Virginia Patton who played Ruth Baily (Harry's wife) died on August 18, 2022, at age 97. She was the last surviving ADULT cast member of It's a Wonderful Life
Yes, and she was Gen George Pattons niece. Three of the Bailey children are still alive. Sam Wainright (Frank Albertson) was the guy w the $$ in Psycho.
Crazy how things that everyone knows for generations vanish overnight. Every kid in the 80's still knew about this. I guess shame on us because I had a few of my kiddos before the 90's were over and I don't know for sure if they would all remember me teaching them about it today
Drug stores and pharmacies often had soda fountains and were places for kids and teenagers to socialize. When I was a kid in the '60s you could still get a sundae or lunch at pharmacy counters.
As a kid, I remember going to the corner drugstore and having a fountain coke, Hostess cupcakes, and playing "Travelin' Man" on the jukebox. At that moment, the world was my oyster. : )
I'm a 90s kid and still remember when Thrifty was a drug store/ ice cream shop and not just ice cream. I loved Thrifty, they sold a little bit of everything, even toys.
Frank Capra, who directed this movie, came to America with his family as a poor Sicilian immigrant, and eventually went to Cal Tech, a very prestigious university, and became a movie director. The character of Martini is in part his tribute to his family and heritage.
That raven which was Uncle Billy's pet was actually something of a star. "Jimmy" was a very well-trained bird--he appeared in the "Wizard of Oz" standing on the Scarecrow's shoulder, and in quite a few Hollywood films of the time
@@LukeLovesRoseidk if I picked up the string thing from this movie as a kid or from family who would say "tie a string on your finger" as a reminder not to forget an important event in the schedule. I sometimes still use the method, along with writing abbreviations on the back of my left hand like a WW2 pilots notes.
Some historical events in the movie that give context: Druggist's son dies of the flu: Spanish Flu worldwide pandemic of 1918 (made covid look like the sniffles) Run on the bank: Beginning of the Great Depression George's brother, war hero: WW2 Aside: James Stewart (George Bailey) was not only a great actor but was a bomber pilot in WW2 in Europe who led bombing raids over Germany. His final rank was Brigadier General (in Air Force Reserve).
Jimmy Stewart flew over 25 bombing missions over Europe, he saw many of his squadron mates blown up on missions against the Nazis. The scene in the bar brought up those memories when he asked God for help. PTSD was a real thing for anyone that one was in combat.
Most people living today cannot comprehend just how difficult life was for so many people for most of that period. People complain about Covid or the economy these days. America is paradise right now compared to The Great Depression and World War 2.
This movie was controversial when it came out, to say the least. A man showing his emotions in the manner George Bailey did was considered unmanly. Both Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart had come home from the war and were looking to restart their careers. Capra worked for the Signal Corps, creating the "Why We Fight" serials, the last of which wasn't released to the public until the 1970s due to the depictions of "shellshock" AKA PTSD. Stewart was a bomber pilot during the war. Despite the Army trying initially to just have him going around the country as a promotional person, he insisted on being in combat. For Bailey's emotional breakdown on the bridge, Stewart thought back to the traumatic experiences he had in the air of seeing comrades shot down to get in the right headspace for the scene. The film was a commercial flop; killed Liberty Studios, and practically ended Capra's career. It only became a "classic" once it entered the public domain, and TV stations played it for free in the 1960s.
Jimmy Stewart flew 20 missions and stayed in the Air Force Reserve after WWII, eventually becoming a Brigadier General in 1959. So he was still in the military when he made this film. His last combat mission was in 1966 as an observer on a B-52 bombing mission in Vietnam. He earned the Distinguished Service Medal.
@@justwondering5651I believe he actually made from Buck Private all the way through to the rank of full bird Colonel in 4 years!!😮😮 Absolutely unheard of but that shows the kind of dedicated leader and heroic guy that he was!! ❤❤❤❤
@@csako2668 And Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in all of American history..all 5 foot 4 of him...with 241 enemy kills...who went on to have a 21 year acting career. with many wonderful films. Folks today know who Thanos is, and they worship Taylor Swift, but likely wouldn't Know Murphy from Adam...what a shame.
Just a slight correction. The last Capra war film was Know Your Enemy Japan and wasn't released because by that point the war was all but won (it was three days after Nagasaki) and it was seen as having the wrong tone as the US stance had shifted to negotiation. The PTSD film 'Let there be light' was by John Houston. Sadly Its a Wonderful Life was a critical and box office failure and bankrupted Liberty Pictures and all but ended Capra's film career as he was so disillusioned that his own personal favourite of all his films wasn't well received.
@@matthewcostello3530 the pool was not set created by the studio, it was real gymnasium with a pool under the hardwood basketball floor. It is located at Beverly Hills High School in California and it is still being used today.
Love your beauty, your smile, laugh and expressions, love your heartwarming reaction. Loving the way you react to Potter. I watch this every Christmas.
Some more historical context: My Grandmother was only a few years younger than Mary in this movie. She was a little girl during the Great Depression (and she grew up in the state of Kansas). She was a tiny person largely because she was starving as a child. My mom told me she never got meat as a child. The tiny bit of meat her family had only once a week went to her oldest brother (not the younger brothers, either, let alone her, the youngest and a girl) so he could work, this was in his early teens, as well. People were tiny in the past for a very clear reason.
"Tiny" or "big" for body size are really all a matter of perspective. Laura Ingalls Wilder of "Little House on The Prairie" fame, was about 4'11 and so was Bonnie Parker of "Bonnie and Clyde" fame from the 1930s. Note that while people may have been relatively smaller in the past, they were also TOUGHER than most people are today. They could handle a great deal of physical hardship. I can't imagine most modern people with all their modern tech trying to get through life 100 years ago.
@@barreloffun10 Sort of... we carry the same genes and if pressed people nowadays can be quite tough. Remember our ancestors chased down gazelles through the stepps for 30 miles a day to get a kill... that DNA is in our genetic makeup.
@@davestang5454 You are so true. I was mowing our family's lawn at age 8, had a "paper route" at the same age. My money earned was used for my school clothes.
if uncle billy didn't lose that money there'd be no movie. so her motive for down-grading the movie isn't valid. this film flopped at the box office but regained interest due to its appearance on tv in the 60s. frank capra, the producer and director of the film, forgot to renew the copyright meaning tv stations could show the film without paying royalities. i turned so many people onto this film i lost count. i've turned a lot of people onto a lot of great films and great music. personally, i could use clarence AND FRIENDS right about now. the reason this film carries such an emotional impact is because its a fantasy. it depicts the world as it should be. we all hope our family and friends will come through for us in our times of need - BUT THEY NEVER DO! THAT'S REALITY!
@@cjmacq-vg8um It's really not that great of a movie. It's kinda slow paced and boring. However, the ending is so great, that it truly pays off the time vested into the film. I'm on the tough guy side, but the ending makes even me tear up. I think we could all take stock of ourselves and realize that we HAVE impacted others and the world around us.
@@mikeshoe74 ... i disagree that the movie is boring. i think it is a great film. but i'm a huge fan of frank capra films in general. he's one of hollywood's best directors. his films are mainly fantasies. he shows us how the world could be... how it SHOULD BE rather than how it really is. they inspire me to be a better person and make my life stand for something beyond myself! "its a wonderful life" (1947) is very reminiscent of his 1932 depression themed film "american madness." but the latter has no angel in it and no devine intervention. but "its a wonderful life" is more than just about some fantasy karma where one is eventually repaid for the good he's done for others. its also about others who TRULY appreciate a man's kindness and repays him in kind. it shows the audience how they should react to kindness not just that being kind, itself, is a good thing. you're supposed to be kind to those who're kind to you. it'd be a much better world if we followed the example of george bailey's friends and not just george bailey.
And I believe the term “picketing” for protesting came about because the wood sticks they used for the signs were the same or similar to ones they used for picket fences. Someone correct me if I’m wrong 😅
I somehow knew Biss would be just about the only reactor to understand that scene with George and Mary taking to Sam on the phone and George grabs and shakes Mary before they break down and kiss. God bless Bisscute’s Romanian heart ;)
That was, apparently, the first scene that Stewart filmed for the movie. Knowing that he had just gotten out of the Army Air Force (where he flew something like 50 combat missions), so Frank Capra told him not to worry to much about it, he was going to run the camera, but to just consider it practice. The emotion that virtually exploded out of him was NOT in the script and straight up scared both Capra and the actress who played Mary. Capra didn't bother filming a second take.
As someone who suffers from depression, I will say this Biscute….your videos make me very happy, and I enjoy them very much. Thank you, I felt like I watched a film, with a dear friend. Thank you! Much love.
One thing I like about this film is how happy people get when they see their friends doing well. For instance we see Violet at George and Mary's wedding and she is very happy for them even though she was in love with George in the past. Sam Wainwright, who some people mistakenly think is trying to steal Mary from George, is actually a true life-long friend. The strings on Uncle Billy's fingers is a trick our teacher taught us in elementary school to not forget things.
. People living their lives with an unselfish attitude. Sam Wainwright, while rich and successful , envies the life George leads. While he seems to be appears to be making fun of George, he really thinks George is a great person.
The copyright on this movie expired, so in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Any TV station could broadcast it. Americans could watch it twenty times on TV in December. Every station showed it multiple times. No telling how many times most of us have seen it over and over again. It is now part of America’s soul.
@@glenncabacungan9269 When I saw it as a 10 year old I thought it was really depressing. I also didn't understand all the financial talk as a kid. Today, as an adult, this film is in my top 20.
I read once that, despite not being a huge hit when it was first released, it became a perennial Christmas "classic" in the 80's because (as you said) it could be aired repeatedly without having to pay royalties, but also that the major networks were looking for something they could cheaply air during one of the seasons the NFL was on strike.
The bank failed, meaning it ran out of money, so it calls in it's outstanding loans to cover it's debt. A "run on the bank" is literally everyone running to get their money out before it shuts down. This happened a lot in the Great Depression (1929 to 1939). The US banking system itself collapsed in 1933. George runs a building an loan at lower % rates for lower income people who can't get a regular bank loan or mortgage, they had to give back the cash they had to meet the agreement with the bank.
For the rock throwing scene, a Foley artist was standing by to make the sound of breaking glass glass in case Donna Reed didn't hit the window. Reed played softball in college and she hit the window on the first try. In older, unrestored prints, George's closeup at the bar appears grainier than other shots. The scene wasn't originally filmed as a closeup, but Capra was so impressed by Stewart's acting that he had those frames of the film individually enlarged.
It is said that Jimmy was experiencing PTSD, this was his first movie since he had just returned from duty flying combat missions in Europe. Stewart was affected by doing emotional scenes
One of the best movies, really tugs at the heart strings. My Christmas wish is for Biss to get 100k subs :). Picketing is what people do when they are on strike. They walk back and forth obstructing the entrance to a business.
I've probably watched this movie 100 times. It's my #1 Christmas movie. I still cry every time I watch it, including during this reaction. If this movie doesn't make you cry, there's something seriously wrong with you. Great reaction! You are a sweet young lady. Merry Christmas!
You are one of the reason I watch reaction videos. I like honest reactions that I compare with my own reactions to the movie we're watching. I don't watch reactions unless I have heard or seen it myself before hand. The best movies are those that hit all your emotions, over whelm you and completely leave you in awe. Some are great for simply pulling heart strings and completely entertaining you. Thank you for your reaction videos. Merry Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year....
My oldest sister loved James Stewart so much, she named her only son after him....one of the greatest figures in the history of all cinema. One could, literally, watch every one of his 80 films and love them all, unabashedly....one of my personal favorites is the 1965 Civil War movie 'Shenandoah'. This film hits a little close to home for me...the year I graduated from college my grandfather passed and my Nan, subsequently, took to the bed, where she stayed the rest of her days...i took care of her all through my twenties, into my early 30s. Like George, I watched my friends/peers move on without me, so I can relate to his situation...But, my Nan was the person I was closest to in this world, and I do it all again in a heartbeat....Never travelled outside my province, never been on a plane, train, ship, subway...but I still walked away with the best life had to offer...NOTHING could replace that time with her.
I've seen a number of reactors from outside the U.S. that the reactors have had the same aversion to the "mouth-kissing parts of the Mom and the Son" [49:47] (reacting to this movie and others .. with like scenes of mothers and sons or fathers and daughters kissing on the mouth to greet or part ways). I get it. In the U.S., I'm aware that some families do this and others do not. Its neither normal nor abnormal. My family is one that does. It may help to know that there's one category of kiss for family and another for significant others. If anybody wants to help with further explaining the difference, please chime in.
I think it is just a habit kind of thing. In my family, like in all families, as children we kissed our parents and grandparents on the mouth. As we grew older it moved to cheek, and then to not really at all. The last time I kissed my father was on the forehead as he lay dying. Before that, it had been years since I had kissed him. (I kind of regret that.) I have two grand babies of the same age, one has moved to cheek kissing, while one still aims her snotty nose to the mouth. My youngest grandson has finally moved to the cheek and my four oldest grandkids have finally stopped kissing at all. Thankfully, they still have a hug for their old grandma. Hahaha. Why and when it changes for some and others it does not, I do not know. I can't even tell you why I ever stopped kissing my parents at all. It just happens for some and others it does not. But I don't think anything of it when I see adults kiss their parents on the lips. It is just something that stayed with them. And that's alright. It doesn't strike me as anything untoward. It's habit. It's like saying "I love you" to your loved ones before hanging up the phone or saying goodbye. It has become such a habit that you will accidentally say it to strangers when you say goodbye to them. Also, I watch a lot of foreign shows. It is nothing to see people in those shows kiss each other on the cheek when they meet each other. An odd custom to us Americans. But I can assume they find it an odd custom that we embrace each other in a hug when we meet. Kiss on the lips or not. As long as a family loves each other, who cares how they show their affection? Love is all that matters. And it is a beautiful thing.
I never kissed or was kissed on the lips by my Mom. I understand older generations may have, but I don't recall any late Boomer like me experiencing that.
I was born in the 70s and my grandma on my mom’s side of family kissed on the mouth. My dad’s side didn’t though. So while it certainly was a thing in that generation in the U.S. to kiss kids and grandchildren as a sign of affection , it did vary depending on the family.
For me it was to do with age. When I was a prepubescent kid, I used to kiss both my parents like that. But about the time I was in middle school I just stopped. And now I have a baby son and my wife and I kiss him. (Though I do it far less cause he drools, lol!)
This movie is over 80 years old and still holds ups and the lessons it teaches are needed for all of us.We all must make our lives count for something and never take it for granted.
You should see the classic comedy called "Harvey," which also stars Jimmy Stewart. That movie is referenced in pop culture to this day, though most young people don't know it. It also almost feels like a Frank Capra film, especially with the fast paced and snappy dialog.
As far as mother and son kissing, you have to remember this was a far different time. People were fundamentally more innocent and wholesome. They did not think of that as inappropriate. My parents and us kids did that and thought nothing of it. It's sad the loss of innocence and wholesomeness of today. Watching a film from 1946 through the lens of 2024 so much is missed and lost. That's the price of allowing the "I Feel" movement, people totally controlled by their feelings and such entitlement expecting the entire world to conform to their 'feelings' obviously having been raised with no protection of the innocent of a child, exposing them to far too many things even adults have no business letting into their lives. We thought nothing of it ever, it was just affection, nothing more. I'm so glad I lived back then. Today too many of the last couple of generations were robbed of so much.
25:59 The great depression. The Great Depression had many causes, including the stock market crash of 1929, the Dust Bowl, and the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.
22:00 - I completely understand your expression. All I can think is that it used to be a lot more common for parents to kiss their children on the lips (here in the U.S., anyway) because that's also how MY family was when I was little. NO TONGUES, obviously. lol. And no lingering, either - just quick pecks. I don't recall how old I was when that stopped but it did at some point and my own kids have never had to deal with any such confusion, you rest assured. For whatever reason, though, when I WAS little, I didn't think it strange at all. Hindsight sees it differently.
One of, if not THE greatest Christmas genre movies of all times. Certainly the one with the most serious message. Thank you for reviewing it. I like when your tender side shows. BissFlix? Hmmm...
Uncle BIlly was a scatter brain with a drinking problem....so when he counted the $ in the bank and then lost it in that newspaper 5 minutes later but had no recollection of when he had it last made perfect sense for the story.
For older classics, I recommend "Boys Town" 1938, "The Grapes of Wrath" 1940, "Sahara" 1943, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" 1947, "The African Queen" 1951, "Bad Day at Black Rock" 1955, "Fail-Safe" 1964. "Lifeboat" 1944, "The Flight of the Phoenix" 1965. "The Spirit of St. Louis" 1957.
20:14 Interesting filming fact here. In those days the cameras were too big and heavy to move around so if they wanted a close up they had the actor walk up to the camera.
This is genuinely my favorite Christmas movie. And there’s no Santa, or reindeer, or sleigh. Just that beautiful wisdom: family, friends & love are the most wonderful wealth.
Lionel Barrymore who played Old man Potter is the great uncle to actress Drew Barrymore. The man who played Nick the Bartender is Sheldon Leonard who later went on to produce the Dick Van Dyke Show in the 1960's. Merry Christmas to you and your family and God bless!
I didn't think I could ever separate Lionel Barrymore from the character of Mr. Potter, until I saw him in Key Largo, where he plays a very sympathetic older man who lost a son in WWII.
Wow, Miss Biss, Louis Armstrong and now Jimmy Stewart! A good day for the classics. So glad you enjoyed this. It's a keeper, isn't it? Thank you for sharing it with us. Merry Christmas to you too. 🌲🎁 🎀😊
Maybe it depends where you come from. My mother's family from Romania never kissed each other on the lips, but my father's german family did it. Actually, I'm finding it weird, too.
Not in my family. My parents were born in the 30's and while my mother was comforting, it was always just a kiss on the cheek at most. I called my father "Sir" and the most I ever received from him as far as physical affection goes was a firm hand shake. That said, I've never questioned if either loved me and would never change my childhood for one with the average parents of today.
"Personal space " has made us WORSE human beings. We, as society, have become much more anti-social and this increases stress and depression incidents.
When Uncle Billy walked away drunk and tripped over the trash cans off camera (22:00) what you heard was the actor accidentally tripping over the lights on set, but his ad lib ("I'm all right!") was great and they kept the scene in.
Actually it wasn't the actor but a stage hand that dropped a tray of props and the actor improvised. You can actually see Jimmy Stewart start to laugh. The director later gave that hand a bonus for improving the audio
My parents hometown still has a drug store with a soda fountain. I used to walk from my grandparents house when I was little with my cousins…so many good memories even though were are 30 now it still hits 😊
The term "Soda Jerk" is not a pun. The old fountains required a good bit of force to use, frequently needing to be "jerked" to operate, hence the name "Soda Jerk".
It's a message about the great value of being a good person -- that, even if you don't always see direct evidence of it, being good spreads goodness throughout others. In this case we saw that he spread so much goodness that it ultimately flooded back upon himself. We all secretly know this, and this movie puts it right out there for everyone to see. We all want happiness, and this shows us that spreading goodness to all those around us is the most direct way to have happiness -- while simultaneously also CREATES happiness for others, too.
Our elementary school teacher taught us this technique. Nowadays you can wear a rubber-band around your wrist or hold a small object in your hand to remind yourself that there is something you need to. And it does work.
Great reaction M@d@lin@! Enjoy your uploads. This is one of the truly classic Christmas movies. It is shown every year on different TV formats. Keep-up the good work. 👍👸❤
I saw your first reaction to the name of Mr. Potter and that seemed to be one of joy because of Harry Potter and I knew that would change once you realized he was the bad guy. I had the opposite reactions when I heard of Harry Potter, because this is the "Potter" I knew of when I was growing up in the 60s. I hope you have a good Christmas and a prosperous new year.
It is alright to cry Miss Biss ! I am 66 and have seen this movie over 3 dozen times, still cry at the end, crying right now with you! It just means you have a good heart. I would be more worried if you did NOT cry. Thank you for another wonderful reaction. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.
Your reaction was beautiful and heart warming Biss! I love this old classic as it brings out the best in people, in the movie that is. Merry Christmas Bisscutie ❤
You're rich...you have friends!!! Thank you so much for your channel, and letting us share it with you! God bless you and yours! I pray that you'll have a very Merry Christmas, and a very, very Happy New Year, for you and all your loved ones!!
You look buitiful biss, This is a time less classic, loved your reaction & your happy tears, your a wonderful person, and have awonderful life, God bless you & have a merry Christmas ❤😊
Omigosh, I’m clicking “like” immediately. One of my favorite reactors, watching my favorite Christmas film! Really hope you enjoy this, glad you’re running the original version, it’s so much more powerful in black & white. The scene in the bar, when George is at the end of his rope…the emotion on Jimmy Stewart’s face…as he pleads with God, one of the best scenes in cinema. (Please do more classic films Biss, would love to hear your thoughts) -Merry Christmas, God bless!! ❤
In the scene where the old pharmacist smacks George's ear, that's real blood. The actor accidentally hit the kid so hard, it damaged his ear drum. Frank Capra kept the footage in the movie because it felt raw and realistic.
I was sceptical - as I am with a lot of "it happened for real" movie trivia - but looked it up, and it's true according to an obituary for the child actor (Robert J. Anderson) in the LA Times.
To make the plot work, they had to have a crisis for the Building and Loan. Potter keeping the money misplaced by George's uncle showed just how evil and ruthless Potter was, and because of this crisis, George was pushed to the limits of his sanity. You have to have the down, the negative, so the hero can get redeemed and overcome the financial disaster in the end. The happy ending was set up by the Potter evil deeds. That's why the movie is a 5 STAR MASTERPIECE.
The absolute best Christmas film ever. Hands down. I've watched it countless times, the final message gets me through each year. Did you notice it NEVER snows in Pottersville ? Yes you can see it on the ground but look when George is begging to Clarence that he wants to live again - the moment it starts to snow is when you know he's back in good old Bedford Falls. The snow was a new development for the film too. Capra wanted to use live sound for the close up scenes so the usual Hollywood method - cornflakes bleached or painted in white was out as clearly any walking nearby would create unwanted sound so the special effects team came up with a brand new method. There was actually a record heatwave going on whilst the film was being made ! The Raven that Uncle Billy owns is called 'Jimmy'. He starred in 1000+ films and was quite the star - insured for the equivalent of thousands of dollars today. He's actually the 'crow' that lands on the Scarecrow in 'The Wizard of Oz'. Capra found a part for him in every film he made after 1938. Speaking of Uncle Billy, in the scene where he leaves the frame and there's a crash, a set hand dropped some equipment accidentally and the look of concern from Jimmy Stewart was genuine. Some say 'Uncle Billy' improvised the cry that he was alright, others say it was dubbed on in post. But the crash is genuine and unscripted. Jimmy Stewart was still suffering with PTSD from his WW2 service and credits this movie experience as being therapeutic. In particular, in the prayer scene it wasn't scripted for him to cry and they weren't really setup for a close up to really capture the emotion. Capra knew he couldn't replicate the emotion in a reshoot so he decided to go with the original footage and zoomed in on the negative for the final cut of the film. If you look, it looks grainier because of that but Capra thought it worked in bringing more emotion and it was certainly better than asking Jimmy to go again. Stewart is one of my favourite actors and even more so when you see this performance. So glad new generations are still enjoying this classic - and in black and white as it should be ! I will watch again- on Christmas Eve as is my tradition along with 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' and I will cry like a baby just like I always do. Being a 53 year old guy doesn't change that such is the power of this movie. Jimmy Stewart said it was his favorite and who are we to argue.
I LOVED this reaction! It's almost 80 years old, but so very important to all of us here today. As I've gotten older, gotten married, had kids, gotten close to retirement, I can sympathize with all of the phases George goes through. I get teary-eyed every single time I watch the ending. Amazing Movie.
picketing means: A worker or group of workers who protest outside a building to prevent other workers from going inside, especially due to a disagreement with their employers.
Hey Biss, great reaction.This is one of the most important films ever made - never under-estimate our impact, on other people's lives - you'll never know the difference you make, so try to make a good impact. :)
Bedford Falls was modeled after a real town in central NY state, Seneca Falls. I've lived relatively near by for most of my life. Pretty little town. During the filming, Jimmy Stewart was suffering from severe PTSD from his time in WW2 as a bomber pilot and commanding officer. A lot of the raw emotion he puts out is due in part to that, and it's haunting. At 21:37 the crashing noises you hear weren't intentional, someone on the set accidentally knocked some things over, but it fit so they kept it in the film.
I love seeing people watch this for the first time and get emotional at the end. It's just wonderful and gives me a little faith in mankind and hope for a better future - that everyone will have - a wonderful life!
Thank you for appreciating this movie. Although so many of us are now lost in our own self-important, over-indulgent aspirations, caught up in what we think we want and how to get it, the messages here still represent a guideline to a fulfilling and happy life. “I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to having it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor - such is my idea of happiness. And then, on top of all that, you for a mate, and children, perhaps - what more can the heart of a man desire?” - Leo Tolstoy
Evidently I haven't been watching your channel enough. Love love the "Prick O Meter". So some interesting facts about this movie; Jimmy Stewart (George Bailey) was a B-24 Bomber pilot in Europe during WWII. This movie didn't do well when it first came out. Then in the 1970s a mistake was made and the copyright was let to expire. So tv stations could air it without having to pay the copyright fee. So it was on tv a lot and became really popular. Great reaction. I love all the little facial expressions you make.
No less than a minute ago before clicking on the UA-cam homepage I said "We're getting down to the wire (to Christmas). Somebody has to watch "It's a Wonderful Life". Literally a few seconds later I see Biss' vid uploaded 6 minutes ago. I got my beer next to me and am getting ready to enjoy the reaction.
Always great to see another person enjoying this film. I watch this at least once a year to reset my soul and mind. If I don't see anything else from you this year, Bisscutie, a very happy holidays to you! xx
I'm 70 and I've watched this film virtually every year for at least the last 40 years. I always see my 38 year old daughter at Christmas and we watch Its a Wonderful Life together. We watched it in a small cinema in London on Christmas Eve last year! It's very special to share this beautiful film with her. Easily my favourite Christmas film, with such a sentimental story with a great message. Happy Christmas!!
Love, love, LOVE this movie. Funny thing is that when it came out in '46, it didn't get much attention. But they forgot to renew the copyright so local tv stations could play the movie for free. (Eventually they copyrighted the music.) I remember seeing it on off-hours and watched it several times over the course of years, but it didn't make much of an impact on me at first. Only slowly did I appreciate it for the masterpiece it is. One of my most favorite movies now.
Bisscute, loved your reaction..my first time seeing IAWL I was 10 tears old...now I am 70...watching people get teary makes me teary. We all share the same feelings about life, it's a wonderful gift. Merry Christmas..Feliz Navidad.....a fan from Texas
Virginia Patton who played Ruth Baily (Harry's wife) died on August 18, 2022, at age 97. She was the last surviving ADULT cast member of It's a Wonderful Life
Yes, and she was Gen George Pattons niece. Three of the Bailey children are still alive. Sam Wainright (Frank Albertson) was the guy w the $$ in Psycho.
The movie is cursed. So tragic what has happened to the cast, how do we stop this?
Wow, I didn't know that. I thought she was drop-dead gorgeous too!
Ruth Dakin BAILEY!
I always laughed at how she said that. Well, I guess it was great, because she was always remembered for that line.
tying string to your finger was to help a person remember important things.
It's like the Remembeal in The 1st Harry Potter film.
Crazy how things that everyone knows for generations vanish overnight. Every kid in the 80's still knew about this. I guess shame on us because I had a few of my kiddos before the 90's were over and I don't know for sure if they would all remember me teaching them about it today
The old school way of texting things to yourself! :)
Drug stores and pharmacies often had soda fountains and were places for kids and teenagers to socialize. When I was a kid in the '60s you could still get a sundae or lunch at pharmacy counters.
As a kid, I remember going to the corner drugstore and having a fountain coke, Hostess cupcakes, and playing "Travelin' Man" on the jukebox. At that moment, the world was my oyster. : )
There were still a few around when I was a child in the 70s, maybe even the very early 80s.
There are still a few left scattered around the country.
I'm a 90s kid and still remember when Thrifty was a drug store/ ice cream shop and not just ice cream. I loved Thrifty, they sold a little bit of everything, even toys.
Correct. It was not a "bar". It was normal for drug stores to be multifunctional places back then and they were fun places to hang out in.
"Do you have any idea how long it takes a working man to save $5000?" This movie came out in 1946 and somehow that line hasn't aged a bit.
5000 dollars back then was like... 5002 dollars of todays money!
also, that 25,000 that was transferred by Sam would have been equivalent of approx. $435,000 in current funds.
Hello, it all could have been in silver dollars too.
And it's still very hard for a working man to save $5000😬
The equivalent amount of money in today's economy would be about seventeen times the amount mentioned....$5,000×17 would be almost $85,000 today.
I'm not crying, you're crying.
I love this film.
Am I the only person who doesn't like the movie. it's ok if you like It and I could see why but I have never liked the movie
Your "prickometer" has me in tears. hilarious!
Haha glad you like it
@@BissFlix ,
Have a Wonderrrrrrrrful Marrrrrry Chrrrrrist-mas & a Happy New Yearrrr, Biss !!!
Sincerrrely with Love,
Zrrrrrragonal
@@BissFlix Potter should have broken you Prick-o-meter lol.
Frank Capra, who directed this movie, came to America with his family as a poor Sicilian immigrant, and eventually went to Cal Tech, a very prestigious university, and became a movie director.
The character of Martini is in part his tribute to his family and heritage.
That raven which was Uncle Billy's pet was actually something of a star. "Jimmy" was a very well-trained bird--he appeared in the "Wizard of Oz" standing on the Scarecrow's shoulder, and in quite a few Hollywood films of the time
Uncle Billy tied strings around his fingers as a reminder to do particular tasks.
Thank you for explaining that. After all these years, there is still so much more to unpack in Its A Wonderful Life
@@LukeLovesRoseidk if I picked up the string thing from this movie as a kid or from family who would say "tie a string on your finger" as a reminder not to forget an important event in the schedule. I sometimes still use the method, along with writing abbreviations on the back of my left hand like a WW2 pilots notes.
@@DWmaniac4n6 I'm just saying that I've always wondered about it and now I know about the strings
@LukeLovesRose I know, I'm only sharing my story. I hope you didn't think I was talking down to you because that was not my intention.
@DWmaniac4n6 no. We're cool
Some historical events in the movie that give context:
Druggist's son dies of the flu: Spanish Flu worldwide pandemic of 1918 (made covid look like the sniffles)
Run on the bank: Beginning of the Great Depression
George's brother, war hero: WW2
Aside: James Stewart (George Bailey) was not only a great actor but was a bomber pilot in WW2 in Europe who led bombing raids over Germany. His final rank was Brigadier General (in Air Force Reserve).
Kansas flu.
I've read that he was also suffering from PTSD after the war when this movie was made. It made the stress he showed at Martini's more realistic!
Jimmy Stewart flew over 25 bombing missions over Europe, he saw many of his squadron mates blown up on missions against the Nazis. The scene in the bar brought up those memories when he asked God for help. PTSD was a real thing for anyone that one was in combat.
The run on the bank scene happens in 1932. The Great Depression started in 1929.
Most people living today cannot comprehend just how difficult life was for so many people for most of that period. People complain about Covid or the economy these days. America is paradise right now compared to The Great Depression and World War 2.
This movie was controversial when it came out, to say the least. A man showing his emotions in the manner George Bailey did was considered unmanly. Both Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart had come home from the war and were looking to restart their careers. Capra worked for the Signal Corps, creating the "Why We Fight" serials, the last of which wasn't released to the public until the 1970s due to the depictions of "shellshock" AKA PTSD. Stewart was a bomber pilot during the war. Despite the Army trying initially to just have him going around the country as a promotional person, he insisted on being in combat. For Bailey's emotional breakdown on the bridge, Stewart thought back to the traumatic experiences he had in the air of seeing comrades shot down to get in the right headspace for the scene. The film was a commercial flop; killed Liberty Studios, and practically ended Capra's career. It only became a "classic" once it entered the public domain, and TV stations played it for free in the 1960s.
Jimmy Stewart flew 20 missions and stayed in the Air Force Reserve after WWII, eventually becoming a Brigadier General in 1959. So he was still in the military when he made this film. His last combat mission was in 1966 as an observer on a B-52 bombing mission in Vietnam. He earned the Distinguished Service Medal.
Eddie Albert, another hero of WWII few know about
@@justwondering5651I believe he actually made from Buck Private all the way through to the rank of full bird Colonel in 4 years!!😮😮
Absolutely unheard of but that shows the kind of dedicated leader and heroic guy that he was!!
❤❤❤❤
@@csako2668 And Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in all of American history..all 5 foot 4 of him...with 241 enemy kills...who went on to have a 21 year acting career. with many wonderful films. Folks today know who Thanos is, and they worship Taylor Swift, but likely wouldn't Know Murphy from Adam...what a shame.
Just a slight correction. The last Capra war film was Know Your Enemy Japan and wasn't released because by that point the war was all but won (it was three days after Nagasaki) and it was seen as having the wrong tone as the US stance had shifted to negotiation. The PTSD film 'Let there be light' was by John Houston.
Sadly Its a Wonderful Life was a critical and box office failure and bankrupted Liberty Pictures and all but ended Capra's film career as he was so disillusioned that his own personal favourite of all his films wasn't well received.
Hi it’s not a bar, it’s a soda shop. Andtheguy making the sodas was called a soda jerk.
True, but soda shops were juvenile bars
the guy who opened the pool was Alfalfa in The Little Rascals
I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice Alfalfa
@@matthewcostello3530 the pool was not set created by the studio, it was real gymnasium with a pool under the hardwood basketball floor. It is located at Beverly Hills High School in California and it is still being used today.
I thought he looked familiar but I never would've guessed it was 'Alfalfa '. Thanks!
Also in White Christmas, his pic is shown when they refer to Benny Haynes, the brother of the Haynes Sisters.
Yup😂
Love your beauty, your smile, laugh and expressions, love your heartwarming reaction. Loving the way you react to Potter. I watch this every Christmas.
Some more historical context: My Grandmother was only a few years younger than Mary in this movie. She was a little girl during the Great Depression (and she grew up in the state of Kansas). She was a tiny person largely because she was starving as a child. My mom told me she never got meat as a child. The tiny bit of meat her family had only once a week went to her oldest brother (not the younger brothers, either, let alone her, the youngest and a girl) so he could work, this was in his early teens, as well. People were tiny in the past for a very clear reason.
"Tiny" or "big" for body size are really all a matter of perspective. Laura Ingalls Wilder of "Little House on The Prairie" fame, was about 4'11 and so was Bonnie Parker of "Bonnie and Clyde" fame from the 1930s. Note that while people may have been relatively smaller in the past, they were also TOUGHER than most people are today. They could handle a great deal of physical hardship. I can't imagine most modern people with all their modern tech trying to get through life 100 years ago.
@@davestang5454 We're all wimps compared to our ancestors.
@@barreloffun10 Sort of... we carry the same genes and if pressed people nowadays can be quite tough. Remember our ancestors chased down gazelles through the stepps for 30 miles a day to get a kill... that DNA is in our genetic makeup.
@@davestang5454 You are so true. I was mowing our family's lawn at age 8, had a "paper route" at the same age. My money earned was used for my school clothes.
you have to love a good Jimmy Stewart movie.
Sadly we're in a world of Potters, and not enough George Bailey's.
Maybe you should try to be George Bailey to those around you instead of wishing someone else would.
@@MarcosElMalo2 took the words right out of my mouth....be the miracle :)
if uncle billy didn't lose that money there'd be no movie. so her motive for down-grading the movie isn't valid. this film flopped at the box office but regained interest due to its appearance on tv in the 60s. frank capra, the producer and director of the film, forgot to renew the copyright meaning tv stations could show the film without paying royalities. i turned so many people onto this film i lost count. i've turned a lot of people onto a lot of great films and great music. personally, i could use clarence AND FRIENDS right about now. the reason this film carries such an emotional impact is because its a fantasy. it depicts the world as it should be. we all hope our family and friends will come through for us in our times of need - BUT THEY NEVER DO! THAT'S REALITY!
@@cjmacq-vg8um It's really not that great of a movie. It's kinda slow paced and boring. However, the ending is so great, that it truly pays off the time vested into the film. I'm on the tough guy side, but the ending makes even me tear up. I think we could all take stock of ourselves and realize that we HAVE impacted others and the world around us.
@@mikeshoe74 ... i disagree that the movie is boring. i think it is a great film. but i'm a huge fan of frank capra films in general. he's one of hollywood's best directors. his films are mainly fantasies. he shows us how the world could be... how it SHOULD BE rather than how it really is. they inspire me to be a better person and make my life stand for something beyond myself! "its a wonderful life" (1947) is very reminiscent of his 1932 depression themed film "american madness." but the latter has no angel in it and no devine intervention.
but "its a wonderful life" is more than just about some fantasy karma where one is eventually repaid for the good he's done for others. its also about others who TRULY appreciate a man's kindness and repays him in kind. it shows the audience how they should react to kindness not just that being kind, itself, is a good thing. you're supposed to be kind to those who're kind to you. it'd be a much better world if we followed the example of george bailey's friends and not just george bailey.
"Picketing" is demonstrating with a sign, typically walking back and forth in front of a business or institution you are protesting.
I thought I'd check before answering her question. I see you beat me by five hours. 🙂
In this case, it's also a pun because Mary has a picket fence.
And I believe the term “picketing” for protesting came about because the wood sticks they used for the signs were the same or similar to ones they used for picket fences. Someone correct me if I’m wrong 😅
I somehow knew Biss would be just about the only reactor to understand that scene with George and Mary taking to Sam on the phone and George grabs and shakes Mary before they break down and kiss. God bless Bisscute’s Romanian heart ;)
Yes. I've seen so many other younger reactors not get that scene at all, just triggered by it! Sigh.....
That was, apparently, the first scene that Stewart filmed for the movie. Knowing that he had just gotten out of the Army Air Force (where he flew something like 50 combat missions), so Frank Capra told him not to worry to much about it, he was going to run the camera, but to just consider it practice. The emotion that virtually exploded out of him was NOT in the script and straight up scared both Capra and the actress who played Mary. Capra didn't bother filming a second take.
And yet she is triggered by the guy giving his mother a peck on the lips.
@@LordBrian-PD I know...a bit odd; the off kilter reaction, that is
All the Eastern European women get it 😂
As someone who suffers from depression, I will say this Biscute….your videos make me very happy, and I enjoy them very much. Thank you, I felt like I watched a film, with a dear friend. Thank you! Much love.
Please look into Hardy Nutritionals, they are almost miraculous for brain health, if your issue is physical, which most mood issues are.
Look into Hardy Nutritionals, they are almost miraculous for mood issues, if your depression is physical, which most mood issues are.
Bisscute you are a real gift Happy Holidays from Canada
One thing I like about this film is how happy people get when they see their friends doing well. For instance we see Violet at George and Mary's wedding and she is very happy for them even though she was in love with George in the past. Sam Wainwright, who some people mistakenly think is trying to steal Mary from George, is actually a true life-long friend.
The strings on Uncle Billy's fingers is a trick our teacher taught us in elementary school to not forget things.
. People living their lives with an unselfish attitude. Sam Wainwright, while rich and successful , envies the life George leads. While he seems to be appears to be making fun of George, he really thinks George is a great person.
The copyright on this movie expired, so in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Any TV station could broadcast it. Americans could watch it twenty times on TV in December. Every station showed it multiple times. No telling how many times most of us have seen it over and over again. It is now part of America’s soul.
Which is fortunate because originally the response to this film was that it was much too depressing.
@@glenncabacungan9269 When I saw it as a 10 year old I thought it was really depressing. I also didn't understand all the financial talk as a kid. Today, as an adult, this film is in my top 20.
I read once that, despite not being a huge hit when it was first released, it became a perennial Christmas "classic" in the 80's because (as you said) it could be aired repeatedly without having to pay royalties, but also that the major networks were looking for something they could cheaply air during one of the seasons the NFL was on strike.
As definitive American mythos it's right up there with Huck Finn
The bank failed, meaning it ran out of money, so it calls in it's outstanding loans to cover it's debt. A "run on the bank" is literally everyone running to get their money out before it shuts down. This happened a lot in the Great Depression (1929 to 1939). The US banking system itself collapsed in 1933. George runs a building an loan at lower % rates for lower income people who can't get a regular bank loan or mortgage, they had to give back the cash they had to meet the agreement with the bank.
For the rock throwing scene, a Foley artist was standing by to make the sound of breaking glass glass in case Donna Reed didn't hit the window. Reed played softball in college and she hit the window on the first try.
In older, unrestored prints, George's closeup at the bar appears grainier than other shots. The scene wasn't originally filmed as a closeup, but Capra was so impressed by Stewart's acting that he had those frames of the film individually enlarged.
It is said that Jimmy was experiencing PTSD, this was his first movie since he had just returned from duty flying combat missions in Europe. Stewart was affected by doing emotional scenes
She never played softball at Los Angeles City College. She played softball for her high school in Denison, Iowa.
@@zedwpd Really? I read college somewhere. Oh well.
One of the best movies, really tugs at the heart strings. My Christmas wish is for Biss to get 100k subs :). Picketing is what people do when they are on strike. They walk back and forth obstructing the entrance to a business.
Biss, your reaction to this wonderful film is a gift! 🎁🎄😊
I've probably watched this movie 100 times. It's my #1 Christmas movie. I still cry every time I watch it, including during this reaction. If this movie doesn't make you cry, there's something seriously wrong with you. Great reaction! You are a sweet young lady. Merry Christmas!
great edit of important context of story line. luved it. thanx for review and to yours.merry x mas.
You are one of the reason I watch reaction videos. I like honest reactions that I compare with my own reactions to the movie we're watching. I don't watch reactions unless I have heard or seen it myself before hand. The best movies are those that hit all your emotions, over whelm you and completely leave you in awe. Some are great for simply pulling heart strings and completely entertaining you. Thank you for your reaction videos. Merry Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year....
Lionel Barrymore played Mr. Potter. He's the grand uncle of the actress Drew Barrymore.
And is from a very long family history of actors.
John Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore and yes Drew
My oldest sister loved James Stewart so much, she named her only son after him....one of the greatest figures in the history of all cinema. One could, literally, watch every one of his 80 films and love them all, unabashedly....one of my personal favorites is the 1965 Civil War movie 'Shenandoah'. This film hits a little close to home for me...the year I graduated from college my grandfather passed and my Nan, subsequently, took to the bed, where she stayed the rest of her days...i took care of her all through my twenties, into my early 30s. Like George, I watched my friends/peers move on without me, so I can relate to his situation...But, my Nan was the person I was closest to in this world, and I do it all again in a heartbeat....Never travelled outside my province, never been on a plane, train, ship, subway...but I still walked away with the best life had to offer...NOTHING could replace that time with her.
Beautiful!!! ❤ Merry Christmas!!! 🎄🎅🥂
I've seen a number of reactors from outside the U.S. that the reactors have had the same aversion to the "mouth-kissing parts of the Mom and the Son" [49:47] (reacting to this movie and others .. with like scenes of mothers and sons or fathers and daughters kissing on the mouth to greet or part ways). I get it. In the U.S., I'm aware that some families do this and others do not. Its neither normal nor abnormal. My family is one that does. It may help to know that there's one category of kiss for family and another for significant others. If anybody wants to help with further explaining the difference, please chime in.
I think it is just a habit kind of thing. In my family, like in all families, as children we kissed our parents and grandparents on the mouth. As we grew older it moved to cheek, and then to not really at all. The last time I kissed my father was on the forehead as he lay dying. Before that, it had been years since I had kissed him. (I kind of regret that.) I have two grand babies of the same age, one has moved to cheek kissing, while one still aims her snotty nose to the mouth. My youngest grandson has finally moved to the cheek and my four oldest grandkids have finally stopped kissing at all. Thankfully, they still have a hug for their old grandma. Hahaha. Why and when it changes for some and others it does not, I do not know. I can't even tell you why I ever stopped kissing my parents at all. It just happens for some and others it does not. But I don't think anything of it when I see adults kiss their parents on the lips. It is just something that stayed with them. And that's alright. It doesn't strike me as anything untoward. It's habit. It's like saying "I love you" to your loved ones before hanging up the phone or saying goodbye. It has become such a habit that you will accidentally say it to strangers when you say goodbye to them. Also, I watch a lot of foreign shows. It is nothing to see people in those shows kiss each other on the cheek when they meet each other. An odd custom to us Americans. But I can assume they find it an odd custom that we embrace each other in a hug when we meet. Kiss on the lips or not. As long as a family loves each other, who cares how they show their affection? Love is all that matters. And it is a beautiful thing.
I never kissed or was kissed on the lips by my Mom. I understand older generations may have, but I don't recall any late Boomer like me experiencing that.
I was born in the 70s and my grandma on my mom’s side of family kissed on the mouth. My dad’s side didn’t though. So while it certainly was a thing in that generation in the U.S. to kiss kids and grandchildren as a sign of affection , it did vary depending on the family.
@@balzacfaraday
Swapping spit.
For me it was to do with age. When I was a prepubescent kid, I used to kiss both my parents like that. But about the time I was in middle school I just stopped.
And now I have a baby son and my wife and I kiss him. (Though I do it far less cause he drools, lol!)
Thanks!
This movie must be watched every Christmas. It is a classic. I have probably watched it too many times to remember how many.
Even Christmas Eve
47:13 The Biss Nose Wiggle Maneuver! A futile attempt to prevent the Crying Face. 😉😉
This movie is over 80 years old and still holds ups and the lessons it teaches are needed for all of us.We all must make our lives count for something and never take it for granted.
You should see the classic comedy called "Harvey," which also stars Jimmy Stewart. That movie is referenced in pop culture to this day, though most young people don't know it.
It also almost feels like a Frank Capra film, especially with the fast paced and snappy dialog.
As far as mother and son kissing, you have to remember this was a far different time. People were fundamentally more innocent and wholesome. They did not think of that as inappropriate. My parents and us kids did that and thought nothing of it. It's sad the loss of innocence and wholesomeness of today. Watching a film from 1946 through the lens of 2024 so much is missed and lost. That's the price of allowing the "I Feel" movement, people totally controlled by their feelings and such entitlement expecting the entire world to conform to their 'feelings' obviously having been raised with no protection of the innocent of a child, exposing them to far too many things even adults have no business letting into their lives. We thought nothing of it ever, it was just affection, nothing more. I'm so glad I lived back then. Today too many of the last couple of generations were robbed of so much.
25:59 The great depression. The Great Depression had many causes, including the stock market crash of 1929, the Dust Bowl, and the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.
22:00 - I completely understand your expression. All I can think is that it used to be a lot more common for parents to kiss their children on the lips (here in the U.S., anyway) because that's also how MY family was when I was little. NO TONGUES, obviously. lol. And no lingering, either - just quick pecks. I don't recall how old I was when that stopped but it did at some point and my own kids have never had to deal with any such confusion, you rest assured. For whatever reason, though, when I WAS little, I didn't think it strange at all. Hindsight sees it differently.
One of, if not THE greatest Christmas genre movies of all times. Certainly the one with the most serious message. Thank you for reviewing it. I like when your tender side shows. BissFlix? Hmmm...
Uncle BIlly was a scatter brain with a drinking problem....so when he counted the $ in the bank and then lost it in that newspaper 5 minutes later but had no recollection of when he had it last made perfect sense for the story.
For older classics, I recommend "Boys Town" 1938, "The Grapes of Wrath" 1940, "Sahara" 1943, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" 1947, "The African Queen" 1951, "Bad Day at Black Rock" 1955, "Fail-Safe" 1964. "Lifeboat" 1944, "The Flight of the Phoenix" 1965. "The Spirit of St. Louis" 1957.
Jimmy Stewart starred in The Flight of the Phoenix and The Spirit of St Louis.
Absolutely special, beautiful reaction to a special, beautiful movie! Thank you, Bisscute!
20:14 Interesting filming fact here. In those days the cameras were too big and heavy to move around so if they wanted a close up they had the actor walk up to the camera.
Beautiful and Emotional movie. Nice reaction Biss
"Yourrrr mo-neeeey!" Bisscute, your voice and reaction when Uncle Billy handed Potter the newspaper had me rolling.
😂
This is genuinely my favorite Christmas movie. And there’s no Santa, or reindeer, or sleigh. Just that beautiful wisdom: family, friends & love are the most wonderful wealth.
You should never be ashamed of crying when something touches you it’s proof that you have a good heart ❤❤❤
Lionel Barrymore who played Old man Potter is the great uncle to actress Drew Barrymore. The man who played Nick the Bartender is Sheldon Leonard who later went on to produce the Dick Van Dyke Show in the 1960's.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and God bless!
this time I think I placed the guy whose tree George hit.. as the voice of the apple tree in wizard of oz - check it out and see if you agree
I didn't think I could ever separate Lionel Barrymore from the character of Mr. Potter, until I saw him in Key Largo, where he plays a very sympathetic older man who lost a son in WWII.
Wow, Miss Biss, Louis Armstrong and now Jimmy Stewart! A good day for the classics. So glad you enjoyed this. It's a keeper, isn't it? Thank you for sharing it with us. Merry Christmas to you too. 🌲🎁 🎀😊
The star of this movie was just out of WWII and was a real heroic pilot. He almost certainly had PTSD while filming this
Kissing your parents on the lips was normal back then. And also it was normal when i was a kid in the 70s 😊
Maybe it depends where you come from. My mother's family from Romania never kissed each other on the lips, but my father's german family did it. Actually, I'm finding it weird, too.
Not in my family. My parents were born in the 30's and while my mother was comforting, it was always just a kiss on the cheek at most. I called my father "Sir" and the most I ever received from him as far as physical affection goes was a firm hand shake. That said, I've never questioned if either loved me and would never change my childhood for one with the average parents of today.
In films made in the thirties it's common to see parents kiss their kids on the lips.
Biss would be shocked at Richard Dawson kissing strangers from age 12-80 on Family Feud.
"Personal space " has made us WORSE human beings. We, as society, have become much more anti-social and this increases stress and depression incidents.
When Uncle Billy walked away drunk and tripped over the trash cans off camera (22:00) what you heard was the actor accidentally tripping over the lights on set, but his ad lib ("I'm all right!") was great and they kept the scene in.
Actually it wasn't the actor but a stage hand that dropped a tray of props and the actor improvised. You can actually see Jimmy Stewart start to laugh. The director later gave that hand a bonus for improving the audio
loved this movie so much
Soda fountains were common in drug stores a long time ago. I was a soda jerk (a pun on soda clerk) in high school to get gas money.
My parents hometown still has a drug store with a soda fountain. I used to walk from my grandparents house when I was little with my cousins…so many good memories even though were are 30 now it still hits 😊
@@216pink cherry cokes
@@Dave-hb7lx Vanilla Pepsi
I thought 'jerk' meant to..like, jerk the soda handle back to dispense the soda water
The term "Soda Jerk" is not a pun. The old fountains required a good bit of force to use, frequently needing to be "jerked" to operate, hence the name "Soda Jerk".
We can all be an influence for good or evil in people's lives whether we realize it or not. Love your prickometer. Merry Christmas.
It's a message about the great value of being a good person -- that, even if you don't always see direct evidence of it, being good spreads goodness throughout others. In this case we saw that he spread so much goodness that it ultimately flooded back upon himself. We all secretly know this, and this movie puts it right out there for everyone to see. We all want happiness, and this shows us that spreading goodness to all those around us is the most direct way to have happiness -- while simultaneously also CREATES happiness for others, too.
Tying a string on a finger was for forgetful people to remind you to do something, after doing whatever it was you would remove the string
Our elementary school teacher taught us this technique. Nowadays you can wear a rubber-band around your wrist or hold a small object in your hand to remind yourself that there is something you need to. And it does work.
I write a note and take a picture of it
Of course, the problem is that the string doesn't tell you what it was you were supposed to remember. That's still up to your poor, sluggish brain.
This is a classic movie and I probably only watched it once in my life😅great reaction Biss I do appreciate a good black and white film❤
Kissing parents and family on the lips was very common through the 60s some families it's still somewhat common.
Great reaction M@d@lin@! Enjoy your uploads. This is one of the truly classic Christmas movies. It is shown every year on different TV formats. Keep-up the good work. 👍👸❤
Merry Christmas and Happy New Years. ❤
I saw your first reaction to the name of Mr. Potter and that seemed to be one of joy because of Harry Potter and I knew that would change once you realized he was the bad guy. I had the opposite reactions when I heard of Harry Potter, because this is the "Potter" I knew of when I was growing up in the 60s. I hope you have a good Christmas and a prosperous new year.
You tried not to cry but this movie gets EVERYONE by the end. Now who's cutting those onions under my eyes? Subscribed.
It is alright to cry Miss Biss ! I am 66 and have seen this movie over 3 dozen times, still cry at the end, crying right now with you! It just means you have a good heart. I would be more worried if you did NOT cry. Thank you for another wonderful reaction. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.
Amazon got hold of this most-wonderful film , & they cut all meaningful pieces out , & have made a mockery of a grand film
Your reaction was beautiful and heart warming Biss! I love this old classic as it brings out the best in people, in the movie that is. Merry Christmas Bisscutie ❤
You're rich...you have friends!!! Thank you so much for your channel, and letting us share it with you! God bless you and yours! I pray that you'll have a very Merry Christmas, and a very, very Happy New Year, for you and all your loved ones!!
You look buitiful biss, This is a time less classic, loved your reaction & your happy tears, your a wonderful person, and have awonderful life, God bless you & have a merry Christmas ❤😊
Omigosh, I’m clicking “like” immediately. One of my favorite reactors, watching my favorite Christmas film! Really hope you enjoy this, glad you’re running the original version, it’s so much more powerful in black & white. The scene in the bar, when George is at the end of his rope…the emotion on Jimmy Stewart’s face…as he pleads with God, one of the best scenes in cinema. (Please do more classic films Biss, would love to hear your thoughts) -Merry Christmas, God bless!! ❤
In the scene where the old pharmacist smacks George's ear, that's real blood. The actor accidentally hit the kid so hard, it damaged his ear drum.
Frank Capra kept the footage in the movie because it felt raw and realistic.
I was sceptical - as I am with a lot of "it happened for real" movie trivia - but looked it up, and it's true according to an obituary for the child actor (Robert J. Anderson) in the LA Times.
To make the plot work, they had to have a crisis for the Building and Loan. Potter keeping the money misplaced by George's uncle showed just how evil and ruthless Potter was, and because of this crisis, George was pushed to the limits of his sanity. You have to have the down, the negative, so the hero can get redeemed and overcome the financial disaster in the end. The happy ending was set up by the Potter evil deeds.
That's why the movie is a 5 STAR MASTERPIECE.
The absolute best Christmas film ever. Hands down. I've watched it countless times, the final message gets me through each year. Did you notice it NEVER snows in Pottersville ? Yes you can see it on the ground but look when George is begging to Clarence that he wants to live again - the moment it starts to snow is when you know he's back in good old Bedford Falls. The snow was a new development for the film too. Capra wanted to use live sound for the close up scenes so the usual Hollywood method - cornflakes bleached or painted in white was out as clearly any walking nearby would create unwanted sound so the special effects team came up with a brand new method. There was actually a record heatwave going on whilst the film was being made !
The Raven that Uncle Billy owns is called 'Jimmy'. He starred in 1000+ films and was quite the star - insured for the equivalent of thousands of dollars today. He's actually the 'crow' that lands on the Scarecrow in 'The Wizard of Oz'. Capra found a part for him in every film he made after 1938. Speaking of Uncle Billy, in the scene where he leaves the frame and there's a crash, a set hand dropped some equipment accidentally and the look of concern from Jimmy Stewart was genuine. Some say 'Uncle Billy' improvised the cry that he was alright, others say it was dubbed on in post. But the crash is genuine and unscripted.
Jimmy Stewart was still suffering with PTSD from his WW2 service and credits this movie experience as being therapeutic. In particular, in the prayer scene it wasn't scripted for him to cry and they weren't really setup for a close up to really capture the emotion. Capra knew he couldn't replicate the emotion in a reshoot so he decided to go with the original footage and zoomed in on the negative for the final cut of the film. If you look, it looks grainier because of that but Capra thought it worked in bringing more emotion and it was certainly better than asking Jimmy to go again. Stewart is one of my favourite actors and even more so when you see this performance.
So glad new generations are still enjoying this classic - and in black and white as it should be ! I will watch again- on Christmas Eve as is my tradition along with 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' and I will cry like a baby just like I always do. Being a 53 year old guy doesn't change that such is the power of this movie. Jimmy Stewart said it was his favorite and who are we to argue.
Thank you for your wonderful reaction. Merry Christmas!
I LOVED this reaction! It's almost 80 years old, but so very important to all of us here today. As I've gotten older, gotten married, had kids, gotten close to retirement, I can sympathize with all of the phases George goes through. I get teary-eyed every single time I watch the ending. Amazing Movie.
picketing means: A worker or group of workers who protest outside a building to prevent other workers from going inside, especially due to a disagreement with their employers.
That joke flew by really quickly, thanks for pointing it out. That's actually a really funny line on Mary's part.
Hey Biss, great reaction.This is one of the most important films ever made - never under-estimate our impact, on other people's lives - you'll never know the difference you make, so try to make a good impact. :)
Bedford Falls was modeled after a real town in central NY state, Seneca Falls. I've lived relatively near by for most of my life. Pretty little town.
During the filming, Jimmy Stewart was suffering from severe PTSD from his time in WW2 as a bomber pilot and commanding officer. A lot of the raw emotion he puts out is due in part to that, and it's haunting.
At 21:37 the crashing noises you hear weren't intentional, someone on the set accidentally knocked some things over, but it fit so they kept it in the film.
I love seeing people watch this for the first time and get emotional at the end. It's just wonderful and gives me a little faith in mankind and hope for a better future - that everyone will have - a wonderful life!
Thank you for appreciating this movie. Although so many of us are now lost in our own self-important, over-indulgent aspirations, caught up in what we think we want and how to get it, the messages here still represent a guideline to a fulfilling and happy life.
“I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to having it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor - such is my idea of happiness. And then, on top of all that, you for a mate, and children, perhaps - what more can the heart of a man desire?” - Leo Tolstoy
Such wise words from Tolstoy. Thanks for sharing. I have never read that before but I do remember hearing such thoughts about or from him.
Picketing is like people going on strike carrying signs, but they stand outside of the workplace trying to stop people from going into the building.
A very fun reaction Bisscute, much Love to you and Happy Holidays!
Love you, Biss. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Evidently I haven't been watching your channel enough. Love love the "Prick O Meter". So some interesting facts about this movie; Jimmy Stewart (George Bailey) was a B-24 Bomber pilot in Europe during WWII. This movie didn't do well when it first came out. Then in the 1970s a mistake was made and the copyright was let to expire. So tv stations could air it without having to pay the copyright fee. So it was on tv a lot and became really popular. Great reaction. I love all the little facial expressions you make.
She is absolutely beautiful thanks 😊 for the reaction ❤
16:35 - actress Donna Reed really threw that rock and broke the glass; she was a good shot!
No less than a minute ago before clicking on the UA-cam homepage I said "We're getting down to the wire (to Christmas). Somebody has to watch "It's a Wonderful Life". Literally a few seconds later I see Biss' vid uploaded 6 minutes ago. I got my beer next to me and am getting ready to enjoy the reaction.
I did the exact same thing! Lol
Always great to see another person enjoying this film. I watch this at least once a year to reset my soul and mind. If I don't see anything else from you this year, Bisscutie, a very happy holidays to you! xx
I'm 70 and I've watched this film virtually every year for at least the last 40 years. I always see my 38 year old daughter at Christmas and we watch Its a Wonderful Life together. We watched it in a small cinema in London on Christmas Eve last year! It's very special to share this beautiful film with her. Easily my favourite Christmas film, with such a sentimental story with a great message. Happy Christmas!!
Love, love, LOVE this movie. Funny thing is that when it came out in '46, it didn't get much attention. But they forgot to renew the copyright so local tv stations could play the movie for free. (Eventually they copyrighted the music.) I remember seeing it on off-hours and watched it several times over the course of years, but it didn't make much of an impact on me at first. Only slowly did I appreciate it for the masterpiece it is. One of my most favorite movies now.
my favourite christmas film and my favourite youtube reactor.
christmas is early this year.
I LOVE this film, I'm in tears EVERY TIME ... Your reaction is awesome.... May I say a Merry Christmas and a Fabulous New Year to you my friend
Congrats on the promotion, Clarence!
Bisscute, loved your reaction..my first time seeing IAWL I was 10 tears old...now I am 70...watching people get teary makes me teary. We all share the same feelings about life, it's a wonderful gift. Merry Christmas..Feliz Navidad.....a fan from Texas
A Christmas classic. Merry Christmas Madalina. 🤍🎅❄️❄️❄️
😊😊❤❤ Thank you Biss.
Great reaction! Merry Christmas 🎄 and a Happy New Year! 🎆🧨