The "garlic-eaters" insult was directed at Italian-American immigrants like Mr. Martini, the tavern owner. The director, Frank Capra, was also Italian-American & thus no doubt a garlic-eater himself! 🧄😋😆
The insult of garlic eater is Italian and thus a mutt. Garlic is not native to Italy. It is saying because you are reaching for Africa (boot stepping on what is below) you aren't white. The boot is moving west and thus came from Iran and Asia which is where the damn garlic came from.
The boot of Italy gets around. Garlic is not native to Italy. Where is the boot stepping down onto? Africa. The implication is you aren't white since you take from all the regions around you like the Garlic from Asia and Iran.
When I saw this as a 10 year old I didn't get. A depressed guy running around town, trying to take care of financial situations I couldn't understand. Now as an adult I fully appreciate this film and it's in my top 20 favorites. It's a movie about life.. the highs and lows.
In Sams defense, Sam did give instructions to immediately wire $25,000 to George. Also, on a sidenote, during the bank run, the lady asking for $17.50 is Ellen Corby, the Grandma from "The Waltons."
I don't know why people have such a bad impression of Sam. He was George's friend since childhood, and he only good naturedly kids him as a close friend would do. He offered George the "opportunity of a lifetime and tried to help him. Because it wasn't a sure thing people perceive that as he was trying to con George. Sam was friends with Mary's brother Marty, he wasn't serious about her and I doubt they even dated as she was four years younger. Even though he kidded George about Mary being his girlfriend Mary was just a friend to Sam.
The guy Mary throws over at the dance is Carl Spitzer, Alfalfa in the Little Rascals shorts. Years later, Donna Reed had a very successful long-running TV sitcom, The Donna Reed Show. She’s beautiful here, and turns in a great performance, but I don’t understand why bring an “old maid” makes her walk so funny. Lionel Barrymore (Potter) played very nice guys in You Can’t Take it With You. He was part of the Barrymore dynasty that included John and Ethel Barrymore. Lionel was Drew Barrymore’s great uncle. Barrymore’s Potter voice is parodied by the principle villain in the 1960’s Underdog TV cartoons. Gloria Grahame (adult Violet) went on to co-star in a number of films noir. It’s pure coincidence that Jim Henson gave two of his Muppets the same names as Bert the cop and Ernie the cab driver. Sheldon Leonard (Nick the bartender) went on to become a major producer of 1960’s TV sitcoms. I have to give a shout out to Virginia Patton, who played Harry’s bride. Good direction here, too. She’s in only one scene, and has about three minutes to be introduced, be part of the shock that Harry is married, accidentally drop the bombshell about Harry’s job offer, and establish herself as likable-and darned if she doesn’t pull it off! We feel like we sort of know her, and kind of want to see more of her. Helping the performance and the direction are that Harry and George obviously like her. Her munching on the popcorn also establishes her as human and down to Earth. James Stewart is who you would cast as the good guy who sometimes behaves badly (especially under unbearable pressure). We might hate the behavior, but we remain sympathetic, overall, to him. Tricky to pull off. Tom Hanks has managed it a few times. If you wanted a guy who could endure multiple comic indignities, yet still seem suave and debonaire, you got Cary Grant.
@@vincegay986 The two main characters in 'The Big Bang Theory' were actually named after Sheldon Leonard. P.S.: I think walking in high heels in fake snow can cause people to wobble a little.
Hey Whimsory! I just discovered your channel and I think you’re awesome. Love your reactions and outros! You’re so deep and thoughtful... I really like your way. Keep up the good work. I hope to see many more reactions in 2025. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from italy 🎄💫😊
Lionel Barrymore, the actor who plays Potter, was the one who convinced James Stewart to star in this film. And lo and behold, Lionel gave a chilling performance that has made Potter one of the greatest villains to ever grace cinema.
We learn earlier in the film that can build an entire house including construction materials and labor for a mere $5,000. So, losing $8,000 has got to really hurt.
The issue with converting money from 1946 to today is the fact that the direct inflation conversion does not account for the much greater buying power of money in the past. It has to do with the move away from the gold standard. So when you look at $8k in 1946, it has the power to buy a quite nice house...so in terms of today, that is more than $180k, since you cannot really get a very nice house for $180k. In terms of buying power, that $8k is really worth something like $300k to as much as around $500k, depending on where in the USA you live, since that is about what you would pay for a house that is not just the basic cheapest kind.
Clarence may get the credit, but Mary is the hero from where I'm sitting. More than just "very nice", she's always loving, never selfish, has the patience of a saint, rescued their ruined honeymoon in a couple of hours, and rounded up the whole town to help George.
I know some people don't particularly care for Sam *_Hee-Haw_* Wainwright but they forget that once Sam not only made George a business offer but also came through for him in some crucial moments in his life. Check this out: When George and Sam were kids and George jumped in the pond to save his little brother Sam was part of the "Chain Gang" that helped pull Harry out. At the end of the movie when he hears the bad news Wainwright advances George $25,000. Even though the "Hee Hawing" was annoying 🤨 Sam Wainwright came through for George big time when the chips were Really down for him, twice;👏 👏 He even offered George and Mary a chance to get in on the ground floor of his business when they were both on the phone with him. George tells Mary plainly he didn't want any "Plastics." When war came we find out that Sam has made a fortune. In what? Plastics! I ain't lyin' negative fate was workin' overtime on George. In the end however, his Destiny turned into a positively *_Wonderful Life._*
just realized... "Wainwright" translates into "Wagon builder" in modern vernacular. No idea of the significance, but would have been cool had Sam gotten into the auto business.
About little Zuzu, .... For the longest time, I wondered where that name might have come from, but fairly recently, I maybe found out. The big clue was when George called her his "little gingersnap." Back in about 1916, the NAtional BIScuit COmpany put out a gingersnap product, and called it Zu Zu.
For the window-breaking scene, a Foley artist was standing by to make the sound of breakkng glass if Donna Reed couldn't hot the window. Reed played softball in high school, and she broke the window on the first try.
A wain is an archaic word for wagon. A wright is someone who is skilled at making and fixing equipment, like a wagon. It's one of those old family names that tell what your folks did. Baker, Cook, Drover and many names like them were assigned to families during census taking and often stuck.
What a great movie! Still cant believe he flew over 20 combat missions in WW2 and didn't retire until 1968! The actor that we know and love for many of his films such as this one retired a Brigadier General. That is INSANE. God bless Brig. Gen. James M. Stewart. Great reaction Whimsory!
@johannesvalterdivizzini1523 Part of the reason he became "uber patriotic" was because of that. It bothered him till the day he died, that he didn't serve. But, it's still a good point!
@@NerdJared Reagan and Trump both managed to avoid military service; the latter completely , the former - in a war-zone, however, in both of these cases the individual involved more than made up for any earlier such deficit or lacking through service as Commander-in-Chief - each surviving assassination attempts due to their elevated roles/profiles
This movie is the poster child for the public domain. Movie flopped at the cinema, but when it entered public domain and television stations could play the movie basically for free, it was introduced to people who wouldn't have seen it any other way. One of the greatest Christmas movies ever became a staple and classic because no one cared about it for a couple decades.
@miker.9138 Yeah. Disney pushed a lot of the extensions, up to seventy years on a lot of things now, but even their older stuff is emerging. The Winnie the Pooh horror movies, and now some people using the steamboat Willie version of Mickey mouse since became public last year show there are limits to even how long corporate money can hold onto everything.
"It's a Wonderful Life" passed into the Public Domain because the copyright owners failed to file a renewal. That is no longer the case as legislation was passed that allowed many copyright owners (including the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life") to recover their films from the Public Domain. That's why "It's a Wonderful Life" so rarely shows up on TV during the holidays. The owners of the copyright sell the exclusive right to air "It's a Wonderful Life" for a hefty fee that would make Mr. Potter smile.
The only actual teenager at the dance was the boy that opened the floor. He was Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, the original Alfalfa in Our Gang/Little Rascals films. Born in 1929, he was about 17 or 18 years old. 🤘😎❤
It's A Wonderful Life didn't really get any recognition until the 1970s. Somebody at the studio forgot to renew the copyright. Thus it entered the public domain and TV stations could play it without paying royalties. They began to play it multiple times each year, which exposed many viewers to a movie that they probably would have never seen if it was still under copyright. So It's A Wonderful Life owes its status as a beloved Christmas classic to a clerk failing to file a piece of paperwork that would have cost four dollars.
There's an interesting bit of footage on YT of a 1970 interview with Canadian director Don Shebib (Goin' Down the Road). In it he says he was greatly influenced by a little known Frank Capra movie "It's a Wonderful Life" What people don't remember is that in 1970 it was little known. After it's initial run it would have likely fallen by the wayside. Its copyright expired in 1974 following a lack of renewal and it entered the public domain, allowing it to be broadcast without licensing or royalty fees, at which point it became a Christmas classic.
@@jethro1963 I was a kid in the 1960's and while I think the TV stations did broadcast it annually (along with "A Christmas Carol" and "Miracle on 34th St") I never watched it until I was in college. That made sense since I was older, and it really isn't a film made for little kids.
Also, IAWL was remade by Marlo Thomas as a TV movie in the late 70’s, called It Happened One Christmas. Thomas played a female version of George, and Cloris Leachman played the angel. The film didn’t get great ratings, but it did add to renewed interest in IAWL. Until then, Capra had been best remembered for It Happened One Night, Mister Deeds Goes to Town, and Mister Smith Goes to Washington, all great films.
Reed was 25 and Stewart was 37 during filming, but he didn't need makeup to look older, as his PTSD from the war had aged him a decade in half the time. When he was angry or despondent and weeping, he wasn't acting, just letting the trauma out for a little spin.
10:58----The "run" on the bank, Whimsory, was actually a financial crisis due to the crash of the stock market in 1929. This was the beginning of the Great Depression.
This was before FDIC insurance, which would pay you the money you lost in your account. After a number of banks failed, Congress passed a law and FDIC insurance went into effect on January 1, 1934. The amount of money per account back then was $2000.00, a pretty sizable sum back then.
The run on the bank was 4-5 years after the start of the depression. The graduation was 1928. Harry then went to college and Gearge and Mary got married after she went to college. So the run had to be 1933 or 34.
Love that you review characters and moments from the film at the end. As well as being extra entertaining, it shows you really took the movie in, great stuff! I'm subscribed 😊
Mary didn't just wait around for George for four years. She went to college in New York but she kept her heart for him and wanted to see him as soon as she got back to Bedford Falls. She deliberately chose not to stay in New York because of him.
Garlic-eaters is an insult disparaging Italian people. As we saw George help Italian families, like Mr. Martini, have better opportunities. Thanks for watching this beloved classic.
The boot of Italy gets around. Garlic is not native to Italy. Where is the boot stepping down onto? Africa. The implication is you aren't white since you take from all the regions around you like the Garlic from Asia and Iran.
What a beautiful reaction to this classic movie. Ms. Davis, who asked for only 17.50, was played by Ellen Corby who was also the grandmother on The Waltons, among many other roles. Love looking at the casts of these old movies because there's so much history you can learn. Garlic eaters might have been intended as an ethnic slur so maybe don't use it.
The boot of Italy gets around. Garlic is not native to Italy. Where is the boot stepping down onto? Africa. The implication is you aren't white since you take from all the regions around you like the Garlic from Asia and Iran.
In the script the amount was $17.00 but Frank Capra told Ellen to add some change to the $17.00. She said $17.50 and Jimmy Stewart kissed her on the cheek, on his own. That wasn't in the script either.
The man who played the grandfather on the Waltons was quite a colorful character. Will Geer was a Communist Party member and activist since the 1930s and was blacklisted by McCarthy's "House Committee on Un-American Activities" for refusing to name names. He was bisexual, living with his gay lover off and on despite being married to a woman and raising 3 kids with her for 20 years. By all accounts she knew beforehand and they remained close friends. He remained an activist in later years and participated in demonstrations for laborers' rights , the unemployed, the homeless etc.
@@TheNeonRabbit Ellen Corby was either bisexual or lesbian as well. She married a man, stayed married for decades, but had no children and after her divorce, she met a woman who became her long term partner. I imagine she was gay and just married a man because it was expected and she couldn't be open about her sexuality. So both Grandma and Grandpa Walton were LGBT.
The lady who asked for $17.50 was told to do so by the director after asking for 20 in all the rehearsals... he was trying to throw him off ,but George went with it ,with the kiss , and ended up making the scene better ,lol
My favorite reactor watching my favorite movie and I get to see it on Christmas night? I feel like George Bailey in front of the Bedford Falls sign! Merry Christmas!
10:10 "Why is he acting like this?" Getting hitched to Mary means the end of George's travel dreams. Back then there was no reliable birth control, no child care, and women didn't work. If George gets married children will come quickly, and he will have to have a steady job for the next 20 years to support them. He will be stuck in Bedford Falls. 10:29 George's outburst is his final surrender of his dreams to his love of Mary.
8:30---Whimsory, the crash actually came from a stagehand who dropped something off camera. Thomas Mitchell, who played Uncle Billy, improvised the "I'm all right!" line as a joke. Frank Capra, the director, liked it and kept it in the movie.
@@Whimsory Lionel Barrymore plays some other roles where his character is much more sympathetic, like Captain Disko Troop in Captains Courageous. Highly recommend this movie as it has one of the best actors of all time Spencer Tracy and probably the child actor GOAT Freddie Bartholomew. Freddie was also in Little Lord Fauntleroy which I thought would be some sort of foppish affair but was actually a great movie. Highly recommend both movies, Freddie has been largely forgotten but I can't think of too many kid actors who were better than him.
If you'd like to see Drew's grandmother, you can watch the film Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936). When I first saw it, I had to look up the actress Dolores Costello, because I thought she looked like Drew. It's a good movie, if a bit dated, and a feel-good story. I'm a fan of a lot of old black and whites, though there were of course thousands of forgettable movies made back then too.
9:50 - Whimsory: "Why's he acting like this?" Well, because he's becoming discouraged - the more circumstances conspire against him, the more he doesn't see himself ever getting out of Bedford Falls and realizing all those big dreams of his. Oh, and "garlic eaters" was a slur against folks of Italian heritage.
I’m a 63 year old man, high testosterone and tough guy……but I cry every time I watch this. It starts when George’s mother doesn’t recognize him, I get choked up and then the emotions start flowing
When George showed up at Mary's house he was still struggling with the idea of giving up his plans abd dreams again. This time for his brother Harry to have a better life and the idea of settling down with Mary would make that decision permanent.
I've noticed some other reactors being confused by this and the mixture of strong contrasting emotions from George before he kisses Mary. Jimmy Stewart brilliantly played a man who was going through the turmoil of two great conflicting desires, his childhood dream of seeing the world and his love for Mary.
Thank you, Whimsory, MERRY CHRISTMAS! - Another aspect of this movie is being shortly after WW II and how it affected those who were not on the front lines in WW II, but support soldiers (who were actually the majority of those who served... maintaining the supply lines, shipping etc), and those who did not serve (like George), but kept life going from 1941-1945 in America. Many of these "non-heroes" suffered from a belief that they had missed out on being a hero, seeing the World away from their homes, in what was the biggest event of their lifetimes and felt worthless and depressed because of it. George's plight showed people the value of just being a decent person who did what they could for their communities and families, showing how important one life could be to all those around him. It gave hope that they could too have "A Wonderful Life"... A great film that shows the frustrations of soldiers who were not in the "Action" of the war is "Mister Roberts" 1955 (Color) - Starring Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Jimmy Cagney, based on a stage play. Thanks again for a great reaction!
Whimsory! If you plan on watching more B/W films, then I highly recommend: "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964) -- Great Cold War satire! Brilliant dark comedy "The Day The Earth Stood Still" (1951) - classic science fiction thriller and an anti-nuclear weapons theme
When George is praying in the bar, it wasn't in the script for Stewart to cry, nor was he directed to. He just empathized with George's pain and started crying for real. Hos closeups were originally filmed as wider shots, but Capra was so impressed that he had those individual frames of the film enlarged. It isn't as obvious on newer, remastered prints, but originally the closeups appeared noticeably grainier than the rest of the film.
For some older classics, I recommend "Boys Town" 1938, "The Grapes of Wrath" 1940, "Sahara" 1943, "Lifeboat" 1944, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" 1947, "Harvey" 1950, "The African Queen" 1951, "Bad Day at Black Rock" 1955, "The Spirit of St. Louis" 1957, "Fail-Safe" 1964, "The Flight of the Phoenix" 1965.
Jimmy Stewart flew 20 combat mission as a pilot of B-24s in Europe in WW2. He was deputy Commander and had to organize the rosters / assign pilots to missions. This was his first post-war film and he had what today we'd call PTSD and survivor's guilt. His pain is all over this performance. The script didn't call for him to cry in the bar scene. Stewart was a beloved figure - the Tom Hanks of his time but with war hero layered on top. He stayed in the Air Force reserves for decades and rose to Brigadier General, with his last combat mission as an observer on a B-52 raid over Vietnam. Aside: I love how they try to "Old Maid" a 25 year old Donna Reed just by throwing some glasses and a hat on her. Yeah, OK. Best looking "Old Maid" ever. A lovely film that still resonates....and still breaks through 2024 sarcasm / cynicism to bring the waterworks. And a lovely reaction as always.
He was originally going to turn this movie down because he felt like his mental state was too bad and he didn’t think he could act anymore. His good friend, Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter) was the one that talked him into doing it because he thought it would be good for him. It was. He said that doing this movie was really got him back into life.
Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors and he loved flying.... yes he flew in the war and did many films with planes in them... Spirit of St Louis ( 1957 ) Jimmy plays Charles Lindbergh a quick story of his life and the events that led upto and including that historic non-stop 20+ hour NewYork to Paris flight. Great film ! (1st flight over the Atlantic flying solo ) No Highway in the Sky (1951) Jimmy as a scientist with studies in metal fatigue and by some strange twist gets booked on one of the planes that is showing high risk and he believes that it could break at any moment ? Strategic Air Comand ( 1957 ) The cold war is heating up and Jimmies character a Professional Baseball player is being called back into the service... a film that has some of the most unbelievable in air shots of airplanes in the sky. That alone makes it worth watching. Flight of the Phoenix (1965) A aging pilot with most of his good years behind him is flying some oil field workers a doctor and a person that was visiting his brother but on the way home while crossing the desert and had to set the plane down.... the big question can they fix it and will it get out ?
Please quit getting down on yourself. We like you for who you are right now. You are so genuine and sweet. The world could use a LOT more people like you.
I have autographed photos of the 2 daughters Janie and Zuzu who are both still alive and in their 80's. Janie lives near me and has a room in her house dedicated to this film.
Great reaction, Whimsory. One explanation that I have not seen in the comments is the quick cut from the phone scene to the wedding. The director has envisioned a much more drawn out transition of the phone scene where George’s love for Mary overtakes his reluctance to accept his fate. 1940s film etiquette forbid blatant displays of passion between unmarried couples so they were forced to do the quick cut and then show their passion for each other in the cab after they were married.
Three of the Bailey children are still alive. Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu) is 84. Carol Coombs (Janie) is 89. Jimmy Hawkins (Tommy) is 83. Actress Virginian Patton played Harry's wife and was the last credited actor who died Aug 2022. She was also General George Patton's niece. Sam Wainright was played by Frank Albertson who 14 years later plays the creepy guy with the $40,000 in Psycho. On a more negative note Donna Reed and Jimmy Stewart did not get along during filming. A few years later Reed was up for a part in a Stewart movie who Stewart refused to work with again and thus Reed did not get the part.
Thank you for taking the time and working hard to get this posted, made a beautiful end to my lovely Christmas day! I hope you had a good one too miss Whimsory! Bless you 🙂
Every year this movie is shown on cable TV, and every time my father sees it's on he states, "I should watch this one of these days," and then he watches it again. And then the next time he flips by it he says, "I should watch this one of these days," and then he watches it, again. Every year...
Lionel Barrymore plays a completely different role in another Frank Capra film with James Stewart, "You Can't Take It With You." Another great film for reaction.
A little trivia, after drunk Uncle Billy stumbles off camera a crew member dropped a tray of props. Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy) improvised his “I’m alright! I’m ok!”
A fair number of classic movies didn't become 'classic' on release but only after showing up on TV. Its A Wonderful Life, The Wizard of Oz, even Bladerunner weren't box office hits but they did take off as must-see-TV.
This movie always has my heart. It's a reminder that you never know the impact you make on the lives of others. I try very hard not to take what I do for others or around others for granted. It matters!
The woman who made a little self-sacrifice and asked for only $17.50 instead of $20.00 made a big difference as the Bldg. & Loan only had $2 at the end of the day.
@2ramona959 $2.50 in September 1929 would be worth about $45 today, so it's not as small of a difference as it might seem to us. Also, I learned recently that Capra asked her to change the amount to something that wasn't even, just to get a surprised reaction out of Stewart. That's why Stewart was so surprised and gave her a kiss.
There is an incredble legacy of main actors and supporting actors here. Here are just some: Donna Reed [Mrs George Bailey] went on to win best supporting actress for From Here to Eternity [1953]. In 1958 she was given her own TV sitcom The Donna Reed Show, which ran until 1966 . Many iconic supporting players and bit parts in this movie. The bartender, Sheldon Leonard, became a big time TV show producer. The Cab Driver, Frank Faylen, ["Ernie"] became the ornery father on the sitcom "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" [1959-1963]. Ward Bond, who played Burt the cop, was a mainstay in cowboy movies, many of which he co-starred with his friend John Wayne. Charles Lane, who had the short bit of the collector for Potter, who said "This young man may be working for George Bailey" lived to be 102. He always had work in movies and TV!!! Little 6 year old Tommy Bailey, played by Jimmie Hawkins, as the son of George Bailey sitting on his lap putting tinsel on George's head....he stayed in acting and worked in many movies and sitcoms, including the Donna Reed Show turnin teenager type beach movies etc. Donna Reed gave him a job, must have been great for both of the to be reunited, working together. He's still alive at age 84, possobly the lastone left alive of the entire cast.. Thomas John Mitchell as Uncle Billy...(July 11, 1892 - December 17, 1962) was an Irish-American actor and writer. Among his most famous roles in a long career are those of Gerald O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, Doc Boone in Stagecoach, Uncle Billy in It's a Wonderful Life, and Mayor Jonas Henderson in High Noon. Mitchell was the first male actor to gain the Triple Crown of Acting by winning an Oscar[ movies], an Emmy, [TV] and a Tony Award [Stage].
There's really a few take-aways, beyond what Clarence wrote. Two were later referenced by members of the Beatles: the quote under Peter Bailey's photo, "All you can take with you is what you give away", which was summed up in tje song The End as, "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make". The other was a line from John Lennon's song Beautiful Boy, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
Fun fact 1- @8:27 - The sound of garbage cans being knocked over when Uncle Billy staggers of was actually a stagehand dropping some props. Jimmy Stewart's laugh was genuine and Thomas Mitchell improvised the line "I'm alright, I'm OK". It was one of those very happy accidents, Frank Capra loved it and left it in the final cut. Fun fact 2 - What appears to be snow was either Ivory soap flakes, chipped ice or something called foamite. All three were used at different points in the film.
Fantastic reaction as always. Such a beautiful, heartfelt, and deeply meaningful movie. I liked it as a teen when I first saw it, but it's only grown on me since then.
I didn’t know how much I needed to see your movie reactions. Your thoughtful ending analysis and hilarious video effects and edits are the funniest and most creative among your peers. I agree with you on the fact that in general, black and white movies are better. Hollywood cranked out great movies for 50 years before we got caught in this comic book quagmire of remakes and CGI hell. Happy New Year!
I'm so glad someone noticed! When I rewatched the movie on my computer I watched this part up close and something about it rather struck my funny bone. Thank you🤗🤗
garlic eaters refer to Italians as most of us dont use it much a lot of people assume Sam was shifty, but he turned out to be a true friend, offering the equivalent of a half million dollars to help George, no questions asked If you want a more modern version of this, look for Midnight Clear, not the war movie but the Christmas movie starring Stephen Baldwin. A lot of people find it slow and boring, but I think it is one of the best, Baldwin deserves an Oscar in my eyes for his part. It is the only movie that makes me cry many times watching it.
Stewart's trademark mock anger was one of his most endearing qualities onscreen. He manages to generate some genuine pathos here. This was his first movie back from war service; he had flown 20 combat missions over Europe.
I fell in love with black and white movies about 35 years ago. For many years, I would never watch a movie made past 1960. When people used to ask me if I had seen one of the latest movies, I would jokingly tell them that if it’s in color, I don’t want to see it. They were moving made in the 40s and 50s and color but if a movie was made after 1960, I wasn’t watching it. I have gotten better and have seen modern movies, but I will never give up my love for old movies in general rather they’re in color or not. Another old movie you could react to is Mildred Pierce, even though it was made in the 1940s, you’d be surprised at the relationship between two of the characters.
Enjoyed the reaction, particularly the break-down at the end. As my Christmas gift to you, here are 10 black & white movies I think you'll love: In no particular order: 1. HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940) - a quintessential example of the screwball comedy genre, following a group of newspapermen (and one fierce but feminine newspaperwoman) as they chase down public corruption on the eve of a pubic execution. 2. 12 ANGRY MEN (1957) - a jury debates the fate of a young man accused of murdering his father; a tour de force of acting, cinematography, and scriptwriting. 3. DUCK SOUP (1933) - a political satire held by many to be the best of the Marx Brothers movies. 4. CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935) - a pirate adventure famous for introducing the world to Errol Flynn. 5. STAGECOACH (1939) - a group of disparate personalities share a ride across the Old West; the movie is famous for making a star out of John Wayne. 6. ARSNIC AND OLD LACE (1944) - Cary Grant at his manic finest as he uncovers the terrible secret shared by his two spinster aunts. 7.. DEAD END (1937) - gangster movie starring Humphry Bogart revisiting his old inner city neighborhood; the movie introduced the Dead End Kids, who'd go on to front a comedic movie franchise, as both the East Side Kids and the Bowery Boys. 8. THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940) - a spoof of high society starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn, as well as Jimmy Stewart, who won an Academy Award for his role. 9. THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962) - a western that sees Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne competing, each in his own inimitable way, to woo the girl and fend off the town bully. 10. CASABLANCA (1942) - starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the be-all and end-all of wartime dramatic romance movies. BONUS: I predict you'd also enjoy the OUR GANG (a.k.a. The Little Rascals) and THREE STOOGES comedies. These were shorts that ran 10-20 mins in length, so you could probably react to three or four in a single video. You might poll your subscribers for the best ones to sample.
Looking at your history I see you've already watched 12 ANGRY MEN. So, please allow me to substitute: ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) - starring Marlon Brando as an ex-boxer turned dock worker struggling against corrupt union bosses. Co-stars Lee J. Cobb, who was Juror No. 3 in 12 ANGRY MEN.
5:04 The whole time she sees George, Mary does not blink, and she never loses her smile. Gentlemen, that is a woman in love. If you're looking for someone and she does that, you better hang on to her for the rest of your life!
The term "garlic eaters" was a derisive term Mr. Potter is using against Italians, like Mr. Martini, because at the time of this movie, there had recently been a large wave of immigrants from Italy, and as usual, it would take a generation of so for them to be blended in and accepted.
The boot of Italy gets around. Garlic is not native to Italy. Where is the boot stepping down onto? Africa. The implication is you aren't white since you take from all the regions around you like the Garlic from Asia and Iran.
Harry Bailey got all the breaks but he idolized his big brother George. That's why his toast at the end is reminiscent of young George standing up for his dad to old man Potter. It gets me every time.
George Bailey was the opposite of Ebenezer Scrooge. He was a wonderful man who helped make people's lives better, but was miserable inside. Before it was too late, he was shown how wonderful Life is, thanks to him. Mr. Potter was Ebenezer Scrooge with ZERO chance to redeem himself. No visits from any Christmas ghost would have saved him. Mary was the perfect wife, the perfect counterpart. Smart, assertive, willful, loyal, and always ready to take action. Sam Wainright was a smart but annoying dork who got on people's nerves, but he was a good guy. He lacked social skills but came through when it mattered. He had the hots for Mary, but he had no chance. Mary was fixed on George all along!
I always liked Sam. He was always a true friend to George. When Sam was supposed to be kind of seeing Mary at college, I think he really knew who Mary loved. He also tried to help George by letting him in on his business. Then without question he is willing to give him $25,000.
This is one of the most beautiful movies ever made. It's the reason movies exist: they make you feel and take your mind and soul on a journey. As always, I love your reaction 😊👍👍
Mr. Potter caused the pivotal "run on the bank" that kept George and Mary from going on their honeymoon. He was the principal owner of the bank, and he wanted to shut it down forever. He demanded that Bailey Building & Loan pay back the money that they owed him. He also spread the "rumor" that the Building & Loan was closing. That is why the townspeople ran to the bank to get their money.
My favorite scene which I think is also the saddest scene is when George comes home after Uncle Billy loses the money and George "chews out" his whole family. Who does George help? Those that are misfortunate. Who is the only member of his family that he finds strength to gather himself and act kindly towards? Zuzu, because he sees she's sick. George right away calmes down and pretends to mend her flower. The more help people need the more George is willing to help. I also love Sam and Violet they are not central characters but incredibly important to understand that people from our past matter even if they are not present in our lives at a certain moment. I don't think it's said in the film but I think Zuzu's real name is Elizabeth and Zuzu is her nickname. Just my theory.
As a proud "garlic-eater," I resemble that remark. Up until I first saw this film about 30 years ago, I never heard that term applied to Italians, but who am I to question Hollywood's grasp of sociocultural vernacular of the early 20th century? Apparently, rich WASPs can't stand garlic, so they must be vampires. Potter was a bloodsucking greedhead, so there.
The "garlic-eaters" insult was directed at Italian-American immigrants like Mr. Martini, the tavern owner. The director, Frank Capra, was also Italian-American & thus no doubt a garlic-eater himself! 🧄😋😆
The insult of garlic eater is Italian and thus a mutt. Garlic is not native to Italy. It is saying because you are reaching for Africa (boot stepping on what is below) you aren't white. The boot is moving west and thus came from Iran and Asia which is where the damn garlic came from.
This is the correct answer.
Glad you answered! I came to the comments specifically to do so.
@@leslieoneal4464Alot of folks did!
Well I take it back! I'll never call anyone that omg😅 Thanks!
Garlic eater = Slur for Italians
The boot of Italy gets around. Garlic is not native to Italy. Where is the boot stepping down onto? Africa. The implication is you aren't white since you take from all the regions around you like the Garlic from Asia and Iran.
“To my big brother George… The richest man in town”
The greatest Christmas movie ever made 🎄
George told Potter that his father [Peter Bailey] died a richer man than Potter would ever be.
The older you get, the more and more touching this film becomes.
When I saw this as a 10 year old I didn't get. A depressed guy running around town, trying to take care of financial situations I couldn't understand. Now as an adult I fully appreciate this film and it's in my top 20 favorites. It's a movie about life.. the highs and lows.
In Sams defense, Sam did give instructions to immediately wire $25,000 to George.
Also, on a sidenote, during the bank run, the lady asking for $17.50 is Ellen Corby, the Grandma from "The Waltons."
I don't know why people have such a bad impression of Sam. He was George's friend since childhood, and he only good naturedly kids him as a close friend would do. He offered George the "opportunity of a lifetime and tried to help him. Because it wasn't a sure thing people perceive that as he was trying to con George. Sam was friends with Mary's brother Marty, he wasn't serious about her and I doubt they even dated as she was four years younger. Even though he kidded George about Mary being his girlfriend Mary was just a friend to Sam.
@@jethro1963☝️THIS☝️
I've watched this film many times and always felt that she was familiar but didn't make the link with the Waltons
The guy Mary throws over at the dance is Carl Spitzer, Alfalfa in the Little Rascals shorts.
Years later, Donna Reed had a very successful long-running TV sitcom, The Donna Reed Show. She’s beautiful here, and turns in a great performance, but I don’t understand why bring an “old maid” makes her walk so funny.
Lionel Barrymore (Potter) played very nice guys in You Can’t Take it With You. He was part of the Barrymore dynasty that included John and Ethel Barrymore. Lionel was Drew Barrymore’s great uncle. Barrymore’s Potter voice is parodied by the principle villain in the 1960’s Underdog TV cartoons.
Gloria Grahame (adult Violet) went on to co-star in a number of films noir.
It’s pure coincidence that Jim Henson gave two of his Muppets the same names as Bert the cop and Ernie the cab driver.
Sheldon Leonard (Nick the bartender) went on to become a major producer of 1960’s TV sitcoms.
I have to give a shout out to Virginia Patton, who played Harry’s bride. Good direction here, too. She’s in only one scene, and has about three minutes to be introduced, be part of the shock that Harry is married, accidentally drop the bombshell about Harry’s job offer, and establish herself as likable-and darned if she doesn’t pull it off! We feel like we sort of know her, and kind of want to see more of her. Helping the performance and the direction are that Harry and George obviously like her. Her munching on the popcorn also establishes her as human and down to Earth.
James Stewart is who you would cast as the good guy who sometimes behaves badly (especially under unbearable pressure). We might hate the behavior, but we remain sympathetic, overall, to him. Tricky to pull off. Tom Hanks has managed it a few times. If you wanted a guy who could endure multiple comic indignities, yet still seem suave and debonaire, you got Cary Grant.
@@vincegay986 The two main characters in 'The Big Bang Theory' were actually named after Sheldon Leonard. P.S.: I think walking in high heels in fake snow can cause people to wobble a little.
Hey Whimsory! I just discovered your channel and I think you’re awesome. Love your reactions and outros! You’re so deep and thoughtful... I really like your way.
Keep up the good work. I hope to see many more reactions in 2025. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from italy 🎄💫😊
Lionel Barrymore, the actor who plays Potter, was the one who convinced James Stewart to star in this film.
And lo and behold, Lionel gave a chilling performance that has made Potter one of the greatest villains to ever grace cinema.
Wow! Santa working overtime this Christmas. Thanks for taking the time to post Whimsory. I hope you had an awesome Merry Christmas! 🎄😊👍🏽
The $20,000 salary Potter offered George is about $450,000 today.
The $8,000 Potter stole is about $180,000 today.
We learn earlier in the film that can build an entire house including construction materials and labor for a mere $5,000. So, losing $8,000 has got to really hurt.
And things were cheaper too, so the money was more valuable
The issue with converting money from 1946 to today is the fact that the direct inflation conversion does not account for the much greater buying power of money in the past. It has to do with the move away from the gold standard. So when you look at $8k in 1946, it has the power to buy a quite nice house...so in terms of today, that is more than $180k, since you cannot really get a very nice house for $180k. In terms of buying power, that $8k is really worth something like $300k to as much as around $500k, depending on where in the USA you live, since that is about what you would pay for a house that is not just the basic cheapest kind.
Clarence may get the credit, but Mary is the hero from where I'm sitting. More than just "very nice", she's always loving, never selfish, has the patience of a saint, rescued their ruined honeymoon in a couple of hours, and rounded up the whole town to help George.
I know some people don't particularly care for Sam *_Hee-Haw_* Wainwright but they forget that once Sam not only made George a business offer but also came through for him in some crucial moments in his life.
Check this out:
When George and Sam were kids and George jumped in the pond to save his little brother Sam was part of the "Chain Gang" that helped pull Harry out.
At the end of the movie when he hears the bad news Wainwright advances George $25,000. Even though the "Hee Hawing" was annoying 🤨 Sam Wainwright came through for George big time when the chips were Really down for him, twice;👏 👏
He even offered George and Mary a chance to get in on the ground floor of his business when they were both on the phone with him. George tells Mary plainly he didn't want any "Plastics." When war came we find out that Sam has made a fortune. In what? Plastics! I ain't lyin' negative fate was workin' overtime on George. In the end however, his Destiny turned into a positively *_Wonderful Life._*
just realized... "Wainwright" translates into "Wagon builder" in modern vernacular. No idea of the significance, but would have been cool had Sam gotten into the auto business.
Donna Reed, the actress who played his wife was 25 at the time this movie came out.
Little Zuzu is now 84.
About little Zuzu, .... For the longest time, I wondered where that name might have come from, but fairly recently, I maybe found out. The big clue was when George called her his "little gingersnap."
Back in about 1916, the NAtional BIScuit COmpany put out a gingersnap product, and called it Zu Zu.
For the window-breaking scene, a Foley artist was standing by to make the sound of breakkng glass if Donna Reed couldn't hot the window. Reed played softball in high school, and she broke the window on the first try.
I love your sweet, sensitive appreciation of this all-time classic movie!!
A wain is an archaic word for wagon. A wright is someone who is skilled at making and fixing equipment, like a wagon. It's one of those old family names that tell what your folks did. Baker, Cook, Drover and many names like them were assigned to families during census taking and often stuck.
What a great movie! Still cant believe he flew over 20 combat missions in WW2 and didn't retire until 1968! The actor that we know and love for many of his films such as this one retired a Brigadier General. That is INSANE. God bless Brig. Gen. James M. Stewart. Great reaction Whimsory!
In a contrast to "uber patriotic" John Wayne, who managed to get an exemption from service.
@johannesvalterdivizzini1523 Part of the reason he became "uber patriotic" was because of that. It bothered him till the day he died, that he didn't serve. But, it's still a good point!
@@johannesvalterdivizzini1523 Bone spurs?
@@NerdJared Reagan and Trump both managed to avoid military service; the latter completely , the former - in a war-zone, however, in both of these cases the individual involved more than made up for any earlier such deficit or lacking through service as Commander-in-Chief - each surviving assassination attempts due to their elevated roles/profiles
This movie is the poster child for the public domain. Movie flopped at the cinema, but when it entered public domain and television stations could play the movie basically for free, it was introduced to people who wouldn't have seen it any other way. One of the greatest Christmas movies ever became a staple and classic because no one cared about it for a couple decades.
Unfortunately, the way copyright laws have been perverted, corporations will now own properties until one year after our sun goes supernova.
@miker.9138 Yeah. Disney pushed a lot of the extensions, up to seventy years on a lot of things now, but even their older stuff is emerging. The Winnie the Pooh horror movies, and now some people using the steamboat Willie version of Mickey mouse since became public last year show there are limits to even how long corporate money can hold onto everything.
"It's a Wonderful Life" passed into the Public Domain because the copyright owners failed to file a renewal. That is no longer the case as legislation was passed that allowed many copyright owners (including the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life") to recover their films from the Public Domain. That's why "It's a Wonderful Life" so rarely shows up on TV during the holidays. The owners of the copyright sell the exclusive right to air "It's a Wonderful Life" for a hefty fee that would make Mr. Potter smile.
@@Col_Fragg I just heard the other day the renewal for that copyright for this movie would have cost the enormous sum of $4.
The only actual teenager at the dance was the boy that opened the floor. He was Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, the original Alfalfa in Our Gang/Little Rascals films. Born in 1929, he was about 17 or 18 years old. 🤘😎❤
It's A Wonderful Life didn't really get any recognition until the 1970s. Somebody at the studio forgot to renew the copyright. Thus it entered the public domain and TV stations could play it without paying royalties. They began to play it multiple times each year, which exposed many viewers to a movie that they probably would have never seen if it was still under copyright. So It's A Wonderful Life owes its status as a beloved Christmas classic to a clerk failing to file a piece of paperwork that would have cost four dollars.
There's an interesting bit of footage on YT of a 1970 interview with Canadian director Don Shebib (Goin' Down the Road). In it he says he was greatly influenced by a little known Frank Capra movie "It's a Wonderful Life" What people don't remember is that in 1970 it was little known. After it's initial run it would have likely fallen by the wayside. Its copyright expired in 1974 following a lack of renewal and it entered the public domain, allowing it to be broadcast without licensing or royalty fees, at which point it became a Christmas classic.
The clerk who forgot to file for copyright renewal must be a relative of Uncle Billy lol
@@jethro1963 I was a kid in the 1960's and while I think the TV stations did broadcast it annually (along with "A Christmas Carol" and "Miracle on 34th St") I never watched it until I was in college. That made sense since I was older, and it really isn't a film made for little kids.
Also, IAWL was remade by Marlo Thomas as a TV movie in the late 70’s, called It Happened One Christmas. Thomas played a female version of George, and Cloris Leachman played the angel. The film didn’t get great ratings, but it did add to renewed interest in IAWL. Until then, Capra had been best remembered for It Happened One Night, Mister Deeds Goes to Town, and Mister Smith Goes to Washington, all great films.
Reed was 25 and Stewart was 37 during filming, but he didn't need makeup to look older, as his PTSD from the war had aged him a decade in half the time. When he was angry or despondent and weeping, he wasn't acting, just letting the trauma out for a little spin.
Yes. They tried to keep him safe as possible but he insisted on flying all missions, no matter how hazardous.
10:58----The "run" on the bank, Whimsory, was actually a financial crisis due to the crash of the stock market in 1929. This was the beginning of the Great Depression.
This was before FDIC insurance, which would pay you the money you lost in your account. After a number of banks failed, Congress passed a law and FDIC insurance went into effect on January 1, 1934. The amount of money per account back then was $2000.00, a pretty sizable sum back then.
The run on the bank was 4-5 years after the start of the depression. The graduation was 1928. Harry then went to college and Gearge and Mary got married after she went to college. So the run had to be 1933 or 34.
@@Dave-hb7lx That's correct. My memory failed me on that one! 😩 Merry Christmas! ⛄🎄🎁🎅🦌
Love that you review characters and moments from the film at the end. As well as being extra entertaining, it shows you really took the movie in, great stuff! I'm subscribed 😊
I try! Thank you so much🤗🤗
Mary didn't just wait around for George for four years. She went to college in New York but she kept her heart for him and wanted to see him as soon as she got back to Bedford Falls. She deliberately chose not to stay in New York because of him.
Garlic-eaters is an insult disparaging Italian people. As we saw George help Italian families, like Mr. Martini, have better opportunities.
Thanks for watching this beloved classic.
The boot of Italy gets around. Garlic is not native to Italy. Where is the boot stepping down onto? Africa. The implication is you aren't white since you take from all the regions around you like the Garlic from Asia and Iran.
What a beautiful reaction to this classic movie. Ms. Davis, who asked for only 17.50, was played by Ellen Corby who was also the grandmother on The Waltons, among many other roles. Love looking at the casts of these old movies because there's so much history you can learn. Garlic eaters might have been intended as an ethnic slur so maybe don't use it.
The boot of Italy gets around. Garlic is not native to Italy. Where is the boot stepping down onto? Africa. The implication is you aren't white since you take from all the regions around you like the Garlic from Asia and Iran.
Oh wow I didn't notice that was her! I actually know that show...oh, and I appreciate the heads up. Thanks!
In the script the amount was $17.00 but Frank Capra told Ellen to add some change to the $17.00. She said $17.50 and Jimmy Stewart kissed her on the cheek, on his own. That wasn't in the script either.
The man who played the grandfather on the Waltons was quite a colorful character. Will Geer was a Communist Party member and activist since the 1930s and was blacklisted by McCarthy's "House Committee on Un-American Activities" for refusing to name names.
He was bisexual, living with his gay lover off and on despite being married to a woman and raising 3 kids with her for 20 years.
By all accounts she knew beforehand and they remained close friends. He remained an activist in later years and participated in demonstrations for laborers' rights , the unemployed, the homeless etc.
@@TheNeonRabbit Ellen Corby was either bisexual or lesbian as well. She married a man, stayed married for decades, but had no children and after her divorce, she met a woman who became her long term partner. I imagine she was gay and just married a man because it was expected and she couldn't be open about her sexuality. So both Grandma and Grandpa Walton were LGBT.
The lady who asked for $17.50 was told to do so by the director after asking for 20 in all the rehearsals... he was trying to throw him off ,but George went with it ,with the kiss , and ended up making the scene better ,lol
I love these back stories!!
She saved the building and loan. They only had $2 at the end of the day. If she would have asked for $20 they would have defaulted by .50 cents.
That lady was the great Ellen Corby who 26 years later would play the iconic role of Grandma Walton on The Waltons
My favorite reactor watching my favorite movie and I get to see it on Christmas night? I feel like George Bailey in front of the Bedford Falls sign! Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much! And Merry Christmas to you also--I hope you had an amazing day 😊
10:10 "Why is he acting like this?" Getting hitched to Mary means the end of George's travel dreams. Back then there was no reliable birth control, no child care, and women didn't work. If George gets married children will come quickly, and he will have to have a steady job for the next 20 years to support them. He will be stuck in Bedford Falls. 10:29 George's outburst is his final surrender of his dreams to his love of Mary.
Merry Christmas Whimsory! Thanks for the video present.
8:30---Whimsory, the crash actually came from a stagehand who dropped something off camera. Thomas Mitchell, who played Uncle Billy, improvised the "I'm all right!" line as a joke. Frank Capra, the director, liked it and kept it in the movie.
And he gave the stagehand a $10 bonus for improving the sound
@DaleKingProfile That I didn't know! Thanks for the update!!! ✌️ Merry Christmas! 🎄🎁🎅🦌
Oh I didn't know that! It fit in so well😂Thanks!
@@Whimsory You're welcome! Merry Christmas! ⛄🎄🎁🎅🦌
I don't believe that story, ha ha
Whims, its ur channel, ur allowed to talk w/ur hands all u want.
Pay no attention to the silly, insignificant Comments.
I'm pretty sure Whimsory is a guardian angel.
Dam straight, she is; sez I.
She's prophetic anyway. She said, "At least he gave it to her" all the way back at the Hydrangea bushes scene and sure enough Mary did get pregnant.
@@ReligionOfSacrifice😂 He was always trying to inhale her face!
I like her. She's got a nice face.
@@kennymonty8206😄 Another good one!
Wishing peace and love and light to you. Thank you for your reactions.
The mean old man Mr Potter was Drew Barrymore's great-uncle Lionel Barrymore.
Yes. He's such a great actor. The whole Barrymore family is loaded with great actors.
That's crazy! You know, I saw his name and thought "huh I wonder..." and then I forgot to look up if they were related! Thanks😁
@@Whimsory Lionel Barrymore plays some other roles where his character is much more sympathetic, like Captain Disko Troop in Captains Courageous. Highly recommend this movie as it has one of the best actors of all time Spencer Tracy and probably the child actor GOAT Freddie Bartholomew. Freddie was also in Little Lord Fauntleroy which I thought would be some sort of foppish affair but was actually a great movie. Highly recommend both movies, Freddie has been largely forgotten but I can't think of too many kid actors who were better than him.
If you'd like to see Drew's grandmother, you can watch the film Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936). When I first saw it, I had to look up the actress Dolores Costello, because I thought she looked like Drew. It's a good movie, if a bit dated, and a feel-good story. I'm a fan of a lot of old black and whites, though there were of course thousands of forgettable movies made back then too.
@@artomatt I totally forgot about Dolores Costello (and the relation to Drew) and I just suggested Little Lord Fauntleroy and Freddie Bartholomew
9:50 - Whimsory: "Why's he acting like this?" Well, because he's becoming discouraged - the more circumstances conspire against him, the more he doesn't see himself ever getting out of Bedford Falls and realizing all those big dreams of his.
Oh, and "garlic eaters" was a slur against folks of Italian heritage.
I’m a 63 year old man, high testosterone and tough guy……but I cry every time I watch this. It starts when George’s mother doesn’t recognize him, I get choked up and then the emotions start flowing
When George showed up at Mary's house he was still struggling with the idea of giving up his plans abd dreams again. This time for his brother Harry to have a better life and the idea of settling down with Mary would make that decision permanent.
I've noticed some other reactors being confused by this and the mixture of strong contrasting emotions from George before he kisses Mary. Jimmy Stewart brilliantly played a man who was going through the turmoil of two great conflicting desires, his childhood dream of seeing the world and his love for Mary.
Thank you, Whimsory, MERRY CHRISTMAS! - Another aspect of this movie is being shortly after WW II and how it affected those who were not on the front lines in WW II, but support soldiers (who were actually the majority of those who served... maintaining the supply lines, shipping etc), and those who did not serve (like George), but kept life going from 1941-1945 in America.
Many of these "non-heroes" suffered from a belief that they had missed out on being a hero, seeing the World away from their homes, in what was the biggest event of their lifetimes and felt worthless and depressed because of it.
George's plight showed people the value of just being a decent person who did what they could for their communities and families, showing how important one life could be to all those around him. It gave hope that they could too have "A Wonderful Life"...
A great film that shows the frustrations of soldiers who were not in the "Action" of the war is "Mister Roberts" 1955 (Color) - Starring Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Jimmy Cagney, based on a stage play. Thanks again for a great reaction!
Highly recommend "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" another Frank Capra/Jimmy Stewart gem that is right up your alley.
Whimsory! If you plan on watching more B/W films, then I highly recommend:
"Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964) -- Great Cold War satire! Brilliant dark comedy
"The Day The Earth Stood Still" (1951) - classic science fiction thriller and an anti-nuclear weapons theme
Jimmy Stewart had flown numerous bombing missions in WW2 and was still suffering from battle fatigue at the time. Now, battle fatigue is called PTSD.
When George is praying in the bar, it wasn't in the script for Stewart to cry, nor was he directed to. He just empathized with George's pain and started crying for real. Hos closeups were originally filmed as wider shots, but Capra was so impressed that he had those individual frames of the film enlarged. It isn't as obvious on newer, remastered prints, but originally the closeups appeared noticeably grainier than the rest of the film.
For some older classics, I recommend "Boys Town" 1938, "The Grapes of Wrath" 1940, "Sahara" 1943, "Lifeboat" 1944, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" 1947, "Harvey" 1950, "The African Queen" 1951, "Bad Day at Black Rock" 1955, "The Spirit of St. Louis" 1957, "Fail-Safe" 1964, "The Flight of the Phoenix" 1965.
Great list, I would like to add 'Night of the Hunter' 1955
Jimmy Stewart flew 20 combat mission as a pilot of B-24s in Europe in WW2. He was deputy Commander and had to organize the rosters / assign pilots to missions. This was his first post-war film and he had what today we'd call PTSD and survivor's guilt. His pain is all over this performance. The script didn't call for him to cry in the bar scene. Stewart was a beloved figure - the Tom Hanks of his time but with war hero layered on top. He stayed in the Air Force reserves for decades and rose to Brigadier General, with his last combat mission as an observer on a B-52 raid over Vietnam.
Aside: I love how they try to "Old Maid" a 25 year old Donna Reed just by throwing some glasses and a hat on her. Yeah, OK. Best looking "Old Maid" ever.
A lovely film that still resonates....and still breaks through 2024 sarcasm / cynicism to bring the waterworks.
And a lovely reaction as always.
He was originally going to turn this movie down because he felt like his mental state was too bad and he didn’t think he could act anymore. His good friend, Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter) was the one that talked him into doing it because he thought it would be good for him. It was. He said that doing this movie was really got him back into life.
Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors and he loved flying.... yes he flew in the war and did many films with planes in them...
Spirit of St Louis ( 1957 )
Jimmy plays Charles Lindbergh a quick story of his life and the events that led upto and including that historic non-stop 20+ hour NewYork to Paris flight. Great film !
(1st flight over the Atlantic flying solo )
No Highway in the Sky (1951)
Jimmy as a scientist with studies in metal fatigue and by some strange twist gets booked on one of the planes that is showing high risk and he believes that it could break at any moment ?
Strategic Air Comand ( 1957 )
The cold war is heating up and Jimmies character a Professional Baseball player is being called back into the service... a film that has some of the most unbelievable in air shots of airplanes in the sky. That alone makes it worth watching.
Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
A aging pilot with most of his good years behind him is flying some oil field workers a doctor and a person that was visiting his brother but on the way home while crossing the desert and had to set the plane down.... the big question can they fix it and will it get out ?
Please quit getting down on yourself. We like you for who you are right now. You are so genuine and sweet. The world could use a LOT more people like you.
About four billion should to do it.
I have autographed photos of the 2 daughters Janie and Zuzu who are both still alive and in their 80's. Janie lives near me and has a room in her house dedicated to this film.
Great reaction, Whimsory. One explanation that I have not seen in the comments is the quick cut from the phone scene to the wedding. The director has envisioned a much more drawn out transition of the phone scene where George’s love for Mary overtakes his reluctance to accept his fate. 1940s film etiquette forbid blatant displays of passion between unmarried couples so they were forced to do the quick cut and then show their passion for each other in the cab after they were married.
Hee Haw and Merry Christmas! Sam Wainwright was a faithful friend to George.
Merry Christmas 🎁 and thank you for all of the great reaction-reviews this year. ❤😊
Three of the Bailey children are still alive. Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu) is 84. Carol Coombs (Janie) is 89. Jimmy Hawkins (Tommy) is 83. Actress Virginian Patton played Harry's wife and was the last credited actor who died Aug 2022. She was also General George Patton's niece. Sam Wainright was played by Frank Albertson who 14 years later plays the creepy guy with the $40,000 in Psycho. On a more negative note Donna Reed and Jimmy Stewart did not get along during filming. A few years later Reed was up for a part in a Stewart movie who Stewart refused to work with again and thus Reed did not get the part.
Thank you for taking the time and working hard to get this posted, made a beautiful end to my lovely Christmas day! I hope you had a good one too miss Whimsory! Bless you 🙂
Every year this movie is shown on cable TV, and every time my father sees it's on he states, "I should watch this one of these days," and then he watches it again. And then the next time he flips by it he says, "I should watch this one of these days," and then he watches it, again. Every year...
I love this!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, Whimsory.
Right back at ya! Thank you so much😊
Lionel Barrymore plays a completely different role in another Frank Capra film with James Stewart, "You Can't Take It With You." Another great film for reaction.
Great suggestion. One of my all time faves. I've never seen a reaction to it. I'm waiting! :)
A little trivia, after drunk Uncle Billy stumbles off camera a crew member dropped a tray of props. Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy) improvised his “I’m alright! I’m ok!”
The movie was nominated for a sound Oscar, and the crew member was awarded a $10 bonus for "enhancing the sound".
It wasn't actually Clarence narrating, it was another angel (Joseph?) talking to Clarence.
A fair number of classic movies didn't become 'classic' on release but only after showing up on TV. Its A Wonderful Life, The Wizard of Oz, even Bladerunner weren't box office hits but they did take off as must-see-TV.
Great reaction and analysis as always Whimsory!
And Merry Christmas to my favorite and most thoughtful reactor. Pray continue bestowing your reactions unpon us.
I can finally stop watching reactions to "It's a Wonderful Life" now.
Once Whimsory has watched a great film, it is truly complete. 😉😉
It's not how a movie starts out, but how it ends (meaning its' popularity over the years). In one year it will be 80 years old... Holy cow.
This movie always has my heart. It's a reminder that you never know the impact you make on the lives of others. I try very hard not to take what I do for others or around others for granted. It matters!
The woman who made a little self-sacrifice and asked for only $17.50 instead of $20.00 made a big difference as the Bldg. & Loan only had $2 at the end of the day.
@2ramona959 $2.50 in September 1929 would be worth about $45 today, so it's not as small of a difference as it might seem to us.
Also, I learned recently that Capra asked her to change the amount to something that wasn't even, just to get a surprised reaction out of Stewart. That's why Stewart was so surprised and gave her a kiss.
There is an incredble legacy of main actors and supporting actors here. Here are just some: Donna Reed [Mrs George Bailey] went on to win best supporting actress for From Here to Eternity [1953]. In 1958 she was given her own TV sitcom The Donna Reed Show, which ran until 1966 . Many iconic supporting players and bit parts in this movie. The bartender, Sheldon Leonard, became a big time TV show producer. The Cab Driver, Frank Faylen, ["Ernie"] became the ornery father on the sitcom "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" [1959-1963]. Ward Bond, who played Burt the cop, was a mainstay in cowboy movies, many of which he co-starred with his friend John Wayne. Charles Lane, who had the short bit of the collector for Potter, who said "This young man may be working for George Bailey" lived to be 102. He always had work in movies and TV!!! Little 6 year old Tommy Bailey, played by Jimmie Hawkins, as the son of George Bailey sitting on his lap putting tinsel on George's head....he stayed in acting and worked in many movies and sitcoms, including the Donna Reed Show turnin teenager type beach movies etc. Donna Reed gave him a job, must have been great for both of the to be reunited, working together. He's still alive at age 84, possobly the lastone left alive of the entire cast.. Thomas John Mitchell as Uncle Billy...(July 11, 1892 - December 17, 1962) was an Irish-American actor and writer. Among his most famous roles in a long career are those of Gerald O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, Doc Boone in Stagecoach, Uncle Billy in It's a Wonderful Life, and Mayor Jonas Henderson in High Noon. Mitchell was the first male actor to gain the Triple Crown of Acting by winning an Oscar[ movies], an Emmy, [TV] and a Tony Award [Stage].
You left out the crow. 😀
If you rewatch this movie, "Hee-Haw" was the greeting the young George and his chums used as the slang greeting of their youth.
Merry Christmas may the new year be better than the last.
Wave your arms around. It is you. You are not like most other YT creators, all boring wana be news readers. You have passion. merry Xmas
There's really a few take-aways, beyond what Clarence wrote. Two were later referenced by members of the Beatles: the quote under Peter Bailey's photo, "All you can take with you is what you give away", which was summed up in tje song The End as, "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make". The other was a line from John Lennon's song Beautiful Boy, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
Happy holidays! Also can we make the “Go To Hell Award” a permanent fixture? That be great, thanks
Fun fact 1- @8:27 - The sound of garbage cans being knocked over when Uncle Billy staggers of was actually a stagehand dropping some props. Jimmy Stewart's laugh was genuine and Thomas Mitchell improvised the line "I'm alright, I'm OK". It was one of those very happy accidents, Frank Capra loved it and left it in the final cut.
Fun fact 2 - What appears to be snow was either Ivory soap flakes, chipped ice or something called foamite. All three were used at different points in the film.
Whimsory, ya awsome for reactions, never stop them flailing arm's ❤😂
Great seeing young people watching this classic.
Fun reaction Whimsory.
Fantastic reaction as always. Such a beautiful, heartfelt, and deeply meaningful movie. I liked it as a teen when I first saw it, but it's only grown on me since then.
I understand the $17.50 lady was not told to say that specific number, so when Jimmy Stewart heard it he was actually so shocked he kissed her.
Thank you Whimsory
The movie is an absolute classic. My only note is that I wish that Annie's role was bigger. She's hilarious.
It's a Wonderful Whimsory Reaction! Always fun. I hope you're having a great holiday Whimsory and I hope you have a wonderful 2025
I didn’t know how much I needed to see your movie reactions. Your thoughtful ending analysis and hilarious video effects and edits are the funniest and most creative among your peers. I agree with you on the fact that in general, black and white movies are better. Hollywood cranked out great movies for 50 years before we got caught in this comic book quagmire of remakes and CGI hell. Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas. I have enjoyed watching you this year. Thank you.
Thanks for the Clarence as hungry zombie loop. Haven’t laughed this hard in a while. :)
I'm so glad someone noticed! When I rewatched the movie on my computer I watched this part up close and something about it rather struck my funny bone. Thank you🤗🤗
Most Valuable Inanimate Object: The staircase newel post cap that keeps coming off!
George always hated it but then realized how much he loved it. 😆
Wonder what it would sell for at auction…
Clarence gnawing on Bert was genius of you, it gave me a big laugh I needed. Thank you.
garlic eaters refer to Italians as most of us dont use it much
a lot of people assume Sam was shifty, but he turned out to be a true friend, offering the equivalent of a half million dollars to help George, no questions asked
If you want a more modern version of this, look for Midnight Clear, not the war movie but the Christmas movie starring Stephen Baldwin.
A lot of people find it slow and boring, but I think it is one of the best, Baldwin deserves an Oscar in my eyes for his part. It is the only movie that makes me cry many times watching it.
Stewart's trademark mock anger was one of his most endearing qualities onscreen. He manages to generate some genuine pathos here. This was his first movie back from war service; he had flown 20 combat missions over Europe.
I fell in love with black and white movies about 35 years ago. For many years, I would never watch a movie made past 1960. When people used to ask me if I had seen one of the latest movies, I would jokingly tell them that if it’s in color, I don’t want to see it. They were moving made in the 40s and 50s and color but if a movie was made after 1960, I wasn’t watching it.
I have gotten better and have seen modern movies, but I will never give up my love for old movies in general rather they’re in color or not.
Another old movie you could react to is Mildred Pierce, even though it was made in the 1940s, you’d be surprised at the relationship between two of the characters.
I really enjoyed this reaction to such a great classic film (also enjoyed seeing your kitty sleeping the background). Thank you, Whimsory 😊
Sam is a good guy who’s best taken in small doses. We all have people like this in our lives.
Enjoyed the reaction, particularly the break-down at the end. As my Christmas gift to you, here are 10 black & white movies I think you'll love:
In no particular order:
1. HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940) - a quintessential example of the screwball comedy genre, following a group of newspapermen (and one fierce but feminine newspaperwoman) as they chase down public corruption on the eve of a pubic execution.
2. 12 ANGRY MEN (1957) - a jury debates the fate of a young man accused of murdering his father; a tour de force of acting, cinematography, and scriptwriting.
3. DUCK SOUP (1933) - a political satire held by many to be the best of the Marx Brothers movies.
4. CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935) - a pirate adventure famous for introducing the world to Errol Flynn.
5. STAGECOACH (1939) - a group of disparate personalities share a ride across the Old West; the movie is famous for making a star out of John Wayne.
6. ARSNIC AND OLD LACE (1944) - Cary Grant at his manic finest as he uncovers the terrible secret shared by his two spinster aunts.
7.. DEAD END (1937) - gangster movie starring Humphry Bogart revisiting his old inner city neighborhood; the movie introduced the Dead End Kids, who'd go on to front a comedic movie franchise, as both the East Side Kids and the Bowery Boys.
8. THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940) - a spoof of high society starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn, as well as Jimmy Stewart, who won an Academy Award for his role.
9. THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962) - a western that sees Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne competing, each in his own inimitable way, to woo the girl and fend off the town bully.
10. CASABLANCA (1942) - starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the be-all and end-all of wartime dramatic romance movies.
BONUS: I predict you'd also enjoy the OUR GANG (a.k.a. The Little Rascals) and THREE STOOGES comedies. These were shorts that ran 10-20 mins in length, so you could probably react to three or four in a single video. You might poll your subscribers for the best ones to sample.
Looking at your history I see you've already watched 12 ANGRY MEN. So, please allow me to substitute:
ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) - starring Marlon Brando as an ex-boxer turned dock worker struggling against corrupt union bosses. Co-stars Lee J. Cobb, who was Juror No. 3 in 12 ANGRY MEN.
Merry Christmas Whimsory 🎅 🎄
5:04
The whole time she sees George, Mary does not blink, and she never loses her smile. Gentlemen, that is a woman in love. If you're looking for someone and she does that, you better hang on to her for the rest of your life!
Merry Christmas whimsory 🎅
Merry Christmas and a very happy new year to you! :)
The term "garlic eaters" was a derisive term Mr. Potter is using against Italians, like Mr. Martini, because at the time of this movie, there had recently been a large wave of immigrants from Italy, and as usual, it would take a generation of so for them to be blended in and accepted.
The boot of Italy gets around. Garlic is not native to Italy. Where is the boot stepping down onto? Africa. The implication is you aren't white since you take from all the regions around you like the Garlic from Asia and Iran.
Harry Bailey got all the breaks but he idolized his big brother George. That's why his toast at the end is reminiscent of young George standing up for his dad to old man Potter. It gets me every time.
George Bailey was the opposite of Ebenezer Scrooge. He was a wonderful man who helped make people's lives better, but was miserable inside. Before it was too late, he was shown how wonderful Life is, thanks to him.
Mr. Potter was Ebenezer Scrooge with ZERO chance to redeem himself. No visits from any Christmas ghost would have saved him.
Mary was the perfect wife, the perfect counterpart. Smart, assertive, willful, loyal, and always ready to take action.
Sam Wainright was a smart but annoying dork who got on people's nerves, but he was a good guy. He lacked social skills but came through when it mattered. He had the hots for Mary, but he had no chance. Mary was fixed on George all along!
I liked your comment about black and white movies. If you are looking for another black and white classic, try Casablanca. Highly recommend!
I always liked Sam. He was always a true friend to George. When Sam was supposed to be kind of seeing Mary at college, I think he really knew who Mary loved. He also tried to help George by letting him in on his business. Then without question he is willing to give him $25,000.
This is one of the most beautiful movies ever made. It's the reason movies exist: they make you feel and take your mind and soul on a journey. As always, I love your reaction 😊👍👍
Mr. Potter caused the pivotal "run on the bank" that kept George and Mary from going on their honeymoon.
He was the principal owner of the bank, and he wanted to shut it down forever.
He demanded that Bailey Building & Loan pay back the money that they owed him.
He also spread the "rumor" that the Building & Loan was closing. That is why the townspeople ran to the bank to get their money.
Love to see people experience this classic for the first time. 😊Also, your hair is lovely!
Merry Christmas Whims.
My favorite scene which I think is also the saddest scene is when George comes home after Uncle Billy loses the money and George "chews out" his whole family. Who does George help? Those that are misfortunate. Who is the only member of his family that he finds strength to gather himself and act kindly towards? Zuzu, because he sees she's sick. George right away calmes down and pretends to mend her flower. The more help people need the more George is willing to help. I also love Sam and Violet they are not central characters but incredibly important to understand that people from our past matter even if they are not present in our lives at a certain moment. I don't think it's said in the film but I think Zuzu's real name is Elizabeth and Zuzu is her nickname. Just my theory.
As a proud "garlic-eater," I resemble that remark. Up until I first saw this film about 30 years ago, I never heard that term applied to Italians, but who am I to question Hollywood's grasp of sociocultural vernacular of the early 20th century? Apparently, rich WASPs can't stand garlic, so they must be vampires. Potter was a bloodsucking greedhead, so there.
Mr Potter was a ✡️ Even Worse