114 years ago today, James Stewart was born in Indiana, Pennsylvania. In honor of the birth of one of my favorite actors, here is a scene that I love.
From It’s A Wonderful Life:
Tag Archives: It’s a Wonderful Life
6 Shots From 6 Films: Special Frank Capra Edition
4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!
125 years ago, on this date, Frank Capra was born in Sicily. Capra was six years old when his family immigrated to the United States and, for the rest of his long life, he would often talk about seeing the Statue of Liberty from the deck of a boat sailing to Ellis Island. Capra went on to become a director whose work celebrated the ideals and the promise of America. He not only gave us the holiday classic, It’s A Wonderful Life, but he also directed one of the few political films that matteed, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. And let us not forget that the first two comedies to win the Oscar for Best Picture were directed by Capra, It Happened One Night and You Can’t Take It With You.
In honor of a great career and legacy, here are….
6 Shots From 6 Films
Ladies of Leisure (1930, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)
The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)
It Happened One Night (1934, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker and Joseph Biroc)
State of the Union (1948, dir by Frank Capra, DP: George J. Folsey))
Scenes That I Love: George Bailey Tells Off Mr. Potter In It’s A Wonderful Life (Happy Birthday, Frank Capra!)
Today is the 124 anniversary of the birth of Frank Capra and, in honor of this day, here’s a scene from one of my favorite films of all time, 1946’s It’s A Wonderful Life. In this wonderfully acted and directed scene, George Bailey tells off Mr. Potter, for the first but certainly not the last time:
Scenes That I Love: The Phone Call From Sam Wainwright From It’s A Wonderful Life
Tonight, NBC will be airing It’s A Wonderful Life.
Watching It’s A Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve is a tradition for many people. It definitely is for me and my family. I’ve watched It’s A Wonderful Life so many times that I’ve practically got the entire movie memorized. It’s not only my favorite Christmas movie but also one of my favorite movies of all time.
Everyone knows, of course, that It’s A Wonderful Life is a film about a man named George (played by Jimmy Stewart) who gets a chance to see what the world would be like without him. What I think is often overlooked is that it’s also a powerful and poignant love story and that the scenes between George and Mary (Donna Reed) are some of the most intensely romantic ever filmed.
In the scene below, George and Mary get a phone call from Mary’s ex, Sam Wainwright. Sam has a business opportunity but George has more on his mind than staying in Bedford Falls and making money. This scene, which begins with Mary upset and George feeling lost, ends with one of the most powerful kisses of the 1940s.
This is a scene that I love from a movie that I love and I look forward to watching it tonight!
The Lost Ending Of It’s A Wonderful Life!
Has it ever bothered you that, at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life, Mr. Potter basically gets away with nearly destroying George’s life? It’s certainly bothers me!
Well, fortunately, the lost ending of It’s A Wonderful Life has been uploaded to YouTube! Broadcast on a 1986 episode of Saturday Night Live and introduced by William Shatner (who, it must be said, really gets into introducing the clip), this clip gives George the revenge that he deserves!
As George Bailey put it: “You double-crossed me and left me alive!”
(Incidentally, I love the fact that Uncle Billy says that he talked to “Clarence at the bank.” Obviously, Clarence put those wings to good use!)
Enjoy!
Holidays Scenes That I Love: From It’s A Wonderful Life, George Bailey Wishes Bedford Falls A Merry Christmas
I love the pure joy of this scene. Not even old Mr. Potter can bring George down.
Of course, for that matter, George can’t bring Mr. Potter down either. It’s a Merry Christmas all around!
(Be sure to check out Case’s alternative reading about life under Mr. Potter, It’s A Wonderful, Pottersville!)
Scenes I Love: George Meets Mary Again in It’s A Wonderful Life
It may seem strange, on Valentine’s Day, to share a scene that I love from a Christmas movie. Well, we’re all about being strange here at the Shattered Lens!
Add to that, George and Mary share one of the greatest romances ever put on the big screen. It may be a Christmas movie but it’s also a love story.
So, for your viewing pleasure, here’s how it all started…
A Blast From The Past: The Making Of It’s A Wonderful Life (dir by Sandra Moiseeff)
Now that you’ve either seen the film or listened to the radio adaptation of It’s A Wonderful Life, how about a documentary about how this classic film came to be in the first place?
The Making Of It’s A Wonderful Life was apparently made for television and was broadcast in 1990. Hosted by actor Tom Bosley, it’s a warm and appreciative look at a much beloved classic.
And here it is!
Did you miss It’s A Wonderful Life? Don’t worry, we got you covered!
Last night, NBC broadcast the classic 1946 film It’s A Wonderful Life and…
What?
You missed it?
Well, don’t worry — we’ve got you covered!
Presented for your listening enjoyment, here is the 1947 radio version of It’s A Wonderful Life! This was an episode of the Lux Radio Theater and it featured Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed recreating their film roles!
Holiday Scenes That I Love: The Ending of It’s A Wonderful Life
At this very moment, NBC is broadcasting the classic 1946 film, It’s A Wonderful Life! They show it every Christmas Eve and every year, I watch.
Why?
Because I love this movie so much that I could watch it a million times and then a million times more! There is no movie that makes me happier than It’s A Wonderful Life. There is no movie that brings tears to my mismatched eyes as quickly as It’s A Wonderful Life. I love this film so much that I even watch it outside of December. If I’m depressed, this is the movie that I’m going to watch.
And who can blame me? The scene below is one that I love but, to be honest, there’s not a single scene in It’s A Wonderful Life that I don’t love. I even love those scenes with old Sam Wainwright going, “Hee haw!” Sam may have been a jackass but he was a good guy underneath it all.
(Plus, he made a fortune in plastics! Money can excuse all sorts of obnoxious behavior!)
As for the scene below, it’s the final ten minutes of It’s A Wonderful Life. To me, nothing exemplifies the joy of the holidays better than Jimmy Stewart running down the snow-filled streets of Bedford Falls and shouting “Merry Christmas” to everyone, even mean old Mr. Potter. (“And a happy new year to you — IN JAIL!”) This is a great scene and wonderfully acted by James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Ward Bond, and everyone else in the film!
And here it is!
Through the Shattered Lens 