Dear Jodie - I is for It's a Wonderful Life

Dear Jodie,

What can I say about one of my favorite movies? It's a Wonderful Life!  I watch it every Christmas time, and it never fails to renew me and show me that each life counts and that we have no idea how much and in what ways.  So different from our previous movie The Hours.

Certainly George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) had no idea how much his life meant to the world until he thought to end his life that Christmas Eve.

Oh, then here comes Clarence, beautifully portrayed by the amazing Henry Travers to show George just how important a life can be and how the smallest of actions can have far ranging effects.

And look at the friends who come to help George when he finds himself in trouble!

Yes, I’m gushing!  I can only gush over this one.

I do want to tell a story I heard Jimmy Stewart tell in an interview.  Because of his military service, It’s A Wonderful Life was his first film in five years.  He stood in the conference ready to unload on Mr. Potter about being a "warped and frustrated old man" and suffered a confidence crisis.

Lionel Barrymore (who played Mr. Potter) called him over and gave him what for about being an actor finishing his tirade with, “Now stand up there and let me have it!”

And the scene rocked.  You could see the anger and the tears in Jimmy Stewart’s face and eyes.

And I positively WEEP when Clarence gets his wings.

This movie is so life affirming and full of the wonderful kind of sentiment and never ventures into sentimentality except at the very end, but by then it earned it.  And, yes, every time I hear a bell ring, I smile.

10 out of 10

How about you, Jodie?

Check out Jodie's review here.

Also check out our Facebook page Dear Rocky Dear Jodie: The Actor and the Psychologist at the Movies.