6 things you probably didn't know about 'It's a Wonderful Life'
Even if you've seen the Christmas classic 100 times, we bet you didn't know that ... well, just keep reading.
ZUZU AND GEORGE: You can see Karolyn Grimes, who played Jimmy Stewart's daughter, at a festival in New York. (Photo: ZUMA Presss) 
And another interesting casting note: That’s a grown-up Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer in the small role of Freddie, Mary’s obnoxious date in the film’s famous dance floor-turned-swimming pool scene (and yes, that pool exists at Beverly Hills High School). “It’s a Wonderful Life” was one of Switzer’s few post-“Our Gang” adult roles as he shifted his attention to hunting dog breeding, and was killed in 1959 at the age of 31 after being shot in the groin in a drunken dispute over $50.
Will the real Bedford Falls please stand up?
The original Bert and ErnieI was the head writer for the Muppets for 36 years and one of the original writers on ‘Sesame Street.’ The rumor about ‘It's a Wonderful Life’ has persisted over the years.I was not present at the naming, but I was always positive it was incorrect. Despite his many talents, Jim had no memory for details like this. He knew the movie, of course, but would not have remembered the cop and the cabdriver. I was not able to confirm this with Jim before he died, but shortly thereafter I spoke to Jon Stone, Sesame Street's first producer and head writer and a man largely responsible for the show's format. (Jon, sadly, is no longer with us either.)He assured me that Ernie and Bert were named one day when he and Jim were studying the prototype puppets. They decided that one of them looked like an Ernie, and the other one looked like a Bert. The movie character names are purely coincidental.
With regard to the picture "It's a Wonderful Life", [redacted] stated in substance that the film represented rather obvious attempts to discredit bankers by casting Lionel Barrymore as a "scrooge-type" so that he would be the most hated man in the picture. This, according to these sources, is a common trick used by Communists.In addition, [redacted] stated that, in his opinion, this picture deliberately maligned the upper class, attempting to show the people who had money were mean and despicable characters. [redacted] related that if he made this picture portraying the banker, he would have shown this individual to have been following the rules as laid down by the State Bank Examiner in connection with making loans. Further, [redacted] stated that the scene wouldn't have "suffered at all" in portraying the banker as a man who was protecting funds put in his care by private individuals and adhering to the rules governing the loan of that money rather than portraying the part as it was shown. In summary, [redacted] stated that it was not necessary to make the banker such a mean character and "I would never have done it that way."
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Comments
Yes, one of my all time favorite Christmas movies. Rings true. A tribute to the idea that the important things in life aren't banks and material riches. Relationships, friends, family, deeds, are what's important, not money, gold, or property deeds.
This is truly my favorite movie of all time...for I believe that it had saved my life. First time seeing it was 35 years ago. I had been in the hospital for a little over a month with an infectious disease, enlarged spleen, and little change in condition and not much hope for improvement. I had been placed into the hospital a few days before Thanksgiving 1976. There I was, 18 years old thinking that there was not much left, everyone I knew had visited for what they thought was the last.... More
I loved this movie while growing up in the 70's, but I remember watching a newer version of the film staring Marlow Thomas once. Was that remake the spark that created new interest in the film?
The person who turned me on to "It's a Wonderful Life" was Carol Burnett, whom I was interviewing for Show Magazine in 1972. We were discussing her hilarious spoofs of old movies on her TV show when, out of nowhere, she said she would never do a takeoff on "It's a Wonderful Life" because it was her favorite movie of all time. When I sheepishly admitted that I'd never seen it, she launched into a 10-minute description of the film and why I simply HAD to see it. The very next Christmas, I.... More
I love this movie!! I bet I have seen it 50 times! I'd like to add another disgusting, pretentious Christmas ritual. I give to you the year long synopsis tucked inside your Christmas card. This consists of some gas bag friend, relative or some other useless human telling us all about their interesting year that was. A brag letter detailing in the third person all the minutia of their empty boring lives. I honestly think that these people think they are that fascinating. These are the same.... More
I disagree. I enjoy everyone of those year long synopsy (sp?). Sharing is not necessarily bragging. Why relate the unfortunate events of the year? Of course the good events sans the bad sound like bragging to a self-absorbed envious person like yourself, but any adult knows that between some of the fortunate events were much lesser ones that we were spared hearing of.
We have entire news shows evening after evening detailing unfortunate events concerning those we do not know, if.... More
It's a Wonderful Life is part of the holiday tradition. I have seen this movie at least 20 times. Other holiday traditions are concrete fruitcake, ugly sweaters, grumpy Grandpas bad breath and having to put up with your obnoxious in laws, two months of hearing christmas carols and last but not least all of the celebrity jerks hosting TV shows in their multimillion dollar homes. I cannot wait until it's over. Give as much as you can to all the charitys this year, so the kids have a good.... More
WHITE CHRISTMAS
Almost all of this is on the dvd extras such as interviews and commentary. The only thing I hadn't heard was the alleged "true location" however, the actual filming location is also in the dvd extras. Oh - I also never heard about the FBI disapproval. Good job on that one.
Wow...just enjoy the movie for the point it was trying to get across. Don't go political, religious, etc. about it. Relax people!
When I watch IAWL, I immediately think of communist propaganda.
if this film was re-done today, the banker would still not be portrayed as a nice guy. then, as now, there are feelings of distrust and borderline hatred of "bankers". they are the face of all your financial struggles. if you want a house, you have to go to a banker and in essence ask for permission (aka apply for a home loan and approved only if you meet their standards). Back then, you had a society recently out of a depression, where a lot of people lost all they had to a bank (sound familiar)..... More
Ok, MakeThemEatCake....it is just a movie, one of the greatest Christmas movies! I have seen it 50 times perhaps, twice each season at least! Let's enjoy sometimes and not over analyze. Live life and enjoy!
This is the attitude that is killing the middle class. One of the major themes of the movie is that George Baily worked hard and made something of himself! He didnt need Potter (the banker) to help him at all. True he wasnt "the richest an in town" but he had a good business, a nice home and family, and helped a lot of other folks get houses of their own. That to me is a great success and what the middle class should stand for. Whining that bankers are "the face of all your financial.... More
I've always felt suffocated by this movie -- geez, all the guy wants to do is take off a few months and explore his life....but instead he's boxed into the small, small box.
Sorry, but it's called "responsibility". Most everyone is boxed into a small box, it's called life. Sure we are in control most of the time, but sometimes we aren't -- and it's those times our true character comes into play. What you do with your life in times of trouble is what the movie is trying to say. Grow up!!
I read it the same way, but at this point in my life, I can appreciate it all the more because of that. George has an entire mid-life crisis, all in one evening! George starts out as a selfless person, in the full sense of the word. He's spent his whole life thinking he has no choice but to sacrifice his dreams, and as long as he continues in this way of thinking, he can't really be a fully "actualized" person, as the pop psychologists would say. Or a bitter, twisted young man, as Potter.... More
Well, this certainly provides some perspective. I actually like this movie. And I guess I'm shameless enough to admit it here. Not in a million years would I have guessed that the FBI would have found this truly sentimental film to be subversive! I'd like to be a fly on the wall a hundred years hence - just to see what un-American oddities will show up then - redacted of course.
