just prior to that he is remembering that he promised her the moon and he doesn’t feel like he delivered that, like perhaps Sam Wainwright or others might have, and he knows he just walked away from life changing money where he could have offered her anything she ever wanted. He was mired in self doubt and already questioning his self worth in those that moment. There are other moments like that too throughout the movie, which add up to his ultimate reaction and feelings of failure that influence his reactions thar Christmas Eve.

The richest man in town!

Want to see another heart ♥ tugging movie? Watch a movie çalled "On borrowed time. Lionel Barrymore plays a grandfather taking care of his grandson when death comes to town. Many actors in this movie are in its a wonderful life!. It will definitely make you laugh and cry!

Jimmy Stewart is my second favourite actor. My favourite film of his is “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962).

You need to watch the Vintage SNL "It's a Wonderful Life: The Lost Ending". It is my favorite Saturday Night Live sketch.

I'm an older sibling - eldest of two, just like George. The graveyard scene as soon as the haunting music starts absolutely breaks me every time

The kid that opened up the gym floor over the pool was none other than Alfalfa from the Little Rascals.

Fun fact: the song "Buffalo Gal" was actually about the famed, um, red-light district of Buffalo, N.Y. at the turn of the century. Potter offering George $20,000 a year is equivalent to almost $400,000 today, and that also means that George & Mary had saved and planned to spend what today would be nearly $40,000 for their honeymoon! One of you really looks like the mom on The Gilmore Girls.

Did anyone recognize Alfalfa from the Little Rascals? He was the boy that opened up the floor above the pool at the dance. Oh, and Potter is played by Lionel Barrymore. Thats Drew Barrymore's grandfather? Great grandfather? Something like that. The Barrymores are Broadway royalty and stars of early film. Lionel, Ethel and John.

A woman who looks like Donna Reed becomes an old maid? Not a chance!

The movie wasn't a big success because it is a dark movie. One of the greatest American movies of all-time. Gets better every time you watch it, and each time you watch it you will cry more and more! Loved your reactions!

People laugh at the $20k a year offer. At this time in history, it equates to over $400k a year today.

todays movies can learn from this .....its a good all american story people can relate to, it didnt race swap the character, from the book, or make him gay, or have a political message and has a good traditional family message and values , and that why so many people like it, and it no one dislikes it

the annoying boy at the dance was Alfalfa from the Little Rascals

I looked it up...$8,000 in 1946 would be worth about $130,460 in 2023! Yikes!

A colored version Nooooo , Black & White only ! 🎄🎅 Making this in color is like having the 2nd half of The Wizard of Oz in Black & White ! Thank you for the video & reaction ✌️🙂 A bit early, have a Merry Christmas 🤶🤶🤶

$17.50. Gets me every time.

@VenusDeMilitant

5 ай бұрын

I love that she's played by Ellen Corby, who many years later was Grandma Walton on The Waltons.

Pottersville seemed like a pretty fun town, honestly.

@mrcapra

5 ай бұрын

I hope you're joking. I mean why do you think they were arresting Violet? And her saying she knew important people!

@lizd2943

5 ай бұрын

Can't blame a gal for going on dates.@@mrcapra

I love your intro

Great reaction. If you want to see Mr. Potter get what's coming to him watch the Saturday Night ight Live skit from the late 80's 'It's a Wonderful Life The Lost Ending'

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

You don't need to put the title of the movie up every 3 seconds!!! Drop that panel!!!

Mom is dead right - always black and white not colourised!

@LukeLovesRose

Ай бұрын

That colorized version is ghoulish

Never worry about color versions of films. Very few televisions or monitors have ever been made without a color control that can be used to desaturate the image. Any film can be made black and white at home at will.

When they filmed the scene where Mr. Gower, the pharmacist (W.H. Warner) slapped George (Bobby J. Anderson) for not delivering the pills, Warner was drunk and actually slapped Anderson, making his ear bleed. When the scene ended, Warner hugged Anderson and comforted him. Director Frank Capra hired a marksman to shoot out the window in the Grandville House for the scene where Mary (Donna Reed) throws a rock at it, but Reed was a baseball player in high school and broke the window on her first throw. Lionel Barrymore didn't believe Donna Reed's claim about being a farm girl from Iowa, so one day there was a live cow backstage and Barrymore bet Reed fifty dollars she couldn't milk it. Donna Reed won the bet and said it was the easiest fifty dollars she ever made. The scene where Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) walked home after drinking too much champagne and knocked over some garbage cans offscreen was an accident. In the original script, Uncle Billy walks off camera and the scene ends, but when they filmed the scene, right after Thomas Mitchell walked off camera, a crew member accidentally dropped a props tray backstage and Mitchell ad-libbed the line "I'm alright! I'm alright!" to make it seem like it was on purpose. Capra decided to leave the scene in the film and paid the crew member an extra ten dollars for "improving" the scene. This was Jimmy Stewart's first movie after returning from World War II and was nervous about doing it, It was Lionel Barrymore who convinced Stewart to do it. Henry Travers (Clarence Oddbody) does not appear until two and a half hours into the movie and is only onscreen for fifteen minutes. I think a lot of people were upset that Mr. Potter got away with keeping the $8000 that Uncle Billy lost. There was actually a scene right after George is "brought back to life" and he yells "Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!" and Potter yells "Happy New Year, in jail!" where Clarence confronts Potter about keeping the money, but it was deleted.

@o.b.7217

5 ай бұрын

Clarence only appears after two and a half hours? I think you got your time wrong. The entire movie isn't that long.

@j.woodbury412

5 ай бұрын

@@o.b.7217 My mistake. I meant to say he didn't first appear onscreen until the last 30 minutes of the movie. And he was only onscreen for a total of 15 minutes.

You skipped a lot of the best parts.

The editing job here ABSOLUTELY GUTTED this film- shame- SHAME!!

The constant switching back and forth between the small screen and big screen makes it hard to watch. It looks better with the name of the movie and the film on the better. Please,just pick one format. Thanks

Unpopular opinion: This is not a Christmas movie. It's a good movie but only briefly set during Christmas and it doesn't have Christmas themes.

@beevezeepe6615

5 ай бұрын

What is the point in nitpicking over a movie being "a Christmas movie"? It's not like the only movies people watch this time of year will be Christmas related. It is a completely silly argument.

Mr Potter, a hero and example for neo-liberal the market is always right cheerleaders everywhere.

@757optim

5 ай бұрын

George's kindness was a saving grace, but even the Building and Loan is subject to economic reality.

@wolandbegemotazazello

5 ай бұрын

@@757optim Best joke of the day. The problem with this joke, of course, is that it is ahistorival in a number of ways and theoretically and methodologically anemic. How so? Well first of all, mass capitalism is the product of the 19th century. If it was "real" one would assume that it would have been around since the beginning of time. It hasn't been as historical evidence clearly shows. Ergo, it is a human construct. Morevoer, should one argue for the seven days of creation ideology there is no evidence that Yahweh ever uttered the phrase "let there be capitalist light" on day whatever. Second, humans, as history shows, and as extensive empirical studies show, are not rational. And given that rationality is at the heart of economic dogmatics the priests of the temples of Mammon have a problem. However, perhaps you can explain to me wars, mass murder, genocide, buying a $20 dollar bill for $25 bucks during a bidding war and the emotions underlying said idiocy are rational.

@SueProv

5 ай бұрын

​@wolandbegemotazazello Mao Joe and Fidel did much better I suppose. Not perfect here but more freedom and prosperity here comparatively.

@wolandbegemotazazello

5 ай бұрын

@@SueProv Sorry I don't play manichean utopian games. There is no such thing as utopia and anyone selling you a radiant future, whether commiest or crapitalist, is a snake oil salesman and flim flam man. Both utopias are actually oligarchies grounded in modern bureaucracies with their hierarchies of power and authority. The utopia speak is, of course, a type of opiate and is always illusory. But hey, most humans live in a delusional world full of illusons The notion of freedom as preached by many, particularly Yanks and Brits, vague and illdefined as it is by most, is another illusion, another opiate, that belies the reality of power and authority inequities embedded within the bureaucracies that all of us in core societies have to live in because of demographic realities.

@757optim

5 ай бұрын

@@wolandbegemotazazello No joke. Simple truth. People acting in their individual interests in a free society, based on Judeo/Christian principles, produced the greatest nation on earth. You cn look it up.