Jonathan Klotz | Posted
People can discuss when: die hard There’s no arguing that when it comes to Christmas, nothing compares – whether it’s a Christmas movie or Hallmark or Lifetime, which has a better Christmas catalog. It’s a wonderful life. A Christmas viewing staple for generations, the 1946 film starring Jimmy Stewart is not only the best Christmas movie of all time, but one of the best movies ever made. However, if the copyright had not expired during the television boom of the 70s, it would have been lost forever.
box office disaster
It’s an ironic twist that a film about a man who feels he has nothing left to live until a guardian angel saves him and shows the world the difference he has made is on the verge of falling into obscurity. Instead of Clarence the angel coming to the rescue, we had desperate network executives looking for cheap ways to fill airtime. It’s a wonderful life Now that it’s expired, you can play it multiple times each Christmas season and it costs next to nothing. best gift). Before constant reruns and networks promoting the film as a Christmas classic, it was reportedly a box office flop.
It’s a wonderful life Production company RKO’s losses were more than $500,000 in 1946, or more than $8 million when adjusted for inflation. At the box office, the film earned $3 million, narrowly outpacing its fellow Christmas classic. miracle on 34th street. Considering the appreciation of this film today, it’s surprising to look back and realize that no one cared in 1946.
hated by critics
Over the years, It’s a wonderful life It’s gone through ups and downs in the public eye, and every few years there’s a backlash claiming the movie isn’t really that good, then it’s reevaluated, and then it’s taken down again, an endless cycle. Criticism and cynicism. Critics in 1946 felt the same way, praising the performances of Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed but criticizing the film’s optimism and a stupid plot that became too emotionally driven just a year after the end of its most devastating conflict. In human history.
It’s a wonderful life At first, Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey plays the evil banker Mr. It’s actually a rather dark film as it follows him butting heads with Potter (played by Lionel Barrymore). Yes. He lost money and land rights. This is what most of the movie is about, a bold decision that pays off when George wishes he had never been born, and the angel Clarence grants his wish. Now we can see that the world was worse without George, no matter how difficult his life may have seemed, and that no matter what you think of the film itself, the message behind it is important.
One person makes a difference
Christmas can be fun and a time to be with loved ones, but it can also be one of the most depressing times of the year for people who feel they have no family or friends and wonder what the world will become. Not without them. It’s a wonderful life Addressing this issue head-on, it eventually becomes clear that one person can make a difference, and the world is a better place because George Bailey is in it. No matter the year, no matter what has happened since 1946, the message that you matter, that you make a difference, and that the world is better with you in it will still be relevant.
but It’s a wonderful life It was saved from the trash heap by Cheapskate network executives, artificially marketed to become a Christmas classic, and finally recognized as one of the greatest movies ever made. The 1970s marketing campaign wasn’t a lie. It was a little ahead of its time.
You can stream It’s a wonderful life Available for free today, including an abridged version on Amazon Prime or the full version on The Roku Channel.
