To think I wasn't going to enjoy this film because it was monochrome and released in 1946, it actually turned out to be one of the best films I have watched. Makes me now want to consider more films from way back to enjoy.
My brother acclaimed the film and then recommended that I enjoy it for myself. I dismissed it at first, but It's a Wonderful Life teaches valuable lessons, of which I'll get to the main one later on.
A Wonderful Life is actually an adaptation from a book called "The Greatest Gift," a short story loosely based on the Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. And all of them have similar messages on self-worth, redemption, the impact we have on others, and the power of compassion and gratitude. In the end of It's a Wonderful Life, we see the main character go through a life-changing experience that helps him realise the value of his greatest gift.
When a frustrated businessman, George Bailey, becomes suicidal, an angel from heaven, Clarence, is sent to him. To his change of heart, she shows him what life would have been without his existence. Google
I wouldn't want to exaggerate and claim that its storyline was flawless. Let's just say that it was finely written and had no loose ends. It is well-written with effective progression. The way it ties the past with the present in order to present its message while keeping important elements like comedy and drama—it all had meaning, purpose, and direction.
George Bailey, the main character, played a pivotal role as everything really revolved around him. And it was necessarily so to portray the major point in the film, summed up in a quote, "Remember no man is a failure who has friends."
Watching a film from 1946 showed me the difference between time and now in societies, people, and relationships. Back then, as it seemed in the film, people were damn straightforward. If you want to do or say something, just do! No one really cared much about how it would be received, but they communicated what they had in mind. Men straight-up expressed their interests in women, and so did women, although in different ways.
The sound wasn't well balanced, as some parts were louder than the others, and the dialogue was sometimes clear enough. It didn't matter much, though, as the gestures, facial expressions, and body language covered up.
At a point, I didn't remember that the film was in black and white. It was that good a film for me. It is the kind I would watch with family, and we'll all have a good time together.
I so recommend this. It's a Wonderful Life is a truly inspiring film that teaches the value of unselfish thinking and that the greatness of a man is not defined by his riches but by the impact he has on the lives of others around him. And you're likely going to have a good laugh for most of it.
Images are screenshots from the film
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