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It's A Wonderful Life (1946) First Time Watching! Full Movie Reaction!!

🕑 Added 2022-12-18 23:51:50 +0000 UTC

Comments

David W.

Can you believe that this film was NOT hotly received until many years later? The director allegedly made this to combat THOSE WACKY GODLESS COMMUNISTS but wasn’t it the christian spirit that oh-so-muchly helped America win wwii on their fronts, to begin with? 😅

Jeremy Garner

I watch this every year on Christmas Eve (and cry at the end everytime) so when I saw this pop up here, I waited. Remember, no man is a failure who has friends. Merry Christmas to all 😁

Erwin Quiachon

I agree.

Mike the Ginger

Wiping away the tears. Me too. Great Christmas flick!

Jeff Mills

Love this movie. I think the best way to describe it is “A Christmas Carol” meets “The Twilight Zone”.

SimianSupreme

Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim (1951) are my trifecta of classic Christmas movies.

softshoes

When you think of Potter going home to an empty house on Xmas I can't think of him winning. This movie isn't about George beating Potter. It's about George saving every one from Potter.

Odd Thomas

These older films aren't afraid to go dark before earning a happy ending. These days films just concentrate on the sugary Hallmark side with very little darkness at all and that's why they fail.

Odd Thomas

Other good Christmas films: Klaus, Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Fred Claus

Robert Boyd

What can you say about this film? It’s one of the great, great movies of American cinema. I’m glad you guys went in knowing nothing about it because it made your reaction so much more authentic. I always try to watch this movie around Christmas because the holidays can be stressful, which I think is true for a lot of people, so it gives me a chance to stop and reflect on life. Perhaps that is why it became a Christmas classic. But it’s true, one can watch it anytime of the year and still feel it’s brilliance. The part that always breaks me is when George finds the copy of Tom Sawyer and Clarence’s note reads: “George: Remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings.” Very true indeed. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tim Raths

The actress who played Mary (Donna Reed) played softball in high school and she could throw the ball with accuracy. The scene at the beginning when they were throwing rocks at the abandoned house, Donna Reed hit the window on the very first try.

Tim Raths

That Married With Children episode is a classic.

Nismo

I just watched this recently as an adult too, what an incredible film! When Harry toasts George at the end, that really got me. I think the first time I teared up with tears of joy. Also in a way, George does defeat Potter. He has family, friends, and a whole town who care about him. Can't say the same for Potter.

Erwin Quiachon

I also remember Capra's son saying that there was an alternate ending that had Potter die by the Angel of Death for trying to screw George, but they cut that out because it killed the buzz of the good vibes at the ending.

Erwin Quiachon

I remember Coppola telling the story of how he and George Lucas wanted Capra to direct "Tucker" for them before he died. Capra wouldn't do it because he was depressed by the way Tucker was beaten down by the Big Three. Coppola couldn't convince Capra that Tucker was a real life George Bailey who had a huge impact on the auto industry and saving the lives of millions of people despite having his company taken away from him.

Nismo

Haha, I remember that skit! Need to go watch it now 😄

Marcus Cato

If it gives Daniel some closure, there is an SNL skit where they realize it was Potter that stole the money and they all gang up on him to kick his ass! 😂

Brent

This film is one of my absolute favorites, I only first saw it Christmas of 2020, so it really hit home in a special way. Always brings me to tears. I love the fact that I got to to rexperience this absolute classic with you guys! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! 🎄 😊😊😊

David Crabtree

Fantastic reaction and review. This is not only one of my favorite Christmas films, it's one of my favorite films, period. Now regarding Potter, it wasn't until the end of the movie where he really did anything wrong, when he hid the fact that he had the $8000. The rest of the movie, he was pretty much just being fiscally responsible in his position. Yeah, he was crass and very, very unlikable, but he had sound points when it came to his policy on loans and mortgage payments when you look at them in a real world context. Of course, we're rooting for Ol' George in the movie, but I wouldn't want George anywhere near a financial institution in real life!

Florian Meier

Great Reaction !! Another Good Films with James Steward are "The Man Who Knew Too Much" from 1956 from Alfred Hitchcock, "Anatomy of a Murder" from 1959 , "The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance" from 1962, "The Flight of the Phönix" from 1965, "The Shootist" from 1976 and "Rope" from 1948 also from Hitchcock !! These films are all Classics

Jen Barnes

I hated this movie as a kid, I thought it was boring. Now of course, I love it. It gets better every time you watch it too! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. My favorite scene is when young Harry gets hit by the pharmacist and still cries and hugs him. Both those actors were exceptional.

TBR Schmitt

Haha such a bummer about Potter but I guess that's life! I could not stop crying! Such a beautiful turn out for George! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

LOL seriously! -Sam

Marcus Cato

This one has meant a lot to me over the years. Glad you guys enjoyed it.

Joe D. MacGuffinstuff

That was awesome, I'd never seen it before either. Now I get why it's a classic, and I agree, I don't think I myself would have appreciated it as much as a kid as I do as an adult. Also reminded me of that episode of Married With Children with Sam Kinison as the angel lol, obviously it was an homage to this movie. Kind of funny that in the movie, George's little brother Harry is a pilot in the war, in real life Jimmy Stewart was drafted into the war and led a bomber squadron in combat, B-24s. I read that, like a lot of war veterans, he didn't talk much about the war and he actually refused to do any world war two movies. The director, Frank Capra, served in the Army Signal Corps (so did Stan Lee) and made films for the war effort, like the "Why We Fight" series. Apparently this movie actually didn't do that well when it was first released and Capra's career went into decline after the war.

Tomas

Mary's wish didn't trap George. Her wish was to be with him wherever he went. It just so happened they ended up never leaving Bedford Falls. And the old house made sense then.

David Wilkins

And as a side note: Lionel Barrymore, who played Mr. Potter, is the great uncle of Drew Barrymore. They are one of the oldest Hollywood dynasties.

David Wilkins

Great reaction! Gosh…this movie goes so far back with me. When I was a kid (all the way back to when our city offered just four TV channels) this was an annual show and we would eagerly watch it every time. It was a real tradition, along with The Wizard of Oz, which usually broadcast in the spring or summer. But I remember It’s a Wonderful Life being just as often a New Years tradition as a Christmas one. And of course, since the home-media era it has become ever more prevalent.

Anthony Perez

One of the best reactions EVER ..."THAT F@#$N POTTER GOT AWAY WITH IT" and the fist shake...awesome. And Samantha, you're not alone. I didn't outright cry but my throat closed up a bunch of times. We should all shake our fists at the injustice in the world.