I absolutely love when young people think they won't like this movie when they start watching it, then they get hooked in, love it, and cry at the end! Don't judge a movie by it's age and because it is black and white. 🙂I'm 56 years old. I first saw this movie in the early 80s when I was about 15 years old. I was the same way. I didn't think it would be any good. I ended up loving it and crying in the end. I've now seen this movie probably over 100 times, and I still cry at the end! Merry Christmas to both of you!
There are so many old films that the younger generation would like if the give them a chance, another good one is The Bishops Wife with Cary Grant and David Niven.
I've seen this movie every year my entire life...we used to watch it on Thanksgiving night to usher in the new year and to remind ourselves to be thankful. It makes me cry every time.
The script called for her to ask for $17. Frank Capra told the actress Ellen Corby to come up with something that wasn't a round number, but didn't tell Jimmy Stewart about it. Stewart's reaction, including the kiss, was unscripted. What I like about the $17.50 is that it tells you she was asking for only what she needed, and not a cent more.
That's Ellen Corby, a character actress who ended up playing Grandma Walton later on. She was an interesting woman who was an early practitioner of transcendental meditation.
You two are adorable. It was a pleasure to watch y'all. DON'T! SLEEP! on these black and white movies. So many good films to see. I was 22 when I first saw this movie it was a free gift when I bought a VCR didn't want to watch because it was black and white... watched it and I was laughing and then in tears... I'm 56 now. Merry Christmas you two. 👍🏽😃
🐿Uncle Billy's animals serve to highlight his gentle eccentric personality, he's empathetic and child like, lacking the gritty ambitious qualities better suited to business. He is a sweet old soul, when his squirrel runs up to him to comfort him, it breaks my heart.
10:37 one thing to note: George's last words to his father was that George thought his father was "a really great guy". As someone who's lost both parents now, never pass up the opportunity to tell the people you care for that you love them.
Man, there have never been truer words written. There will come a day when it is too late to tell every single person we love how we feel about them, and they deserve to hear it from us.
According to the American Film Institute, you just watched the 11th greatest film ever made. That swimming pool still exists beneath floor of the Beverly Hills high school.😊
When Mary breaks the window, the director had a sharpshooter with a bb gun to shoot out the window; but Donna Reed (Mary Hatch) had been a sportswoman in high school, including baseball, and the window breaking out WAS from her throw.
The way Donna Reed one-hands that LIVE goat over her shoulder with a baby on her lap and a bunch of other kids in the back seat is Actress Boss Mode. 🔥
This was James Stewart's first film after returning from WW2 where he served in the Air Force as a bomber pilot. He was suffering from what we now call PTSD and didn't know if he could still act. "It's a Wonderful Life" did not do well at the box office but has since become a Christmas traditional classic enjoyed by millions.
James Stewart and Lionel Barrymore, who plays Mr. Potter, were good friends, and when Stewart hesitated to sign on to do this film, contemplating walking away from acting entirely, it was Barrymore who talked him into doing it.
Where he is praying in the bar, those tears and despair were real, after effects of the war. I have seen this dozens and dozens of times; I cry the same every time. I have the b/w version but also a hand coloured one which is lovely.
Jimmy Stewart and fellow actor Robert Taylor were flight instructors at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho in the lead up to WWII. A picture of the two is at Boise's Airport. An amazing fact most people don't know.
Like George Bailey, Jimmy Stewart had a physical condition (he was underweight) that ALMOST kept him out of the military. When WWII ended, he continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve, so he was still a military officer when filming this movie. He flew on a bombing mission in Vietnam. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General. When he retired at the mandatory age of 60, he received the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.
6:05 This is one of the first time a freeze frame was used. We talked about it in film school. They had to project one frame of the film onto a screen and then film it with another camera for 30 seconds or whatever. It was considered a special effect.
For a young couple starting out in life this is the perfect Christmas movie! Also Mr Gowers son died of the flu 1919 was the year of the Spanish flu where almost 100 million people died worldwide!
the Spanish flu was far more deadly than Covid. It was even more devastating to the world population because it killed a lot of YOUNG people who could have married and started families, while Covid has mainly killed people over age 60.
@@davidmc1489 I must argue your #2 and substitute "A Muppet Christmas Carol"...and Scrooged with "Home Alone"... though those are my personal favorites :P Merry Christmas.
My dad loves this movie because it reminds him of his dad. At 18 he had to drop out of high school to take over the family farm and care for his mom and siblings. He wanted to go into business. He got the farm out of debt, THEN paid for it again to buy from his mom. At his funeral his baby sister insisted that a song entitled Others was sung because he always put others first.
FYI, from Jerry Juhl, writing to The San Francisco Chronicle to correct the "Annual Xmas Quiz" from December 27, 1999: “I 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.”
This is a legend that will not die, despite Jerry Juhl's denial, which I've seen referenced before, but never at such great length. And now I think I see why. If Jim Henson knew IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, it seems likely that even if he didn't consciously name the puppets after the cop and cabdriver, the subliminal memory of them made the two names "ring" (if you'll pardon the expression) or sound right together, causing him to use them in tandem for the puppet characters.
@@Amaberean Quoting someone is guessing? Weird how the folks that insist that it’s true have no affiliation with the Muppets at all, while the folks in a position to actually know anything, all say it was just a coincidence. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Don't feel bad, I've been crying because of this movie for over 60 years. I've watched people doing reactions to it at least 12 times in the last week and I still cry with them every single time. Directors from the 30s and 40s knew their stuff...and, Frank Capra was one of the absolute best!
After watching the movie, you have far greater appreciation for the depth of what's said about George in the beginning... "What's wrong with him, is he sick?" "No, worse. He's discouraged."
If you two haven't seen Casablanca, it's a movie I'd suggest from the '40s. Although a different movie entirely, it's an equal to this one I think. As a writer, I think (am sure) Oliver would really appreciate it. You'll recognize a lot of lines from it. Merry Christmas.
Mr. Gower's son died from the Spanish flu. Sam and Mary were never an item, he was just being playful. Zuzu is a nickname for Susanna. George dreamed of grand adventures and building great things, but he actually saved a town and built a community.
I think you're both right. The little girl's name was Susan (or Susanna or Suzanne). I'm the oldest of 7 & I've seen where nicknames sometimes spring forth organically when an older child who is still learning to talk tries to pronounce a sibling's name. A name like Susan very well might come out of a child's mouth as Zuzu. There was a brand of gingersnaps back then called Zuzu, thus George would put 2&2 together & call his baby girl his "little gingersnap."
@@racheldavin7763 Nice explanation about how "Susan" might come out of a child's mouth as "Zuzu"! I never heard that before, but it makes perfect sense! Thanks for mentioning it!
It's so heartwarming to see you guys react to this film. I'm an old man now, almost 70, and this movie brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it. Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Donna Reed as Mary Bailey....Her career spanned more than 40 years, with performances in more than 40 films. She is well known for her portrayal of Mary Hatch Bailey in Frank Capra's fantasy holiday film It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Reed won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Fred Zinnemann's war drama film From Here to Eternity (1953). Reed is also known for her work in television, notably as Donna Stone, a middle-class American mother and housewife in the sitcom The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966) whose character was more assertive and complex than most other television mothers of the era.
When Barbara Bel Geddes fell ill while starring on the TV series Dallas, Donna Reed was temporarily brought in to take over her role as Ewing family matriarch Miss Ellie, until Bel Geddes recovered and could return. I may be wrong, but I seem to remember that was Donna Reed's final role.
Yes, and "getting it" is what it's all about. You're a great example for your generation as well for having acknowledged it was a conversation in Heaven at the beginning of the film.
Jimmy Stewart's tears were real. Stewart flew B-24 Liberator bombers over Germany as a squadron leader in the 445th Bomb Group. He was known for flying tough missions and assigning himself to every combat mission he could. Coming home to his acting career after the war didnt seem worth it after the war and worthy of the applause. Like george Jimmy did not see his own worth through the PTSD he took home from the war like so many if not everyone who ever fought to protect us. Frank Capra got him to do this and it helped keep Jimmy Stewart in movies where he has entertained and inspired millions years after he saw Clarence and Capra again.
First time viewer of y’all. Thank you for being so open to this movie. You both are about my age, and it seems like not many of us care to give this movie a shot. “It’s too old, black and white, so it’s boring and not worth it.“ But this movie has so much to offer. Easily one of my favorite movies, a timeless classic more young people need to see. To watch such a positive, emotional reaction from you both was heartwarming. It’s hard to explain but you two just seem so full of life, and that came across on screen. Lots of reactors barely move or speak a sentence throughout a reaction. But y’all laughed and cried, caught on to details, and praised your favorite parts throughout, and it seemed sincere. Made watching along with you far more moving. Merry Christmas to the two of you
Lionel Barrymore (Potter) is the great-uncle of Drew Barrymore (a family of actors since the 1870s). Also, the Beverly Hills High School Swim/Gym is still in use today.
I could tell you weren’t thrilled about watching an old black and white movie but it only took 20 min to hook you in and you wouldn’t be able to stop watching because you have to know what happens to George and Mary. George was the actual war hero. He flew 24 bomber plane missions in WW2 and had pretty bad PTSD and this was his first movie he was in after the war. He was the real deal! James Stewart was a real life hero.
You can show me just the last 5 minutes of this film, and I'll still cry. It's something about the way it was filmed with everyone coming in and helping, and what they say. It's just amazing. The director, Frank Capra, also directed "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" which is similar in tone I think you both will enjoy, with James Stewart again as the star. :)
You guys did a great job with "an old black & white movie". You would be shocked at the number of old movies that would blow you socks off. Try "Casablanca". You would love it.
Saturday Night Live did a skit of where they figured out Potter stole the money and went over as an angry mob to confront him. Turned out Potter was faking being confined to a wheelchair and could stand. It was hilarious hearing Dana Carvey playing the part of George Baily saying, "Harry. Mary. Hold him" as he proceeds to punch him in the stomach. Dana does a great job of imitating Jimmy Stewarts voice. Potter was played by Jon Lovitz. Search TH-cam for the video title: It's a Wonderful Life: The Lost Ending - SNL
Yall had me crying with you! 😭 So sweet seeing young folks appreciate this classic. I'm in my 50's and would watch this every year with my family as a kid, then with my kids! Merry Christmas!
Great reaction ! Older films tend to have amazing, witty dialogue and complex characters. I hope you watch more of them on your channel. Merry Christmas 🎄
Anyone who’s ever given up for a loved one, for a family, for a community, Or simply because they fell in love, can find this relatable even though it’s been eighty years since the film was made. We dream of the extravagant but life can turn out rather ordinary in comparison. And if that’s not the case, you still have to deal with the sacrifices. It’s our duty to find the meaning in it. This is our life. We have to live and be proud of it, regardless of what happens. It’s truly one of the most powerful films ever made. A timeless classic that touches on the basic foundation of what we find to be important.
Some people have an issue with the film ending without Potter getting his comeuppance, but I never felt the need for that resolution, as the whole premise for the film is a higher authority and to me it's implicit that Potter's day of reckoning with that higher authority will come. One thing for sure, Potter was the poorest man in Bedford Falls.
I believe they had a possible ending written (not sure if they ever filmed for it or not) where Clarence confronts Potter who then passes away in shock but they decided it didn’t add to the film. And I agree that it’s better to leave Potter out of the ending - in the end Potter is simply irrelevant and that’s the worst ending for him.
The outcome is still ultimately that Potter doesn't win. And that's really the best possible victory a working-class person can achieve in a capitalist society. The system overall doesn't change, and Potter still benefits according to those rules, but despite all that, George succeeds in building his community that goes against those norms.
That ending is nothing to be ashamed of. The strength of the human spirit in its fullest generous form. This film gives us one of the strongest examples of the human capacity for community and hopefullness. Just make sure you keep ringing those bells.
Found your channel directly because of this magnificent film. Not only the best Christmas movie but one of the best ever. Glad you did the black & white version, the colorization takes away the contrasts & storytelling. The scene at the bar, where George is so desperate…pleading with God in prayer is magnified by the lighting. You can feel his emotions as he wrestles with the dilemma…he’s at his wits end. Jimmy Stewart gave a masterclass in acting right there. A heartwarming story that hits you because we can all relate in some way. Mary…can we talk about Mary; what a woman…beautiful & compassionate wife & mother with a strong dignity mixed with a joyful attitude. She’s the hero. (So many shy away from classic film, which is a shame. There are so many great ones & I’d say much better than the rubbish today. Hope you will consider doing more. Loved your commentary & chemistry. Merry Christmas 🎄 😊)
Congrats! You two showed great maturity here. Younger people, may times, haven't yet had the up and downs of life of those of us who have aged. We value friends, and overcoming hardship and community love. YOU cried and got it too! Awesome job!
What a charming reaction video... You followed along with interest and allowed yourselves to feel the emotional ending... Thank you & Merry Christmas! ❤
Lesson learned? Do NOT be scared to watch some classic movies. You will be interested in A Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. It is NOT a Christmas movie but you will like it. Enjoy!
And Jimmy Stewart became one of the most beloved actors of his time in a slew of westerns and Alfred Hitchcock mystery films (Vertigo, Rear Window, A Shadow of a Doubt, Psycho, etc.)
Loved your insightful and thoughtful reaction to what I believe to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, movies of all time. You guys are adorable - thanks so much!
This is one of the greatest movies of all-time. It's so heartwarming directly after being so depressing. The acting is phenomenal and it's simply a powerful movie. I'm so glad you wound up reacting to this and Oliver losing it towards the end is the same reaction most people have. I've seen this movie dozens of times and that ending still gets me each time. What an amazing movie.
The message of the movie really is that everything we do every decision we make that leads us down whatever path we go touches other people's lives. If you think back on your own life and the decisions you've made, what impact have they had on others around you?
There is a richness that comes from helping others and, while George recognizes this richness as he witnesses his father doing for others, he seems to lose sight of it as he struggles through his own life of doing the same. After his father's death, George tells Potter with great emotion, 'In my opinion, he died a richer man than you'll ever be." Makes it more touching when you hear his brother's toast at the end, "To my big brother, George, the richest man in town." It warms the heart to see that George is not just the man who saved that town from a bleak fate, but to know that George was seeing through the battle that his father chose to take on all those years ago. Peter Bailey had the wisdom to see the threat that Potter's greed posed to the quality of the community back when George was still slinging ice creams and sodas. George's victory is, in a sense, his father's well deserved victory - which makes this very sweet movie all the sweeter. I think some sort of nod to Peter Bailey at the end would have been nice, but it's hard to find flaw with such a perfect movie. A nice reaction, thank you.
I’m 67 and have watched this every year for as long as I can remember! I still enjoy this movie as much as ever. It helps you appreciate all you have! Another great black and white Christmas movie is The Bishop’s Wife.
A Christmas Classic for all time! I remember the first time I ever saw this. Noone ever forgets the lessons of this movie. True, Good, and Beautiful. They just don't make movies like this anymore! So glad you reacted to it. Best Christmas movie EVER!!
Karolyn Grimes, who played little Zuzu, is still with us at age 84. Her character's name was similar to that of a cookie made at the time by Nabisco (then called NBC, National Biscuit Company), Zu Zu Ginger Snaps, which came in a distinctive yellow box with reddish type. In the scene at the end, George rushes up the stairs, hugs his kids and says, "Zuzu, my little ginger snap!" In a 2018 interview, Karolyn laughed, “I was named after a cookie!” 😊
I like watching you go from Ragging on the movie cause it’s old And then watch you get invested in the story. There’s a lot to be said for the old movies
When I was younger, I always thought the angel scene at the beginning was a bit hokey, simple, and silly. Not necessarily the part about showing angels as galaxies or whatever, but it looked fake, like they took random images of galaxies and jammed them together in a cartoonish way. To my younger self, it took the movie down a notch or two. Imagine my surprise years later when I learned this is a real thing, the very first compact galaxy group ever discovered, Stephan's Quintet, a 5-galaxy close formation discovered by the French astronomer of the same name in 1877. Edwin Hubble (the modern astronomer for whom the famous space-based telescope would later be named) was a friend of director Frank Capra, and did some work at the Mt. Wilson observatory about 20 miles north of Hollywood. Capra would often join him there, knew of and viewed Stephan's Quintet with Hubble, and was no doubt inspired to depict the angelic conversation with an image of the very famous (to astronomers) compact galaxy group. I'm not sure if it was a painting, or a photograph taken from Mt. Wilson, that Capra used in his movie. But there are side-by-side images available online showing how similar a still from the movie is to the real thing, with the newer photograph actually taken from the Hubble telescope.
Some numbers: Ernie's House was said to cost 5K in 1928. Inflation calculators are not exact by any stretch, but that would be approximately 91K now. Building and Loans tended to not charge as much as other ways to purchase homes (and later Potter and his property guys discussed that homes were worth more than twice what the Bailey's houses cost to build, so the inference is George probably wasn't charging much more than their building cost and was leaving a bunch on the table). My guess for the wedding in November-ish of 1932 (a few months after Mary and Harry arrive back from college...they graduated HS in 1928), mostly based on presumably short courtship and the miserable weather. George's 2K bucks for their honeymoon would be around 48K now. They were gonna have a helluva trip with that! Potter offered George the 20K a year salary maybe a year or two after he got married...let's say because the weather looked so nice for the opening of Martini's house. I'll go with the Spring of '34. That would be roughly 480K a year in today's money. Because the war ended in 1945 I always assumed the end was Christmas of 45, but I know it took many soldiers more than a year to come back, so either 45 or 46 would probably be valid. Uncle Billy losing 8K would either be around 156K or 132K depending on the year. Whichever...still a LOT of money to lose. Anyway, the film is great and one of my all-time favorites. I still notice new things, even though I've literally seen it a hundred times or more.
The high school dance was filmed at the Beverly Hills high school and that gymnasium floor above the pool actually existed. I don’t know if it’s still exist today but it definitely did in the first half of the 1900s.
Great reaction! They used to show this and some other classic Christmassy movies on TV annually (like "Miracle on 34th St". and "A Christmas Carol"), but I never watched it as a boy in the 1960's. I was more caught up in the really kid-oriented stuff. So, I didn't watch it until I was in college, and it meant so much more to me. The message I got is that we are who we are, shaped by our successes and tribulations, and to appreciate both as parts of our life.
I can not even estimate how many times I've seen this movie or the reactions to it - I tear up all the way through. At the sad stuff, but all the happy sweet moments are what really get me. ____ If I was teaching American history, I'd have the class watch this movie, as it shows how all the major events from 1919-1946 as to how they effected everyday life. (You guys caught a lot of it as it was happening.) ____ It is interesting to hear people surprised that old movies can have any appeal. Hopefully you have watched the 1939 Wizard of Oz. That year was a banner one for awesome movies, including Stagecoach, Gone With the Wind, and so many I've never even heard of. There is also the 1936 move, The Lady Vanishes, one of my most favorite Alfred Hitchcock movies. And the 1933 Heidi, with legendary Shirley Temple. And if you really want to push the envelope, I'd suggest a couple of silent movie comedies, which due to the lack of spoken dialog, had to rely so much on physical comedy. You will see some of the most astonishing stunts, often done by the star himself, not stuntmen. There is the 1921 Safety Last, with Harold Lloyd, with one of the most iconic stunts ever (although few people know where it from). He winds up hanging off the hands a giant clock 100 feet or so towering over Main St. Or Buster Keaton in Steamboat Bill, Jr., where the actual side of a house falls around him as he stands perfecting in the site of a door opening. It was so dangerous that some of the crew had to walk away as they didn't want to see him die, while the rest averted their eyes. (Silent movies have long been in the public domain so you can find complete copies on TH-cam for free, and you don't have to worry about copyright infringement.)
@@brendafrazier811 ABSOLUTELY! I love trains and that gives such an insight how early railroads ran - plus the humor is awesome. I understand, too, it is shown in film classes as it was very innovative as to how the shot it, including a pan shoot. Also thought of another must-see - Disney's 1937 Snow White.
The best reaction to this movie Ive seen...I loved that Kylie noticed the cinematography and how Oliver really noticed the things that a "good man" would notice. I saw bits of this movie growing up but never watched the full movie and "got it" until the Christmas that Nirvana broke big with Smells Like Teen Spirit. Ive watched this film AT LEAST once a year at Christmas ever since. The last couple of years, I have checked out a few reactions as well. I still cry every time. Not only is this the best Christmas movie, it is one of the 10 best movies ever made in my opinion.
You two are great. Love how invested you got in this movie and the attention you paid to all the little details that would be important later on. Subscribing!
Jimmy Stewart (George) is Hollywood royalty. He's been in tons of great films. The scene where he's praying at the bar was real, raw emotion. He had just returned from the war, and he drew from those memories. Donna Reed (Mary) became "America's Sweetheart." She had her own very popular sitcom called "The Donna Reed Show." The kid at the dance who Mary blows off and who then opens the gym floor is a teenage "Alfalfa" from the original "Little Rascals". Lionel Barrymore (Potter), is Drew Barrymore's great uncle. The Barrymore's are a very prestigious acting family. When George's uncle walks off drunk and you here him crashing into stuff, he really did crash into equipment of camera and it worked so well, they left it in. That's all I know. There's probably more to point out, but someone else will have to fill in the blanks.
I'm 72 years old, and I grew up watching this movie every Christmas for as long as I remember watching TV. Even with only three to five stations on air, it's always been on at least once or twice. And I always get a tear in the eyes. ❤ MERRY CHRISTMAS
Lionel Barrymore who played Old man Potter is the great uncle to actress Drew Barrymore. The man who played Nick the Bartender is Sheldon Leonard who later went on to produce the Dick Van Dyke Show in the 1960's. Merry Christmas to both of you!
I watched this movie for the first time by accident. I was a kid and at my grandparents' house. I went to watch The Polar Express, but this movie was in the DVD case for it instead. I told my grandma that the wrong movie was in there and she told me to just watch it. Best advice ever. I have been struggling this past month and this movie keeps reminding me how good I have it despite how bad things may seem at the moment. I am forever grateful that I watched that movie 20 years ago. It's so beautiful.
Another excellent black and white movie (it is so good, it will take you by surprise again) is "12 Angry Men" from 1957. Watch the original one from 1957. You'll love it, I guarantee it!
This movie was released post world War two, so late 1940's, it was colorized in the 1980's. The black and white original print is the best place to start IMHO. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family
The little thing that showed really great acting was actress Beulah Bondi who played George's mother. The difference from when George was alive to when his mom answered the door when he wasn't existing was an extraordinary transition. Great acting.
I absolutely love when young people think they won't like this movie when they start watching it, then they get hooked in, love it, and cry at the end! Don't judge a movie by it's age and because it is black and white. 🙂I'm 56 years old. I first saw this movie in the early 80s when I was about 15 years old. I was the same way. I didn't think it would be any good. I ended up loving it and crying in the end. I've now seen this movie probably over 100 times, and I still cry at the end! Merry Christmas to both of you!
@@AlexanderWinterborn-r6p Hello Fellow Generation Xer!
There are so many old films that the younger generation would like if the give them a chance, another good one is The Bishops Wife with Cary Grant and David Niven.
And a happy New Year....In jail. 😅
Sooo many great movies. Personally I think the 40s was easily the best decade for movies.
I've seen this movie every year my entire life...we used to watch it on Thanksgiving night to usher in the new year and to remind ourselves to be thankful. It makes me cry every time.
@@xenontouchstone Hey-Millenial here and this is one of my favorite movies.
They had $2 left. The one lady who only took $17.50 instead of $20 made all the difference.
That lady was the great Ellen Corby who also played the iconic Grandma Walton
The script called for her to ask for $17. Frank Capra told the actress Ellen Corby to come up with something that wasn't a round number, but didn't tell Jimmy Stewart about it. Stewart's reaction, including the kiss, was unscripted.
What I like about the $17.50 is that it tells you she was asking for only what she needed, and not a cent more.
@@jethro1963 I was JUST gonna SAY!
@@Jeff_Lichtman Yup!!!
That's Ellen Corby, a character actress who ended up playing Grandma Walton later on. She was an interesting woman who was an early practitioner of transcendental meditation.
This movie defines the word “Classic.” It’s lovely to see young people embrace it.
Crying, shedding a tear, allowing your eyes to rain at the end of this movie is the only correct response. Well done. You two “got it”. Gratitude.
You two are adorable. It was a pleasure to watch y'all. DON'T! SLEEP! on these black and white movies. So many good films to see. I was 22 when I first saw this movie it was a free gift when I bought a VCR didn't want to watch because it was black and white... watched it and I was laughing and then in tears... I'm 56 now. Merry Christmas you two. 👍🏽😃
🐿Uncle Billy's animals serve to highlight his gentle eccentric personality, he's empathetic and child like, lacking the gritty ambitious qualities better suited to business. He is a sweet old soul, when his squirrel runs up to him to comfort him, it breaks my heart.
10:37 one thing to note: George's last words to his father was that George thought his father was "a really great guy". As someone who's lost both parents now, never pass up the opportunity to tell the people you care for that you love them.
Amen.
And yeah, I caught that too.
Man, there have never been truer words written. There will come a day when it is too late to tell every single person we love how we feel about them, and they deserve to hear it from us.
Me and my Moms last conversation was about how attracted she was to Justin Trudeau. I love that, it was so us.
Yea I screwed that up.
Cindy, how awful that her last words were about how attractive Canada's dictator was.
According to the American Film Institute, you just watched the 11th greatest film ever made. That swimming pool still exists beneath floor of the Beverly Hills high school.😊
Built as part of the wpa*, oddly enough.
*new deal program, works progress administration? I think?
Alfalfa from the little rascals was the guy who opened it
Not just a Christmas movie. The laughs and tears and the message ring true all year 'round. Keep on rockin
Ever made in the US.*
You never know whose life you touch. Be of good heart. Something as simple as smile can change someone’s whole day.
You're not alone when you cry at this movie. I served in the Marine Corps and it's been getting me that way for over 40 years.
Army vet here.....same.😊
Same dude..just now , 50 years after my Marine Corp ...
This and Field of Dreams...
When Mary breaks the window, the director had a sharpshooter with a bb gun to shoot out the window; but Donna Reed (Mary Hatch) had been a sportswoman in high school, including baseball, and the window breaking out WAS from her throw.
She (Mary) was also wearing a baseball cap when they were dedicating the Martini home in Bailey Park. She looks good in it, too!
The way Donna Reed one-hands that LIVE goat over her shoulder with a baby on her lap and a bunch of other kids in the back seat is Actress Boss Mode. 🔥
This was James Stewart's first film after returning from WW2 where he served in the Air Force as a bomber pilot. He was suffering from what we now call PTSD and didn't know if he could still act. "It's a Wonderful Life" did not do well at the box office but has since become a Christmas traditional classic enjoyed by millions.
James Stewart and Lionel Barrymore, who plays Mr. Potter, were good friends, and when Stewart hesitated to sign on to do this film, contemplating walking away from acting entirely, it was Barrymore who talked him into doing it.
Where he is praying in the bar, those tears and despair were real, after effects of the war.
I have seen this dozens and dozens of times; I cry the same every time. I have the b/w version but also a hand coloured one which is lovely.
Jimmy Stewart and fellow actor Robert Taylor were flight instructors at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho in the lead up to WWII. A picture of the two is at Boise's Airport. An amazing fact most people don't know.
Like George Bailey, Jimmy Stewart had a physical condition (he was underweight) that ALMOST kept him out of the military. When WWII ended, he continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve, so he was still a military officer when filming this movie. He flew on a bombing mission in Vietnam. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General. When he retired at the mandatory age of 60, he received the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.
it didn't do well and Stewart blamed Donna Reed
6:05 This is one of the first time a freeze frame was used. We talked about it in film school. They had to project one frame of the film onto a screen and then film it with another camera for 30 seconds or whatever. It was considered a special effect.
I believe Alfred Hitchcock’s “Champagne” in 1928 had the very first freeze frame but this would still be fairly early.
P. S. Older movies, in my opinion, had better story lines - because they didn't rely on the "special effects", so much!! SO MANY GREAT older movies!!
For a young couple starting out in life this is the perfect Christmas movie! Also Mr Gowers son died of the flu 1919 was the year of the Spanish flu where almost 100 million people died worldwide!
the Spanish flu was far more deadly than Covid. It was even more devastating to the world population because it killed a lot of YOUNG people who could have married and started families, while Covid has mainly killed people over age 60.
Ah, The Spanish flu. The COVID-19 of its day.
Oh, that’s right.
The deaths were a disproportionately high number of younger adults, age 20-40.
The greatest Christmas movie ever made.
1.its a wonderful life
2. A christmas carol with george c scott
3. Christmas vacation
4. Scrooged with bill murray. Those are my favorites in order😊
One of the greatest movies ever made, period.
@@davidmc1489 I must argue your #2 and substitute "A Muppet Christmas Carol"...and Scrooged with "Home Alone"... though those are my personal favorites :P Merry Christmas.
@maureenseel118 throw emmet otter in there somewhere too
@@davidmc1489 Don't forget Muppet Christmas Carol with Michael Caine.
My dad loves this movie because it reminds him of his dad. At 18 he had to drop out of high school to take over the family farm and care for his mom and siblings. He wanted to go into business. He got the farm out of debt, THEN paid for it again to buy from his mom. At his funeral his baby sister insisted that a song entitled Others was sung because he always put others first.
It makes me happy to see younger people like these youngsters who have never seen this movie to cry and really enjoy this timeless classic! ♥️👍😊
Don't matter the age of the movie...a good movie is a great movie. You guys definitely got it and liked it.
Well said.
When films had to have great acting and a good script, no effects to hide behind. 🙂
@@peacemaker6662 Funny you should say that. The only Academy Award this film won was for special effects...the snow.
Bert and Ernie, the Police Officer and the Cab driver were the inspiration for the Sesame street muppets.
FYI, from Jerry Juhl, writing to The San Francisco Chronicle to correct the "Annual Xmas Quiz" from December 27, 1999:
“I 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.”
This is a legend that will not die, despite Jerry Juhl's denial, which I've seen referenced before, but never at such great length. And now I think I see why. If Jim Henson knew IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, it seems likely that even if he didn't consciously name the puppets after the cop and cabdriver, the subliminal memory of them made the two names "ring" (if you'll pardon the expression) or sound right together, causing him to use them in tandem for the puppet characters.
@@oliverbrownlow5615 Or it’s just a coincidence. ;)
@@phillipray4380Some legends should be left alone. Besides, you’re just guessing also. Second hand stuff. Hearsay.
@@Amaberean Quoting someone is guessing?
Weird how the folks that insist that it’s true have no affiliation with the Muppets at all, while the folks in a position to actually know anything, all say it was just a coincidence. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Don't feel bad, I've been crying because of this movie for over 60 years. I've watched people doing reactions to it at least 12 times in the last week and I still cry with them every single time. Directors from the 30s and 40s knew their stuff...and, Frank Capra was one of the absolute best!
After watching the movie, you have far greater appreciation for the depth of what's said about George in the beginning...
"What's wrong with him, is he sick?"
"No, worse. He's discouraged."
Loved the comment, “ It’s Pottersville, they don’t care “, lol, when Bert was shooting into the pedestrian filled street 🤣
Excessive use of force, George Bailey was unarmed. Always had an issue with that little scene.
If you two haven't seen Casablanca, it's a movie I'd suggest from the '40s. Although a different movie entirely, it's an equal to this one I think. As a writer, I think (am sure) Oliver would really appreciate it. You'll recognize a lot of lines from it. Merry Christmas.
@@stpetie7686 Yes, one of the greatest scripts ever!
Agreed
Mr. Gower's son died from the Spanish flu. Sam and Mary were never an item, he was just being playful. Zuzu is a nickname for Susanna. George dreamed of grand adventures and building great things, but he actually saved a town and built a community.
Zuzu was a brand of gingersnaps at the time. At one point George called her "my little gingersnap."
I think you're both right. The little girl's name was Susan (or Susanna or Suzanne). I'm the oldest of 7 & I've seen where nicknames sometimes spring forth organically when an older child who is still learning to talk tries to pronounce a sibling's name. A name like Susan very well might come out of a child's mouth as Zuzu.
There was a brand of gingersnaps back then called Zuzu, thus George would put 2&2 together & call his baby girl his "little gingersnap."
@@racheldavin7763 Nice explanation about how "Susan" might come out of a child's mouth as "Zuzu"! I never heard that before, but it makes perfect sense! Thanks for mentioning it!
It's so heartwarming to see you guys react to this film. I'm an old man now, almost 70, and this movie brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it. Thanks and Merry Christmas!
I'm with you, jeffery. 72 and still crying every time!
Donna Reed as Mary Bailey....Her career spanned more than 40 years, with performances in more than 40 films. She is well known for her portrayal of Mary Hatch Bailey in Frank Capra's fantasy holiday film It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Reed won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Fred Zinnemann's war drama film From Here to Eternity (1953).
Reed is also known for her work in television, notably as Donna Stone, a middle-class American mother and housewife in the sitcom The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966) whose character was more assertive and complex than most other television mothers of the era.
When Barbara Bel Geddes fell ill while starring on the TV series Dallas, Donna Reed was temporarily brought in to take over her role as Ewing family matriarch Miss Ellie, until Bel Geddes recovered and could return. I may be wrong, but I seem to remember that was Donna Reed's final role.
@@user-mg5mv2tn8q pretty sure she sued the makers of Dallas for that decision.
So very thankful you both got to experience this classic together and that you both “got it”. 😊❤🎄Merry Christmas!
Yes, and "getting it" is what it's all about. You're a great example for your generation as well for having acknowledged it was a conversation in Heaven at the beginning of the film.
Jimmy Stewart's tears were real. Stewart flew B-24 Liberator bombers over Germany as a squadron leader in the 445th Bomb Group. He was known for flying tough missions and assigning himself to every combat mission he could. Coming home to his acting career after the war didnt seem worth it after the war and worthy of the applause. Like george Jimmy did not see his own worth through the PTSD he took home from the war like so many if not everyone who ever fought to protect us. Frank Capra got him to do this and it helped keep Jimmy Stewart in movies where he has entertained and inspired millions years after he saw Clarence and Capra again.
First time viewer of y’all. Thank you for being so open to this movie. You both are about my age, and it seems like not many of us care to give this movie a shot. “It’s too old, black and white, so it’s boring and not worth it.“
But this movie has so much to offer. Easily one of my favorite movies, a timeless classic more young people need to see. To watch such a positive, emotional reaction from you both was heartwarming. It’s hard to explain but you two just seem so full of life, and that came across on screen. Lots of reactors barely move or speak a sentence throughout a reaction. But y’all laughed and cried, caught on to details, and praised your favorite parts throughout, and it seemed sincere. Made watching along with you far more moving.
Merry Christmas to the two of you
^^^Ditto
I don’t care if it’s an old, black and white or white, but a real story touches the heart every time
Lionel Barrymore (Potter) is the great-uncle of Drew Barrymore (a family of actors since the 1870s). Also, the Beverly Hills High School Swim/Gym is still in use today.
Great reaction! Thanks! And Merry Xmas to you both!
I could tell you weren’t thrilled about watching an old black and white movie but it only took 20 min to hook you in and you wouldn’t be able to stop watching because you have to know what happens to George and Mary. George was the actual war hero. He flew 24 bomber plane missions in WW2 and had pretty bad PTSD and this was his first movie he was in after the war. He was the real deal! James Stewart was a real life hero.
Yes, retired Brigadier General
Y'all are too cute watching this together. Thanks for the smiles this evening & have a great holiday.
You can show me just the last 5 minutes of this film, and I'll still cry. It's something about the way it was filmed with everyone coming in and helping, and what they say. It's just amazing.
The director, Frank Capra, also directed "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" which is similar in tone I think you both will enjoy, with James Stewart again as the star. :)
My niece loves this movie so much she's watching it now she's wrapping presents, and she named her daughter Zuzu Bell!
Great name❤
The "I wish I had a million dollars" machine is a cigar lighter.
This was one of my mom's favorite films. It's rough to watch, but I still muster the strength to do it every year.
You guys did a great job with "an old black & white movie". You would be shocked at the number of old movies that would blow you socks off. Try "Casablanca". You would love it.
Saturday Night Live did a skit of where they figured out Potter stole the money and went over as an angry mob to confront him. Turned out Potter was faking being confined to a wheelchair and could stand. It was hilarious hearing Dana Carvey playing the part of George Baily saying, "Harry. Mary. Hold him" as he proceeds to punch him in the stomach. Dana does a great job of imitating Jimmy Stewarts voice. Potter was played by Jon Lovitz. Search TH-cam for the video title: It's a Wonderful Life: The Lost Ending - SNL
Yall had me crying with you! 😭 So sweet seeing young folks appreciate this classic. I'm in my 50's and would watch this every year with my family as a kid, then with my kids! Merry Christmas!
Great reaction ! Older films tend to have amazing, witty dialogue and complex characters. I hope you watch more of them on your channel. Merry Christmas 🎄
Anyone who’s ever given up for a loved one, for a family, for a community, Or simply because they fell in love, can find this relatable even though it’s been eighty years since the film was made. We dream of the extravagant but life can turn out rather ordinary in comparison. And if that’s not the case, you still have to deal with the sacrifices. It’s our duty to find the meaning in it. This is our life. We have to live and be proud of it, regardless of what happens. It’s truly one of the most powerful films ever made. A timeless classic that touches on the basic foundation of what we find to be important.
Welcome to one of the most inspirational films made.
Some people have an issue with the film ending without Potter getting his comeuppance, but I never felt the need for that resolution, as the whole premise for the film is a higher authority and to me it's implicit that Potter's day of reckoning with that higher authority will come. One thing for sure, Potter was the poorest man in Bedford Falls.
The movie is George's story, not Potter's. Ultimately, Potter's final fate is completely irrelevant, as, indeed, was Potter himself.
There’s a great “alternate ending” from and old SNL sketch.
I believe they had a possible ending written (not sure if they ever filmed for it or not) where Clarence confronts Potter who then passes away in shock but they decided it didn’t add to the film.
And I agree that it’s better to leave Potter out of the ending - in the end Potter is simply irrelevant and that’s the worst ending for him.
The outcome is still ultimately that Potter doesn't win. And that's really the best possible victory a working-class person can achieve in a capitalist society. The system overall doesn't change, and Potter still benefits according to those rules, but despite all that, George succeeds in building his community that goes against those norms.
If the ending to this movie does not make you cry, you have no feelings. Absolutely loved this reaction
This is not only my favorite Christmas movie but perhaps favorite movie of all time.
That ending is nothing to be ashamed of. The strength of the human spirit in its fullest generous form. This film gives us one of the strongest examples of the human capacity for community and hopefullness.
Just make sure you keep ringing those bells.
Found your channel directly because of this magnificent film. Not only the best Christmas movie but one of the best ever. Glad you did the black & white version, the colorization takes away the contrasts & storytelling. The scene at the bar, where George is so desperate…pleading with God in prayer is magnified by the lighting. You can feel his emotions as he wrestles with the dilemma…he’s at his wits end. Jimmy Stewart gave a masterclass in acting right there. A heartwarming story that hits you because we can all relate in some way. Mary…can we talk about Mary; what a woman…beautiful & compassionate wife & mother with a strong dignity mixed with a joyful attitude. She’s the hero. (So many shy away from classic film, which is a shame. There are so many great ones & I’d say much better than the rubbish today. Hope you will consider doing more. Loved your commentary & chemistry. Merry Christmas 🎄 😊)
Congrats! You two showed great maturity here. Younger people, may times, haven't yet had the up and downs of life of those of us who have aged. We value friends, and overcoming hardship and community love. YOU cried and got it too! Awesome job!
What a charming reaction video... You followed along with interest and allowed yourselves to feel the emotional ending... Thank you & Merry Christmas! ❤
Lesson learned? Do NOT be scared to watch some classic movies. You will be interested in A Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. It is NOT a Christmas movie but you will like it. Enjoy!
And guess WHO DID shoot Liberty Valance? hahaha
And Jimmy Stewart became one of the most beloved actors of his time in a slew of westerns and Alfred Hitchcock mystery films (Vertigo, Rear Window, A Shadow of a Doubt, Psycho, etc.)
Loved your insightful and thoughtful reaction to what I believe to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, movies of all time. You guys are adorable - thanks so much!
This is one of the greatest movies of all-time. It's so heartwarming directly after being so depressing. The acting is phenomenal and it's simply a powerful movie. I'm so glad you wound up reacting to this and Oliver losing it towards the end is the same reaction most people have. I've seen this movie dozens of times and that ending still gets me each time. What an amazing movie.
Great Reaction,Oliver and Kylie. To one of the best movies ever made! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!🎄😊
Wonderful reaction to a great movie. People who cry at the end are folks you want in your life as friends.
Oliver, I never saw you react like this before. Thank you. You were real tonight.
The message of the movie really is that everything we do every decision we make that leads us down whatever path we go touches other people's lives. If you think back on your own life and the decisions you've made, what impact have they had on others around you?
There is a richness that comes from helping others and, while George recognizes this richness as he witnesses his father doing for others, he seems to lose sight of it as he struggles through his own life of doing the same. After his father's death, George tells Potter with great emotion, 'In my opinion, he died a richer man than you'll ever be." Makes it more touching when you hear his brother's toast at the end, "To my big brother, George, the richest man in town."
It warms the heart to see that George is not just the man who saved that town from a bleak fate, but to know that George was seeing through the battle that his father chose to take on all those years ago. Peter Bailey had the wisdom to see the threat that Potter's greed posed to the quality of the community back when George was still slinging ice creams and sodas. George's victory is, in a sense, his father's well deserved victory - which makes this very sweet movie all the sweeter. I think some sort of nod to Peter Bailey at the end would have been nice, but it's hard to find flaw with such a perfect movie.
A nice reaction, thank you.
Merry Christmas to you BOTH... I sooooo enjoyed watching this MAGICAL film with you....You are BOTH AMAZING SOULS .... Thank You For Sharing
i still cry watching this Great Classic
What impressed me is that you got the blessing of this movie!!!🎉
I’m 67 and have watched this every year for as long as I can remember! I still enjoy this movie as much as ever. It helps you appreciate all you have! Another great black and white Christmas movie is The Bishop’s Wife.
The gymnasium where the floor opens up into a swimming pool is at Beverly Hills High Schopl. It still works today.
This movie is my fav of all time. Just a masterpiece.
A Christmas Classic for all time! I remember the first time I ever saw this. Noone ever forgets the lessons of this movie. True, Good, and Beautiful. They just don't make movies like this anymore! So glad you reacted to it. Best Christmas movie EVER!!
Karolyn Grimes, who played little Zuzu, is still with us at age 84. Her character's name was similar to that of a cookie made at the time by Nabisco (then called NBC, National Biscuit Company), Zu Zu Ginger Snaps, which came in a distinctive yellow box with reddish type. In the scene at the end, George rushes up the stairs, hugs his kids and says, "Zuzu, my little ginger snap!" In a 2018 interview, Karolyn laughed, “I was named after a cookie!” 😊
If this guy is able to get that woman, it gives hope to all of us.
I like watching you go from Ragging on the movie cause it’s old And then watch you get invested in the story. There’s a lot to be said for the old movies
My dad’s bday is Christmas Eve and since I was born we’ve watched it every Christmas Eve! Such a wonderful film❤
When I was younger, I always thought the angel scene at the beginning was a bit hokey, simple, and silly. Not necessarily the part about showing angels as galaxies or whatever, but it looked fake, like they took random images of galaxies and jammed them together in a cartoonish way. To my younger self, it took the movie down a notch or two.
Imagine my surprise years later when I learned this is a real thing, the very first compact galaxy group ever discovered, Stephan's Quintet, a 5-galaxy close formation discovered by the French astronomer of the same name in 1877. Edwin Hubble (the modern astronomer for whom the famous space-based telescope would later be named) was a friend of director Frank Capra, and did some work at the Mt. Wilson observatory about 20 miles north of Hollywood. Capra would often join him there, knew of and viewed Stephan's Quintet with Hubble, and was no doubt inspired to depict the angelic conversation with an image of the very famous (to astronomers) compact galaxy group. I'm not sure if it was a painting, or a photograph taken from Mt. Wilson, that Capra used in his movie. But there are side-by-side images available online showing how similar a still from the movie is to the real thing, with the newer photograph actually taken from the Hubble telescope.
Some numbers:
Ernie's House was said to cost 5K in 1928. Inflation calculators are not exact by any stretch, but that would be approximately 91K now. Building and Loans tended to not charge as much as other ways to purchase homes (and later Potter and his property guys discussed that homes were worth more than twice what the Bailey's houses cost to build, so the inference is George probably wasn't charging much more than their building cost and was leaving a bunch on the table).
My guess for the wedding in November-ish of 1932 (a few months after Mary and Harry arrive back from college...they graduated HS in 1928), mostly based on presumably short courtship and the miserable weather. George's 2K bucks for their honeymoon would be around 48K now. They were gonna have a helluva trip with that!
Potter offered George the 20K a year salary maybe a year or two after he got married...let's say because the weather looked so nice for the opening of Martini's house. I'll go with the Spring of '34. That would be roughly 480K a year in today's money.
Because the war ended in 1945 I always assumed the end was Christmas of 45, but I know it took many soldiers more than a year to come back, so either 45 or 46 would probably be valid. Uncle Billy losing 8K would either be around 156K or 132K depending on the year. Whichever...still a LOT of money to lose.
Anyway, the film is great and one of my all-time favorites. I still notice new things, even though I've literally seen it a hundred times or more.
I have seen a few reactions to this film, but yours is the best, the way you crumpled, it does that to you, one of the best films you will see.
Great reaction to a Great classic. "Happy New Year - in Jail" is a favorite line lol. I'm 67 and still choke up Every Time.
A wonderful, heart-felt reaction! Thank you.
The high school dance was filmed at the Beverly Hills high school and that gymnasium floor above the pool actually existed. I don’t know if it’s still exist today but it definitely did in the first half of the 1900s.
I read another comment that it still exists today.
Probably one of the best movies ever made. Peace, Love!!
Great reaction! They used to show this and some other classic Christmassy movies on TV annually (like "Miracle on 34th St". and "A Christmas Carol"), but I never watched it as a boy in the 1960's. I was more caught up in the really kid-oriented stuff. So, I didn't watch it until I was in college, and it meant so much more to me. The message I got is that we are who we are, shaped by our successes and tribulations, and to appreciate both as parts of our life.
I can not even estimate how many times I've seen this movie or the reactions to it - I tear up all the way through. At the sad stuff, but all the happy sweet moments are what really get me.
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If I was teaching American history, I'd have the class watch this movie, as it shows how all the major events from 1919-1946 as to how they effected everyday life. (You guys caught a lot of it as it was happening.)
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It is interesting to hear people surprised that old movies can have any appeal. Hopefully you have watched the 1939 Wizard of Oz. That year was a banner one for awesome movies, including Stagecoach, Gone With the Wind, and so many I've never even heard of.
There is also the 1936 move, The Lady Vanishes, one of my most favorite Alfred Hitchcock movies. And the 1933 Heidi, with legendary Shirley Temple. And if you really want to push the envelope, I'd suggest a couple of silent movie comedies, which due to the lack of spoken dialog, had to rely so much on physical comedy. You will see some of the most astonishing stunts, often done by the star himself, not stuntmen. There is the 1921 Safety Last, with Harold Lloyd, with one of the most iconic stunts ever (although few people know where it from). He winds up hanging off the hands a giant clock 100 feet or so towering over Main St. Or Buster Keaton in Steamboat Bill, Jr., where the actual side of a house falls around him as he stands perfecting in the site of a door opening. It was so dangerous that some of the crew had to walk away as they didn't want to see him die, while the rest averted their eyes. (Silent movies have long been in the public domain so you can find complete copies on TH-cam for free, and you don't have to worry about copyright infringement.)
Can I add The General with Keaton?! Amazing movie!
@@brendafrazier811 ABSOLUTELY! I love trains and that gives such an insight how early railroads ran - plus the humor is awesome. I understand, too, it is shown in film classes as it was very innovative as to how the shot it, including a pan shoot.
Also thought of another must-see - Disney's 1937 Snow White.
The best reaction to this movie Ive seen...I loved that Kylie noticed the cinematography and how Oliver really noticed the things that a "good man" would notice. I saw bits of this movie growing up but never watched the full movie and "got it" until the Christmas that Nirvana broke big with Smells Like Teen Spirit. Ive watched this film AT LEAST once a year at Christmas ever since. The last couple of years, I have checked out a few reactions as well. I still cry every time. Not only is this the best Christmas movie, it is one of the 10 best movies ever made in my opinion.
One of my favorite movies. I watch it every year.💕✨🌲
You two are great. Love how invested you got in this movie and the attention you paid to all the little details that would be important later on. Subscribing!
I am a manly, masculine man of 75 years. Why are my eyes leaking?!?!? Thank you for covering this. Merry Christmas.
Jimmy Stewart (George) is Hollywood royalty. He's been in tons of great films. The scene where he's praying at the bar was real, raw emotion. He had just returned from the war, and he drew from those memories.
Donna Reed (Mary) became "America's Sweetheart." She had her own very popular sitcom called "The Donna Reed Show."
The kid at the dance who Mary blows off and who then opens the gym floor is a teenage "Alfalfa" from the original "Little Rascals".
Lionel Barrymore (Potter), is Drew Barrymore's great uncle. The Barrymore's are a very prestigious acting family.
When George's uncle walks off drunk and you here him crashing into stuff, he really did crash into equipment of camera and it worked so well, they left it in.
That's all I know. There's probably more to point out, but someone else will have to fill in the blanks.
If you are looking for more Jimmy Stewart, please consider reviewing Rear Window. It's a Hitcock film, one of his most well known.
OH YEAH, Rear Window is awesome, they would love it.
I'm 72 years old, and I grew up watching this movie every Christmas for as long as I remember watching TV. Even with only three to five stations on air, it's always been on at least once or twice. And I always get a tear in the eyes. ❤ MERRY CHRISTMAS
65 and from the UK. With you all the way Mary... tears an all! I'm a guy too ;-)
I have seen this movie a million times and I cried again. Merry Christmas to you from Finland ❤ we have a lot of snow here 🎅
@@ilonaforsman Greetings from Seattle ❤️ we have a lot of rain here.
I watch this movie EVERY Christmas Eve! Love it. Glad you did too.
In my opinion It's a Wonderful Life is the best movie ever made.
The best Christmas film period.
You two are the best! A great movie and a great reaction. Thank you for sharing…
Lionel Barrymore who played Old man Potter is the great uncle to actress Drew Barrymore.
The man who played Nick the Bartender is Sheldon Leonard who later went on to produce the Dick Van Dyke Show in the 1960's.
Merry Christmas to both of you!
Leonard produced many shows besidies Dick Van Dyke.
Check out "Casablanca" if you haven't already.
It's a "Charlie Brown" tree.
"I never thought it was such a bad little tree.
It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love."
I watched this movie for the first time by accident. I was a kid and at my grandparents' house. I went to watch The Polar Express, but this movie was in the DVD case for it instead. I told my grandma that the wrong movie was in there and she told me to just watch it. Best advice ever. I have been struggling this past month and this movie keeps reminding me how good I have it despite how bad things may seem at the moment. I am forever grateful that I watched that movie 20 years ago. It's so beautiful.
Your Grandma had your best interests at heart. Sometimes... just sometimes old people know best!
Another excellent black and white movie (it is so good, it will take you by surprise again) is "12 Angry Men" from 1957. Watch the original one from 1957. You'll love it, I guarantee it!
This movie was released post world War two, so late 1940's, it was colorized in the 1980's. The black and white original print is the best place to start IMHO.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family
Absolutely recommend finding a movie theater showing of this one year! It is such an experience watching it on a big screen.
The little thing that showed really great acting was actress Beulah Bondi who played George's mother. The difference from when George was alive to when his mom answered the door when he wasn't existing was an extraordinary transition. Great acting.
She was a wonderful Granny in SO Dear to My Heart