Christmas in July: "It's a Wonderful Life"

One may wonder why I am thinking of this film (which I really don't like) in the heat of summer. I suppose it's because I'm recalling a friend of mine who recently died, and whom I had known since 1975. We weren't much alike, but both of us had indeed 'done for others' a great deal, and Grace used to tell me that, when she first saw James Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life," she tried to encourage herself, thinking that indeed we do not know what good we may have done for others, or benefits thereof. Later, the same film gave her the impression, to lapse into New York dialect today for effect, that George was the 'sucker of the world.'

Of course, had George been unmarried, it would have been worse still, I suppose. (Neither Grace nor I ever married. I do not envy my married friends, for various reasons, but the down side of being unattached is that things one does are appreciated even less because, even when one is holding two jobs, others assume that 'singles' have 'nothing to do,' and that they are doing one a favour by letting one care for family, as Grace loved to do, or offer endless volunteering, as I once did...) Grace and I, as is true of many people, indeed were deeply grateful for what others had done for us (and I'll add that real generosity makes me feel Christ is near, even if it is extended to me by an atheist.) It is only in later years of life that one realises that, for some unknown reason, others dote over some nasty old bitch (and I don't mean the faithful dog since, even if I much prefer and love cats, most pets offer unconditional love on a par we humans would envy), and toss the 'giver' into the rubbish bin.

Back to "Wonderful Life"...

I suppose that, the first time one watches this rather excessively sweet film, even the most hardened cynic would shed a tear at the ending, when George is revealed as one who has a matchless wealth of friends and support. James Stewart indeed portrays George Bailey superbly, but I found that, beyond the first viewing, this becomes rather an annoying film.

Of course, the contrast between George (the sort of man anyone would like on sight, and love all the more with acquaintance), and the dreadful Potter, who makes the pre-converted Ebenezer Scrooge look cuddly, provides much of the action - the trouble is that the premise really is not realistic. The idea that being good-natured, and having a spirit of self-sacrifice that goes from heroic to excessive, benefits one's community is taken to far too great an extreme. The Baileys are always on verge of bankruptcy, yet manage to be the saviours of all of the rather poor people who want to fulfil the mid-century dream of owning their own homes. Intending no blasphemy, I found it annoying that George becomes something of a Christ figure (though the Son of Man had no place to lay his head... he may have if George's miraculous building and loan existed in 1st century Palestine) ... yet never is allowed to think of himself or his family in the process.

George seems a wonderful man, but it became difficult to see his as a "wonderful life." It seemed that everyone was entitled to fulfil their dreams except George... indeed, that he had to make certain that he sacrificed every aspiration (university, honeymoon trip, travelling) entirely so someone else could have something. Considering how, when George sees what the town would be like had he never lived, everyone is in miserable straits, the 'saviour' business is rather macabre, as are the people resident in Bedford Falls! I never saw a worse bunch of low lifes... and, considering some of the ministries in which I have been engaged, that is notable.

That must have been some honeymoon trip - to provide money to rescue a town from the bank failures. But of course, had George never lived, the young, pretty girl he married, who seems vivacious, adorable, and popular, would have ended up a dowdy spinster...

Romantic though I am at heart, the cynical part of me sighed, knowing full well that, no matter how good anyone was to others, the first accusation of embezzlement would be more likely to make the others think, "now we know how he really is!" (My many years in business also told me that a lost bank deposit would not land a partner in jail, but I always try to forget that phase of my life.) Miserable though Potter is, it does not ring true that one with his resources could be totally unsuccessful in acquiring potential home-owners as customers because a good-hearted, impoverished sort simply was more pleasant. (A Potter would do what was profitable - and the lovely little homes in "Bailey Park" would be more to his advantage than being the total slum lord.)

Certainly, watch this once... but don't go back for repeated viewings, since the memory of the first viewing will be far more pleasant than the cloying effects of repeat performances.

I, to a large extent, do have a more 'wonderful life' than many, and I'm grateful for this as well. Yet benevolence, even that based on strong religious principles, would more often lead to one's being thought a fool than being loved and supported. Most often at all, it only means being forgotten.