I always thought ‘what a sappy way to cash out the fantasy of non-existence.’ Yes, it’s narcissistic. Still, it seems we inevitably do have to believe the world is better with us in it, even though it is probably not the case. The value of what we do is contingent on our being there but WE value it. If one’s children did not exist, then some other children might. They would matter just as much. But one has to believe one’s children matter in some absolute and cosmic way. So I do like your interpretation. Somebody should re-do this movie where he discovers he can just NOT EXIST and it’s FINE.
Hah! This is hilarious. But George doesn’t imagine himself as a great force for good. I always saw ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ as being about a guy who is a fuck up and just blundering along but he has a nice life, and then, terrified his fuck ups have finally caught up to him, he considers suicide. But it turns out the individual is not so important. You are a nobody AND a fuck-up and it’s possibly OK because maybe you do little things that aren’t so significant but they can add up. Which is perhaps not true! But a good thing to believe if you are considering suicide.
I absolutely loved your analysis. I’d love you to tackle all the Robinhood movies. My former wife, a film PHD, once got furious at me and herself for being manipulated into shedding sentimental tears at the end of the Sean Connery version.
I think you've just explained why I never liked IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. It's not that I'm immune to treacle—for Gods' sake, I've been known to watch Hallmark Christmas Movie Marathons (though partly for the insanity of seeing actors I like in oh so vanilla roles)! It's that...I don't think very much of George Bailey, really—I really think James Stewart might have, unintentionally, created the male creature known as "Nice Guy™", who of course is not a nice guy at all, he just pretends to be to get something he wants, and I think people tend to sense that.
Part of what happened was Stewart getting older (he was no longer the handsome but gawkily engaging male ingenue), part of it were his experiences during WWII (though he was careful never to lose his temper around his subordinates, he suffered a number of symptoms of what we now call "PTSD", including self-medicating with alcohol and not going to sleep), and part of it was his concern that Doing His Patriotic Duty (which he didn't regret—in fact, he helped create the U.S. Air Force, and stayed in the USAF Reserves until they had to retire him!) might have ended his acting career. I think some of that came through with George Bailey, for better and for worse (he was nominated for Best Actor for the role).
As a fan of both movies (and Bret Easton Ellis's novel) I'm so intrigued by this + startled to have never thought of it before. Well done; I'm including your post in my weekly what's good. :)
I always thought ‘what a sappy way to cash out the fantasy of non-existence.’ Yes, it’s narcissistic. Still, it seems we inevitably do have to believe the world is better with us in it, even though it is probably not the case. The value of what we do is contingent on our being there but WE value it. If one’s children did not exist, then some other children might. They would matter just as much. But one has to believe one’s children matter in some absolute and cosmic way. So I do like your interpretation. Somebody should re-do this movie where he discovers he can just NOT EXIST and it’s FINE.
Hah! This is hilarious. But George doesn’t imagine himself as a great force for good. I always saw ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ as being about a guy who is a fuck up and just blundering along but he has a nice life, and then, terrified his fuck ups have finally caught up to him, he considers suicide. But it turns out the individual is not so important. You are a nobody AND a fuck-up and it’s possibly OK because maybe you do little things that aren’t so significant but they can add up. Which is perhaps not true! But a good thing to believe if you are considering suicide.
Well, he saves the town from authoritarianism and jazz…
ROTFL! Not—Jazz!
Anything but—Jazz!
😱
I absolutely loved your analysis. I’d love you to tackle all the Robinhood movies. My former wife, a film PHD, once got furious at me and herself for being manipulated into shedding sentimental tears at the end of the Sean Connery version.
I haven't seen many of those; it's not a huge interest? but! maybe at some point...
I think you've just explained why I never liked IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. It's not that I'm immune to treacle—for Gods' sake, I've been known to watch Hallmark Christmas Movie Marathons (though partly for the insanity of seeing actors I like in oh so vanilla roles)! It's that...I don't think very much of George Bailey, really—I really think James Stewart might have, unintentionally, created the male creature known as "Nice Guy™", who of course is not a nice guy at all, he just pretends to be to get something he wants, and I think people tend to sense that.
Part of what happened was Stewart getting older (he was no longer the handsome but gawkily engaging male ingenue), part of it were his experiences during WWII (though he was careful never to lose his temper around his subordinates, he suffered a number of symptoms of what we now call "PTSD", including self-medicating with alcohol and not going to sleep), and part of it was his concern that Doing His Patriotic Duty (which he didn't regret—in fact, he helped create the U.S. Air Force, and stayed in the USAF Reserves until they had to retire him!) might have ended his acting career. I think some of that came through with George Bailey, for better and for worse (he was nominated for Best Actor for the role).
It's a very impressive performance! Nice guy george isn't quite as convincing as the other guy, though...
As a fan of both movies (and Bret Easton Ellis's novel) I'm so intrigued by this + startled to have never thought of it before. Well done; I'm including your post in my weekly what's good. :)
thanks!
I hate It’s a Wonderful Life, and now I’m intrigued by this interpretation and now will have to watch it and American Psycho back to back. Hmm.