"Your Brother Harry Bailey broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of 9." was the most haunted line for me. George had spent his whole life helping others, but he was unable to save his own brother.
@@williamhaynes4800Well he DID save him, that's why him not being born changed things so drastically. If George hadn't been born he wouldn't have been there to save Harry.
The part that kills me personally, is when George in a fog of thought, asks so calmly, "...Clarence.. where's Mary?" As someone who truly loved a woman who wasn't loved enough in her own life. The unconditional love George feels at the thought of Mary being alone and unloved in his absence is a horrifying thing for any man who is not able to protect a woman he cares for.
Clarence: "Your brother, Harry Bailey, broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine." George Bailey: "That's a lie! Harry Bailey went to war! He got the Congressional Medal of Honor! He saved the lives of every man on that transport!" Clarence: "Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry.” I get a lump in my throat every time I see that scene.
@@theomnipotent3574 - Greetings and thank you for your very intriguing question. After reading your post I searched for that scene, and I got the impression that the other kids would have tried to save Harry but would have failed. When Harry broke through the ice, George immediately went to Harry as quickly as the slippery surface would allow and jumped into the ice before Harry could go under water; the other kids followed, but George made the first move without hesitation. This would have been critical because, upon further examination, there was a flowing current (apparently, the ice was on a river rather than a lake) and if Harry had been pulled under the ice, he would have been lost. Furthermore, the other kids - for lack of a better term - DID stand around until George called for them to form a human chain. They obviously wanted to save Harry and were brave enough to do it, but - as is often the case - under stress they all hesitated; they needed George to direct them. It's possible that I'm over analyzing this, but I don't think so, because remaining focused and clear-headed during a crisis was a trait that George frequently showed, and Potter went out of his way to complement George for it. Just my opinion. Again, thank you for your question.
Same here, Geoff. Once we remember how we touch each other's lives, THEN AND ONLY THEN DO WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR FREEDOM AGAIN IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN EACH OTHER'S LIVES.
Man, the music at 0:39 gets me every time. For anyone who has ever questioned their own existence and reason for living, it's a powerful realization for George. Amazing movie. Been crying through it my entire life. lol
It's a wonder, one could actually save a life of another person just by being alive themself; this portion of the film change my view of life totally when I seen it 22 years ago; my prayer life grew and I perceive life awhile in totally different way,, I am 59,, I was 27 years old when I seen this film from the 40's. amazing ,,,,became my favorite
It reminds me of the scene in While You Were Sleeping when Lucy tells Peter that he always gave her something to look forward to. Just seeing him daily and his selflessness on the train was heroic to her. He helped give her life purpose.
The point is George loves her so much that the thought of her not being taken care of and devoid of the happiness Mary radiated around her family. To be all alone and working a somewhat menail job to support herself in an Era where women generally worked in limited capacity.
George being shown 'Harry's grave' is pretty much taken from A Christmas Carol. For example like Tiny Tim, Harry dies in the alternate timeline and the 'grave' is like when Scrooge learns the man who died in the future was him. Similarly both George and Scrooge are given another chance at life and both each their own happy endings.
One mans actions can touch so many lives without him knowing it, that’s way it is of paramount importance to consider our actions both great and small, because we truly never know how far they will go.
I'm 34, watched this movie at Christmas time every year with my parents since I was 6. For some reason I just realized how haunting/horrific/powerful this movie is.
That hauntological music is the scariest soundtrack I've ever heard. This part of the film made me jump off the chair when I saw it years ago. The graveyard and music sent chills down my spine so much, that I vowed never to watch it again. But this Xmas I did see it, with mom, and still got psychic hairs on the back of my neck. It's one of the scariest and most chilling bits of a movie I've ever encountered. That and the Omen. Having said that it's a magnificent film and best watched alone for the sensitive souls out there. It's a tear jerker which will touch the souls of every viewer and elicit deep reflection abt life and death. My musical and artistic tastes are actually very melancholic and not dissimilar to the spooky scene, but even my music player isn't as Scorpionic and Halloweeny as that bit. 🦂 IMHO the two saddest films ever made are this beauty and the Wizard of Oz. Both move me to tears 😭 as soon as they start up. 💜 I'd add that, only watch this film if in safe company, and not with idiots who'll mock and belittle you for sobbing.
Clarence: You see George, You really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a Mistake it would be to throw it away? Me: That's a really good point, especially when you were Shown the Consequences of what happens if you wish you were never born.
Yep. Slowly, George is starting to see what the consequences are for Bedford Falls if he was never born. His loved ones would've suffered the consequences of his selfishness of his wish to have never been born.
@@ladyfire44 George made that wish, because he didn’t felt appreciated for his actions and sacrifices. He has done nothing but give and give and give, and what does he have to show for it?
It's A Wonderful Life was a box office bomb. It wasn't until the 1970s, when a man working for Republic Studios failed to renew its copyright and let slip into the public domain when it first aired as the Late Show, or Late, Late Show. Then on PBS affiliates and now network television,
😮 i think that what made this movie a big hit was the fact that George was able to see what the world would be like if he was never born. I think everyone can identify with that. I think we all wonder from time to time what the world or our families would be like if we weren't around.
The music is so chilling in this scene yet so grand at the same time, George finally coming to the realisation of how selfish he was to devalue his life
This is the most moving and powerful scene for me in the entire Classic Picture. So many people have helped me along the way in my life. And, its now my daily opportunity to help others. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Lord.
It's kind of an anti Christmas Carol if you think about it. Scrooge was greedy and selfish and was heading down the same path as Jacob Marley if he didn't learn compassion. George, on the other hand was always compassionate but he lacked confidence
@@tierefuerimmer9635 put beautifully, thanks - George was shown what would have been if he didn't exist. A lesson to us all when we go through bad times. We've all touched someone, somewhere if we reflect. Best wishes to you and yours!
I had a warped version if this scene in a dream I had once accept Clarence had his wings already and was showing me what would have happened to a loved one if I were to choose to not be present or accountable. And I just remembered his wings being absolutely gigantic lol.
This is how I feel about my 40th birthday coming up: "You're not going to like it, George. She is an old maid. She never married. She is just about to close up the LIBRARY!"
The saddest thing is that every one of us goes through something awful often more than once it’s then I hear the line say you really had a wonderful life. We all have we just choose to always want more. Sad really.
In a way, I had this situation come up recently in regard to a potential job offer. Currently, I have 2 PT positions and a side hustle. The job offer would have replaced all 3 jobs. I could not wrap myself around giving up my passion for this new position. Despite the difficulties of my current income situation, I had to conclude that I really have a WONDERFUL LIFE and wonderful gigs. Getting paid for what you love to do carries no price.
This scene sticks with me not only for its tone and the horrifying realizations, but also as one of the few times in cinema they were able to get away with directly stating the name of the movie, without it sounding forced. The music. The dialogue. The acting. All of it gives the scene such a powerful nature, which provides the line, "You see, George? You really had a wonderful life," with a poignant, cathartic feel to it, instead of the tackiness usually attributed to lines like these. Note: I know Clarence doesn't directly say the title, but I'm pretty sure we all noticed it when he said it. It's close enough to be a nod to the title.
Why would harry not exist? He’s his younger brother. Like if a sibling of urs didn’t exist what does that have to do with you, like ur parents still could’ve birthed u but not ur sibling for example
The way Clarence was dodging George's question about Marry you would think she was a prostitute, and given that Potter turned the whole town into a mini Vegas that would make sense. I guess that would have been to risqué for 1946.
"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he? You see, George, you've really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?" It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
So, it’s a wonderful life is kind of like a Christmas Carol, but in America. The difference is, one man has taken his life for granted, until he realized that he has impacted so many lives that he has a reason to exist.
The way George sticks up for his brother at the Angel is magnificent acting and the calm and sorrowful way the Angel explains everyone died - the acting is unbelievable and unmatched at any movie before or since… truly a Great Movie
I happen to think this is a shame on Christmas and with the virus GOING on certain humans don't haven't the money to pay for such beautiful movies as these there deprived of there memories .. SAME SAME SAME..WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO.WHAT NEXT ARE WE TO TURN ARE BACK ON GOD AN JESSUS
Here is something to think about: In the early part of the movie, we all know that George saved Harry from the icy water. Harry was sliding down the hill with George and his friends. George's friends were the ones who dared Harry to go down the hill. With George not having existed in the alternate reality, his friends probably wouldn't have been there to dare Harry to go down the hill, and Harry would be alive. Also, it is stated that Harry was 9 when he died. The headstone says he was 8.
They probably would have dared him without George. Everyone sees an dangerous looking challenge and has to dare another to do it. Harry could have been nine if the nine months Harry was in Mrs. Bailey's womb count in Heaven's eyes..
Hi Folks. There are two things that I've read (and if I read it on the Internet, then it must be true :) ) that were apparently cut from the final movie, because they were too dark for even this scene. First, Martini, the pub owner, and his entire family were also buried in this cemetery; the crappy Potter-built house that they lived in caught fire, and they all died. Second, Mary didn't just become an "...old maid..." who worked at the LIBRARY!!! She became a bitter alcoholic. I'm sure that a lot of you know that in the late 1970s - during that time when this movie had largely been forgotten, and before its rebirth on cable TV - a TV movie was make called "It Happened One Christmas," and stared Marlo Thomas as Mary Bailey. It was actually pretty good if taken on its own terms, just not quite as good as the original. Anyway, one of the few things that It Happened One Christmas actually did better than It's a Wonderful Life was that Mary's husband - George Hatch, who was as generous and big-hearted as Mary Hatch-Bailey was in the original - became hopelessly bitter and nihilistic, largely as a result of his experiences during World War 2. Basically, George in the remake became what Mary was supposed to be in the original, and it wasn't pretty.
George was the one who jumped in to save Harry, that’s why he lost his hearing. Maybe without George in his life, Harry would’ve gone sledding alone, or with kids who couldn’t swim.
😎😎😎 After all these years, I realize....That's his brothers grave. Somehow, like Mr. Scrooge. I always thought it was his grave, but it couldn't be because he was not born. Dec. 23, 2022
Clarence says that harry drowned at the age of nine. But if you look at the tombstone, it’s says 1911-1919. Assuming that Harry’s birthday is sometime at the beginning of the year, that would make him 8 years old at the most when he died. Movie flaw found.
Whoever did the headstone for Harry got the years mixed up (1911-1919 meaning Harry was only 8 someone couldn't do math.) - the line 'Harry Bailey died at the age of 9' meaning he should have been born in 1910 not 1911
Well I don’t think it was intended to be anti abortion since abortion wasn’t as much as a political outburst as it is nowadays. I think this was intended more so to be anti suicide or just trying to emphasize the fact that everyone has a purpose even if you don’t know it. However it could definitely be seen as anti abortion since the whole premise of this scene is for George to see what the world would’ve been like if he never existed (but…also could’ve been made that way without the thought of anti abortion behind it). Either way, whatever the motive behind the messages of this film was, it’s powerful nonetheless. It’s definitely saved me before, and I know it saved Jimmy Stewart and countless other lives out there. Sorry for the mini rant. I really do love this movie :)
Before he became leader of Germany, Hitler lived an a life as well. He would have encountered people that would have had different lives if they never encountered him. If nothing else, he touched the life of his family’s Jewish doctor, who to the end of his life remembered how devoted a young Hitler was to his mother.
Yes. It does. He touched MANY people's lives. In a very bad way. But the fact we still speak his name as a curse, and remember his atrocities, it very much means that lives were touched by his actions.
@@godzillavkk Either that. Or a P.O.C or LGBTQ. Nothing against inclusiveness but I just think it's gotten lazy at this point and I think it's better to create original compelling characters of color or LGBTQ people than to always race swap. Although I will say Halle did a great job as Arielle. But if anyone is qualified for an acting job be it,white, black, Hispanic,Asian LGBTQ etc then by all means cast them but the creators of Velma were so desperate to look inclusive that they pretty much said "Let's totally butcher the personality traits of all the original characters and just change their skin color! That'll work!" Guess what it didn't it made the writing more lazy. A person's skin color or orientation doesn't build character builds character
I hate this movie to an incredible degree. I’ll never be as good as George Bailey. I have hurt so many people. Nobody loves me and I don’t love anybody. The message of this movie is that I *should* end my life. That I am only taking from this world. The only way for me to make the world better is to jump off that bridge.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I’m sorry for what you’re going through but please don’t give into despair, you’re fearfully and wonderfully made, you matter and God has a plan and a purpose for your life. Always remember that Jesus loves you. God love you.
@@beatlecristian does it matter if God has a plan for me if I’m not strong enough to follow that plan? Does it matter if I was fearfully and wonderfully made if I have marred my life with sin and am now too sick to take the medicine? Jesus is constantly saying to people “go and sin no more” after he heals them. What hope do I have? There is no patron saint who was a slothful oaf and became a hero of Christianity. There are only sinners who turned the energy they had against God into energy for God. It is too late for me, there is no cure for laziness and lukewarm Catholicism. If I understand all mysteries and knowledge but I have not love, I am nothing.
most chilling line “everybody died on that transport because harry wasn’t there to save them because you weren’t there to save harry”
My favourite part in the movie. Shiws that every person makes a difference in someone's life.
@@cstuartdc You mean George.
It is, so many people died because one man wasn’t born
"Your Brother Harry Bailey broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of 9." was the most haunted line for me. George had spent his whole life helping others, but he was unable to save his own brother.
@@williamhaynes4800Well he DID save him, that's why him not being born changed things so drastically. If George hadn't been born he wouldn't have been there to save Harry.
The part that kills me personally, is when George in a fog of thought, asks so calmly, "...Clarence.. where's Mary?" As someone who truly loved a woman who wasn't loved enough in her own life. The unconditional love George feels at the thought of Mary being alone and unloved in his absence is a horrifying thing for any man who is not able to protect a woman he cares for.
Thanks for adding that. I was always a bit confused about why that part was near the end of all the "opposites". Now I understand.
That's a beautiful and touching insight there. Very sad too. 💜
@@mynewyork165 Thank you for reading it. Yea, knowing noone would appreciate and take care of her, is far more horrifying than our own fate.
@@annakelman6627 Thank you. Its a beautiful sadness.
How do u know she wasnt loved by her parents
Clarence: "Your brother, Harry Bailey, broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine."
George Bailey: "That's a lie! Harry Bailey went to war! He got the Congressional Medal of Honor! He saved the lives of every man on that transport!"
Clarence: "Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry.”
I get a lump in my throat every time I see that scene.
According to the head stone he was 8 years old, or depending when in 1919 he could’ve been 7 years old.
Clarence: you see George you really had a wonderful life don't you see what a mistake would be to just throw it away?
But there were other kids who could have filled Georges role in saving Harry
Did they just watch him drown without anyne interfiering
@@theomnipotent3574FINALLY someone sees through the B.S. and half truths that Clarence spews.
@@theomnipotent3574 - Greetings and thank you for your very intriguing question. After reading your post I searched for that scene, and I got the impression that the other kids would have tried to save Harry but would have failed.
When Harry broke through the ice, George immediately went to Harry as quickly as the slippery surface would allow and jumped into the ice before Harry could go under water; the other kids followed, but George made the first move without hesitation. This would have been critical because, upon further examination, there was a flowing current (apparently, the ice was on a river rather than a lake) and if Harry had been pulled under the ice, he would have been lost.
Furthermore, the other kids - for lack of a better term - DID stand around until George called for them to form a human chain. They obviously wanted to save Harry and were brave enough to do it, but - as is often the case - under stress they all hesitated; they needed George to direct them.
It's possible that I'm over analyzing this, but I don't think so, because remaining focused and clear-headed during a crisis was a trait that George frequently showed, and Potter went out of his way to complement George for it.
Just my opinion. Again, thank you for your question.
This movie sends chills down my spine. It's terrific and so well acted.
Same here, Geoff. Once we remember how we touch each other's lives, THEN AND ONLY THEN DO WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR FREEDOM AGAIN IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN EACH OTHER'S LIVES.
@@seattlepoet Yes - andJames Stewart deserved an Oscar for that.
@@geoffjoffy You are so right. You don’t get better than him.
@@seattlepoet Well said.🎄
Fucking GENIUS movie that touches my heart
The chorus going “oooh” throughout this whole scene sends chills up my spine every time.
Well said. 👍
I'm surprised no rapper has ever sampled this background music.
George Bailey did have a genuinely “wonderful” life: by being a very kind and charitable person who worked very hard to help others.
Man, the music at 0:39 gets me every time. For anyone who has ever questioned their own existence and reason for living, it's a powerful realization for George. Amazing movie. Been crying through it my entire life. lol
The whole movie gets me right in the feels. I have watched every year at Christmas for years now and I still cry.
This movie will bring a grown man to tears, such a masterpiece, and a solid lesson, your life matters, spread love and be happy.
It's a wonder, one could actually save a life of another person just by being alive themself; this portion of the film change my view of life totally when I seen it 22 years ago; my prayer life grew and I perceive life awhile in totally different way,, I am 59,, I was 27 years old when I seen this film from the 40's. amazing ,,,,became my favorite
Is it Christmas again? 2018,, happy 2019,,,,,
Whos this?
So you could say the film saved your life in a way :)
It reminds me of the scene in While You Were Sleeping when Lucy tells Peter that he always gave her something to look forward to. Just seeing him daily and his selflessness on the train was heroic to her. He helped give her life purpose.
I don’t feel like my life is that significant, my family doesn’t talk to me and I live alone
"she's just about to close up the library!!" as if that's a nightmare scenario
Well back then that was considered a sad state for women. To be a lonely old maid, working as a lonely librarian.
It is actually.
Noooo! NOT THE LIBRARY! 😂
The point is George loves her so much that the thought of her not being taken care of and devoid of the happiness Mary radiated around her family. To be all alone and working a somewhat menail job to support herself in an Era where women generally worked in limited capacity.
😂😂😂😂
That haunting and eerie music when George finds out his brother is dead.
George being shown 'Harry's grave' is pretty much taken from A Christmas Carol. For example like Tiny Tim, Harry dies in the alternate timeline and the 'grave' is like when Scrooge learns the man who died in the future was him.
Similarly both George and Scrooge are given another chance at life and both each their own happy endings.
One mans actions can touch so many lives without him knowing it, that’s way it is of paramount importance to consider our actions both great and small, because we truly never know how far they will go.
This part affected me a lot as a kid. Still one of my favorite scenes.
“Mister Bowers accidentally poisoned that kid, Harry and all those people died, but Mary, it’s just too awful, George, SHE’S A LIBRARIAN!”
☺️😄
Yes. Even the best classics show their age. Even Capra himself, began to regret that choice.
It's horrifying.
I'm 34, watched this movie at Christmas time every year with my parents since I was 6. For some reason I just realized how haunting/horrific/powerful this movie is.
That hauntological music is the scariest soundtrack I've ever heard. This part of the film made me jump off the chair when I saw it years ago. The graveyard and music sent chills down my spine so much, that I vowed never to watch it again. But this Xmas I did see it, with mom, and still got psychic hairs on the back of my neck. It's one of the scariest and most chilling bits of a movie I've ever encountered. That and the Omen.
Having said that it's a magnificent film and best watched alone for the sensitive souls out there. It's a tear jerker which will touch the souls of every viewer and elicit deep reflection abt life and death.
My musical and artistic tastes are actually very melancholic and not dissimilar to the spooky scene, but even my music player isn't as Scorpionic and Halloweeny as that bit. 🦂
IMHO the two saddest films ever made are this beauty and the Wizard of Oz. Both move me to tears 😭 as soon as they start up. 💜 I'd add that, only watch this film if in safe company, and not with idiots who'll mock and belittle you for sobbing.
What did you find sad about the Wizard of Oz?
I love how the music shifts at 0:47. Like all hope really is lost.
Music was perfect yes! Very creepy
Last time we see Clarence in the movie. Classic forever.
Alternate ending:
"Harry Bailey went to war!"
"What war? There was never a war George!"
I’m 44. To this very day I hold this movie near and dear to me.
It’s the only movie that makes me choke up in tears every time.
Clarence: You see George, You really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a Mistake it would be to throw it away?
Me: That's a really good point, especially when you were Shown the Consequences of what happens if you wish you were never born.
I think Clarence WAS supposed to tell him about Mary but he didn’t want to break George’s heart even further.
That's a guardian angel for you.
Yep. Slowly, George is starting to see what the consequences are for Bedford Falls if he was never born. His loved ones would've suffered the consequences of his selfishness of his wish to have never been born.
@@ladyfire44 Great film beyond comprehension.
@@ladyfire44 George made that wish, because he didn’t felt appreciated for his actions and sacrifices. He has done nothing but give and give and give, and what does he have to show for it?
It's A Wonderful Life was a box office bomb. It wasn't until the 1970s, when a man working for Republic Studios failed to renew its copyright and let slip into the public domain when it first aired as the Late Show, or Late, Late Show. Then on PBS affiliates and now network television,
Glad that it did though. How such an amazing how bombed so badly confuses me.
@@amaritineenthusiast ["...show..."]
😮 i think that what made this movie a big hit was the fact that George was able to see what the world would be like if he was never born. I think everyone can identify with that. I think we all wonder from time to time what the world or our families would be like if we weren't around.
“All those men on the transport died; Harry wasn’t there to save them because you weren’t around to save Harry (back when he was a child).”
The music is so chilling in this scene yet so grand at the same time, George finally coming to the realisation of how selfish he was to devalue his life
This is the most moving and powerful scene for me in the entire Classic Picture. So many people have helped me along the way in my life. And, its now my daily opportunity to help others. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Lord.
Opportunity seems like God's language to us. I like that you used that word.
This film reminds me of A Christmas Carol
It's kind of an anti Christmas Carol if you think about it. Scrooge was greedy and selfish and was heading down the same path as Jacob Marley if he didn't learn compassion. George, on the other hand was always compassionate but he lacked confidence
@@tierefuerimmer9635 put beautifully, thanks - George was shown what would have been if he didn't exist. A lesson to us all when we go through bad times. We've all touched someone, somewhere if we reflect. Best wishes to you and yours!
I had a warped version if this scene in a dream I had once accept Clarence had his wings already and was showing me what would have happened to a loved one if I were to choose to not be present or accountable. And I just remembered his wings being absolutely gigantic lol.
This is how I feel about my 40th birthday coming up: "You're not going to like it, George. She is an old maid. She never married. She is just about to close up the LIBRARY!"
Once we remember how we touch each other's lives, THEN AND ONLY THEN DO WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR FREEDOM AGAIN IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN EACH OTHER'S LIVES.
The saddest thing is that every one of us goes through something awful often more than once it’s then I hear the line say you really had a wonderful life. We all have we just choose to always want more. Sad really.
In a way, I had this situation come up recently in regard to a potential job offer. Currently, I have 2 PT positions and a side hustle. The job offer would have replaced all 3 jobs. I could not wrap myself around giving up my passion for this new position. Despite the difficulties of my current income situation, I had to conclude that I really have a WONDERFUL LIFE and wonderful gigs. Getting paid for what you love to do carries no price.
This scene chokes me up every Christmas Eve
This scene sticks with me not only for its tone and the horrifying realizations, but also as one of the few times in cinema they were able to get away with directly stating the name of the movie, without it sounding forced. The music. The dialogue. The acting. All of it gives the scene such a powerful nature, which provides the line, "You see, George? You really had a wonderful life," with a poignant, cathartic feel to it, instead of the tackiness usually attributed to lines like these.
Note: I know Clarence doesn't directly say the title, but I'm pretty sure we all noticed it when he said it. It's close enough to be a nod to the title.
Plot hole: if George was never born, Harry wouldn't have died, he never would’ve existed at all. Harry is the younger brother.
Why would harry not exist? He’s his younger brother. Like if a sibling of urs didn’t exist what does that have to do with you, like ur parents still could’ve birthed u but not ur sibling for example
The music deserves credit, it’s truly haunting
1:18 me and my older brother joked about mary being at the library being a bad thing. like "OH DEAR GOD, not the library!"
This is my favorite scene
The way Clarence was dodging George's question about Marry you would think she was a prostitute, and given that Potter turned the whole town into a mini Vegas that would make sense. I guess that would have been to risqué for 1946.
my absolute favorite scene in this great movie!
"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he? You see, George, you've really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?"
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
So, it’s a wonderful life is kind of like a Christmas Carol, but in America. The difference is, one man has taken his life for granted, until he realized that he has impacted so many lives that he has a reason to exist.
0:30 to 0:36. The most powerful line of the movie.
The way George sticks up for his brother at the Angel is magnificent acting and the calm and sorrowful way the Angel explains everyone died - the acting is unbelievable and unmatched at any movie before or since… truly a Great Movie
I happen to think this is a shame on Christmas and with the virus GOING on certain humans don't haven't the money to pay for such beautiful movies as these there deprived of there memories .. SAME SAME SAME..WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO.WHAT NEXT ARE WE TO TURN ARE BACK ON GOD AN JESSUS
I watch this movie every year and never fail to cry. It’s a masterpiece.❤
This scene is chilling! Especially when he reads his brother's name on his grave.
Entire movie seems surreal now. I had no idea one of my ancestors was one of the founders of the National Geographic society.
This was the original days of future past. One persons destiny.
I prefer this movie over X-Men Days of Future Past.
No such thing as a Congressional Medal of Honor.
Continuity problem here. If this site was already a cemetery in 1919, George couldn't have built Bailey Park there.
George leveled the cemetery to build the houses
I really need to see that movie.
One of the best !!!
Nam Vet
I will always love this movie! It is so awesome.
The feels.
Here is something to think about: In the early part of the movie, we all know that George saved Harry from the icy water. Harry was sliding down the hill with George and his friends. George's friends were the ones who dared Harry to go down the hill. With George not having existed in the alternate reality, his friends probably wouldn't have been there to dare Harry to go down the hill, and Harry would be alive.
Also, it is stated that Harry was 9 when he died. The headstone says he was 8.
They probably would have dared him without George. Everyone sees an dangerous looking challenge and has to dare another to do it.
Harry could have been nine if the nine months Harry was in Mrs. Bailey's womb count in Heaven's eyes..
@@DeadhunterThe Excellent point. Life begins at the moment of conception.
This was one of the moments George started regretting having wished he was never born
Maybe Clarence forgot his lines.. The 8 looked like a 9.
When your a angel of 293 years old...
Haaaa-Haaaaa!!!!
The age thing is a big mistake. Surprised they didn’t catch that!
Hi Folks. There are two things that I've read (and if I read it on the Internet, then it must be true :) ) that were apparently cut from the final movie, because they were too dark for even this scene.
First, Martini, the pub owner, and his entire family were also buried in this cemetery; the crappy Potter-built house that they lived in caught fire, and they all died.
Second, Mary didn't just become an "...old maid..." who worked at the LIBRARY!!! She became a bitter alcoholic.
I'm sure that a lot of you know that in the late 1970s - during that time when this movie had largely been forgotten, and before its rebirth on cable TV - a TV movie was make called "It Happened One Christmas," and stared Marlo Thomas as Mary Bailey. It was actually pretty good if taken on its own terms, just not quite as good as the original. Anyway, one of the few things that It Happened One Christmas actually did better than It's a Wonderful Life was that Mary's husband - George Hatch, who was as generous and big-hearted as Mary Hatch-Bailey was in the original - became hopelessly bitter and nihilistic, largely as a result of his experiences during World War 2.
Basically, George in the remake became what Mary was supposed to be in the original, and it wasn't pretty.
Technically, any of those other boys, who were on that ice, coulda saved Harry
George was the one who jumped in to save Harry, that’s why he lost his hearing. Maybe without George in his life, Harry would’ve gone sledding alone, or with kids who couldn’t swim.
Except they didn't.
Maybe the other boys were not as courageous as George to jump in the cold water.
This scene made me sad
😎😎😎 After all these years, I realize....That's his brothers grave. Somehow, like Mr. Scrooge. I always thought it was his grave, but it couldn't be because he was not born. Dec. 23, 2022
Now it’s December 25th 2023. Merry Christmas.
Great film. ♡ Anyone seeking a touching story, read, 'The Dogwood Discovery', by Thomas C. Stuhr
If only this movie were applicable to real life
There is a reason people still talk about this movie, even after decades later.
Except THIS quote is not in THIS scene :-(
Well, the point of the quote is still present however.
Clarence says that harry drowned at the age of nine.
But if you look at the tombstone, it’s says 1911-1919.
Assuming that Harry’s birthday is sometime at the beginning of the year, that would make him 8 years old at the most when he died.
Movie flaw found.
Whoever did the headstone for Harry got the years mixed up (1911-1919 meaning Harry was only 8 someone couldn't do math.) - the line 'Harry Bailey died at the age of 9' meaning he should have been born in 1910 not 1911
I said the same thing.
Chuckie finster as george bailey.
👍
A goof with the age, Harry couldn't have been 9 years old if the years on the tombstone were correct.
I'm not a George Bailey. I'm not even an Uncle Billy!
#Prolife
She’s an old maid..
Truly the worst fate: a smoke show like 25 year old Donna Reed unmarried working a pink-collar job
Is my math off, 1911-1919 is eight years. How could Harry die at the age of nine??🤔
Almost 9, perhaps?
You mean to tell me no other man found Mary attractive??
The character who was played by Carl Switzer admired her.
One thing I never understood. George Bailey and his wife are about the same age in this movie. Why does George look twice her age?
Jimmy Stewart was born in 1908 & Donna Reed was born in 1921. 13 years apart.
@@hobbitfan8686 DONNA REED HAD THE SAME BIRTHDATE AS MY FATHER
Based on Harry's epitate he would have died at 8, or 7 if he didn't make his birthday.
Bailey hmm name sounds familiar
It's does
I thought it was a wonderful life in Nam until I started getting shot & morterd at ,
I'd take the opportunity to not have existed in a heartbeat
💜💜
Be careful what you wish for.
Why?
The greatest anti abortion movie every made!
Well I don’t think it was intended to be anti abortion since abortion wasn’t as much as a political outburst as it is nowadays. I think this was intended more so to be anti suicide or just trying to emphasize the fact that everyone has a purpose even if you don’t know it. However it could definitely be seen as anti abortion since the whole premise of this scene is for George to see what the world would’ve been like if he never existed (but…also could’ve been made that way without the thought of anti abortion behind it). Either way, whatever the motive behind the messages of this film was, it’s powerful nonetheless. It’s definitely saved me before, and I know it saved Jimmy Stewart and countless other lives out there. Sorry for the mini rant. I really do love this movie :)
ZaaMlBz
"Each man's life touches so many others"
Does that include Hitler?
In a sense, I suppose
Before he became leader of Germany, Hitler lived an a life as well. He would have encountered people that would have had different lives if they never encountered him. If nothing else, he touched the life of his family’s Jewish doctor, who to the end of his life remembered how devoted a young Hitler was to his mother.
Yes. It does. He touched MANY people's lives. In a very bad way. But the fact we still speak his name as a curse, and remember his atrocities, it very much means that lives were touched by his actions.
Hehe! 😂😂
Oh yes the United States Navy will do that to you.
I TRYED SUSIDE BEFORE IT IS VERY SAD THING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN !!!
💜💜
Oh yes the United States Navy will do that to you. That's all that service is good for.
okay it´s not THAT bad to be an unmarried librarian though lol
I'm an unmarried ex-librarian but I came through and I've seen quite a few marriage crack-ups.
Right but this was a very old movie . And women were expected to marry at a certain age and couldn't buy on credit until the 70s
@@tierefuerimmer9635 Nowadays, you'd have to write down she's dirt poor.
@@godzillavkk Either that. Or a P.O.C or LGBTQ. Nothing against inclusiveness but I just think it's gotten lazy at this point and I think it's better to create original compelling characters of color or LGBTQ people than to always race swap. Although I will say Halle did a great job as Arielle. But if anyone is qualified for an acting job be it,white, black, Hispanic,Asian LGBTQ etc then by all means cast them but the creators of Velma were so desperate to look inclusive that they pretty much said "Let's totally butcher the personality traits of all the original characters and just change their skin color! That'll work!" Guess what it didn't it made the writing more lazy. A person's skin color or orientation doesn't build character builds character
@@tierefuerimmer9635 Don't think I can't detect double speak. Because I've seen white characters written the same way... who are loved.
I hate this movie to an incredible degree. I’ll never be as good as George Bailey. I have hurt so many people. Nobody loves me and I don’t love anybody. The message of this movie is that I *should* end my life. That I am only taking from this world. The only way for me to make the world better is to jump off that bridge.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I’m sorry for what you’re going through but please don’t give into despair, you’re fearfully and wonderfully made, you matter and God has a plan and a purpose for your life. Always remember that Jesus loves you. God love you.
@@beatlecristian does it matter if God has a plan for me if I’m not strong enough to follow that plan? Does it matter if I was fearfully and wonderfully made if I have marred my life with sin and am now too sick to take the medicine?
Jesus is constantly saying to people “go and sin no more” after he heals them. What hope do I have? There is no patron saint who was a slothful oaf and became a hero of Christianity. There are only sinners who turned the energy they had against God into energy for God. It is too late for me, there is no cure for laziness and lukewarm Catholicism.
If I understand all mysteries and knowledge but I have not love, I am nothing.