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zingy
College Boy Z
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 8:40 pm
Posts: 36662
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 It's a Wonderful Life It's a Wonderful Life Quote: It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American comedy/drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern.
The film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers). Clarence shows George all the lives he has touched and the contributions he has made to his community.
Despite initially being considered a box office flop due to high production costs and stiff competition at the time of its release, the film has come to be regarded as a classic and a staple of Christmas television around the world. Theatrically, the film's break-even point was actually $6.3 million, approximately twice the production cost, a figure it never came close to achieving in its initial release. An appraisal in 2006 reported: "Although it was not the complete box-office failure that today everyone believes… it was initially a major disappointment and confirmed, at least to the studios, that Capra was no longer capable of turning out the populist features that made his films the must-see, money-making events they once were."
It's a Wonderful Life was nominated for five Oscars without winning any, although the film has since been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made, and placed number one on their list of the most inspirational American films of all time.
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| Sat Jan 15, 2005 12:16 pm |
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Levy
Golfaholic
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 2:06 pm
Posts: 16054
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The most moving and uplifting movie ever made. James Stewart is tremendous and Frank Capra shows why he was such a genious behind the camera. It you ever want to make a man cry, show him this piece. It is marvellous (A+)
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| Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:57 am |
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Jeff
Christian's #1 Fan
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2004 8:25 pm
Posts: 28110
Location: Awaiting my fate
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Sentinmental, yet very over-rated. While far from bad, it does not engage the viewer and fails to connect with modern audiences. A touching story, but far from a touching movie.
6.5/10 (B)
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| Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:16 pm |
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Mister Ecks
New Server, Same X
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:07 pm
Posts: 28292
Location: ... siiiigh...
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Really enjoyable little Christmas movie. I never saw the movie until tonight, and while I couldn't possibly see myself adding this to my list of yearly movies to watch at Christmas time, it's definitely something that I think holds up 60 years later. Sure, there's a certain level of age in the film, but not as much as there could be.
Grade: A-/B+
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Ecks Factor: Cancelled too soon
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| Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:26 am |
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Terminator1997
George A. Romero
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:30 pm
Posts: 9763
Location: Enjoying a cold pint
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"Oh Mary! All these people gave me money so i won't kill myself!"
this is a pretty damn good christmas movie, one of the best.
A
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| Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:28 am |
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MGKC
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Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:42 pm
Posts: 11808
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
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Almost my favorite movie ever. The characters are so moving, and you want to actually care for them. There's just so many emotions in this movie, and it all fits together so well.
A+
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| Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:12 pm |
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GuybrushX McMurphy
Cream of the Crop
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:28 pm
Posts: 2794
Location: Germany
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A
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| Mon Dec 26, 2005 12:40 am |
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Shack
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2005 2:30 am
Posts: 37993
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B+
A good and often great Christmas movie, but not qutie an uber classic for me. I guess my biggest problem was the ending, it wasn't really convincing enough. He supposibly learns that he has a wonderful life, but it still seems awfully depressing to me. Good movie though.
_________________Shack’s top 50 tv shows - viewtopic.php?f=8&t=90227
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| Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:19 pm |
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zennier
htm
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:38 pm
Posts: 10316
Location: berkeley
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Sappy.
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| Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:30 pm |
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MGKC
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Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:42 pm
Posts: 11808
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
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Shack wrote: B+
A good and often great Christmas movie, but not qutie an uber classic for me. I guess my biggest problem was the ending, it wasn't really convincing enough. He supposibly learns that he has a wonderful life, but it still seems awfully depressing to me. Good movie though. You don't think he did?? He was in a town where everyone loves him, he has a great wife, and 3 (?) great kids. He learned he did have effects on everyone, and that he actually saved many people.
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| Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:12 pm |
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paper
Artie the One-Man Party
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 2:53 pm
Posts: 4632
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One of my all-time favorites, but it doesn't mean I think it's one of the all-time best. Jimmy saves the film, along with Clarence (Who played him???)
On a Personal Level: A+
Objectively (hard to do): B
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| Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:44 pm |
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Mannyisthebest
Forum General
Joined: Wed May 10, 2006 3:53 pm
Posts: 8636
Location: Toronto, Canada
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well in my opinion until his life turns upside down is when imo the film really is remembered for.
However the effect on cinema this film had is huge considering it didn't even finish near the top ten in the year it was released 1946. The film is more popular today then when it was released. Also think of the countless movies, tv shows and books that have the same storyline as this film. The whole "how would life be like if this did not happen" is from this movie.
I find the starting boring but after he meets the angel the film really takes off and really you feel sad angry and so happy at the end. Even if one is an emotionless man he would feel his heart warm up at the ending.
A-
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 10:50 pm |
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Jiffylush
Aspiring Director
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:55 pm
Posts: 47
Location: NC
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I have watched this movie far to many times to really be objective about how it is the first time you see it, but...
My wife had never seen it until I made her watch it a few years ago, by her reaction it is clearly a movie that resonates today, even if it is something that we all watch over and over just because it is a classic.
I love Donna Reed and of course Jimmy Stewart, their performances along with the story and filmmaking make this a clear A for me.
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| Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:52 am |
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trixster
loyalfromlondon
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm
Posts: 19697
Location: ville-marie
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Re: It's a Wonderful Life I don't like it much. Terribly sappy and sentimental, yes, but my biggest problem is that the film takes forever to get to the main plot. The first 90 minutes are basically wasted screen time.
_________________Magic Mike wrote: zwackerm wrote: If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes. Same. Algren wrote: I don't think. I predict. 
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| Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:32 am |
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zwackerm
Hold the door!
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:26 pm
Posts: 20344
Location: Where they shot Knock at the Cabin
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Re: It's a Wonderful Life This movie has a great premise, but so much of it is wasted on pointless bank padding scenes that the best part, where he gets shown the alternate reality, is only a half hour of over 2 hour movie. Overall, not bad, but many films since have done a better job with the premise by getting directly to the alternate reality.
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