The Harold Lounge

The 12 Days of [Movies Before] Christmas is a semester break special borrowing from the traditional 12 Days of Christmas (that occur after December 25th). The point is to get you into the spirit of the season by recommending one movie per day leading up to Christmas.
If you’ve got a better or more appropriate selection, feel free to carol it (in other words, comments are welcomed). May your days and wintry evenings be merry and bright in front of your big screen. Enjoy!

Day 1: It’s a Wonderful Life

Oh, where to begin…
I remember watching this movie on Channel 11 (before it was known as WTTW) many, many, years ago. It would air on Christmas Eve. I’d gather ’round the TV with my siblings. We’d watch, enjoying the movie and each other’s company. When the movie was over, we’d wait for our parents to take us to Midnight Mass. There was no better way to enjoy the holiday.
At such a young age, I didn’t quite understand the meaning, much less the purpose, of the film. It was just good entertainment, appropriate to the evening. In time, I’ve learned what a special story Frank Capra was trying to tell.
The film is about a man, George Bailey, who has grown up in the small town of Bedford Falls. As a boy, he has great aspirations to learn by traveling around the world. Those aspirations never die, but they get pushed aside while growing up in his small town. The death of his father, managing his father’s business, marriage, children, and war all make him wonder if he’ll ever leave Bedford Falls.
George is a giving man. He always puts the needs of others ahead of his own. Eventually, these needs get the better of him and he has one wish: to never have lived.
Thanks to the guidance of his guardian angel, George learns what would happen to this small town, to his friends, and to his family members if, in fact, he had never been born.
Capra tells us all, through George’s character, how we matter in this world; how our lives affect so many others. We may think we’re small and meaningless, but we’ll never be alone if we give each other the gift of friendship; and, with friendship, we can lasso just about any challenges in life.
If you don’t get a little choked up in the final scene, well then, you should get yourself a job working for ol’ man Potter. Enjoy!

Fun facts and information:
First of all, it’s time to give credit to Donna Reed’s character for bringing the town together to save George from his debts. Done.
The two characters, Ernie and Bert were the inspiration for Sesame Street’s Muppets by the same name.
All the snow is fake. The movie was filmed in the summer.
The film cost $3.2 million to make and earned $3.3 million. It signaled the end of Capra’s Liberty Films. Read it in this book (page 349). It was a box office failure. Go figure.
Jimmy Stewart blamed Donna Reed for the film’s failure. It was later resolved amicably.
The scene where Uncle Billy, who’s  had one too many drinks, walks off camera had some crashing sound effects due to an error by the filming crew. The director thought it was a wonderful fit, congratulated the crew,  and kept the scene intact. Sound effects and all.

Memorable moment: The whole darn movie is one memorable scene after another but if I had to pick just ONE, it would have to be the scene when George reads the dedication in the book given to him by Clarence. Great book.  Great words of wisdom.

High-five to my movie companion who is assisting me with the list.

My many thanks to all of you who tuned in for some or all of these past twelve days. It’s been fun. As always, thanks PhiloDave for letting me practice my blogging skills. After tomorrow, I’ll be taking a break to enjoy the actual 12 Days of Christmas.