A feel-good movie with a great message!

Hello everyone!

Do you ever feel like everything's going wrong, and life's not treating you fairly? You'd probably be better off never being born, right?

I hope not, but from experience, I know it can happen to anyone, even if it's just a fleeting feeling.

The movie It's a Wonderful Life first hit theaters just a few days before Christmas in 1946 in the US.

Interestingly, the version of the movie available in online cinemas has a German title card instead of English text.

The film was originally black and white, but it's easy to find a colorized version online, and it's been done really well.

I like both versions. The original does a great job of immersing you in the atmosphere of old black-and-white cinema. The colorized version is easier to watch, as the picture has been restored to great quality, and the details are more visible.

Here, I'll be using the colorized version for illustration purposes.

Director: Frank Capra

Starring:

James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, and the rest.

Played by a talented cast of 5+. Without any unnecessary melodrama, the emotions on their faces are genuine.

It's easy to get drawn into the events and emotions of the characters, as if you're living right next door to them on screen.

This movie is definitely worth watching (and should be) with the whole family, including the kids. The only thing is that very young children might not fully grasp the main character's problems.

The main character, George Bailey, is played beautifully by James Stewart.

As described in the online cinema:

George Bailey, a resident of a small provincial town, has always wanted to see the world, but circumstances have never allowed him to leave. He's sacrificed himself for others, saved up every cent to support his family, taken out loans, and protected the town from the evil banker Potter. And on the eve of Christmas, after being overwhelmed by problems and plagued by thoughts of how better off everyone would be if he'd never been born, George decides on a desperate act. But just then, an angel comes to show him what life would be like if he'd never been born.

Right from the first scenes, we hear people praying for him, so it's no secret that something bad is going to happen to him. But we don't know when it will happen.

The story starts off with 10-year-old George saving his younger brother from falling through the ice during a game. As a result, George loses hearing in one ear.

But the kid doesn't give up, and neither do the people around him. He's got a great family, plenty of friends, and he dreams of traveling and becoming an architect. Heck, he's even got his suitcase packed.

Life doesn't always go according to plan, though. And for the main character, it seems like chance keeps stepping in and steering him in a completely different direction.

George's sense of responsibility won't let him just give up and do whatever he wants. There are too many people counting on him, after all.

His dreams get put on the backburner, time and time again.

But George stays optimistic and keeps on smiling, navigating life's ups and downs with a grin on his face.

I've got to say, George's wife is a real saint. Not every woman would put up with her husband's altruistic behavior.

But then again, Mary Hatch (Donna Reed) had been in love with George since childhood, so she knew exactly what she was getting herself into.

Still, I'm not sure it's easy to live with someone as hyper-responsible as George. Take the day of their wedding, for instance. Instead of a romantic getaway, the groom rushes off to work and blows all their saved-up cash on saving his dad's (the family business) credit company from going under.

I think the main villain, banker Potter, is trying to take over the town and its people.

Mary is an incredibly important person in this film. And within their family, she might have been even more significant. But her husband didn't let his problems and negative life experiences spill over onto her and the kids.

Mary is an amazing wife who always supports her husband, loves and understands his decisions. Even when he's being a bit irrational, she shows empathy instead of getting frustrated or angry. She never puts herself first, waving her arms and screaming, 'What about me?'

That's not to say she's sacrificing herself. Her dreams and desires, just like her husband's, evolve and adapt to reality.

It's probably this very same quality that makes the characters happy, rather than being consumed by despair and resentment.

Yes, dreams don't come true, but George looks to the future with optimism, until one day something happens that brings the man to despair.

The event is serious, to say the least. This time, his life doesn't just veer off course, but completely turns upside down – in the worst possible way.

And it brings him crashing down.

He's held himself together his whole life, bottling it up and moving forward. Nobody's ever heard him complain. But he's not a robot!

The accumulated stress finally reaches a boiling point, and it's been unleashed on practically everyone around him.

I'm not one to judge, but this guy's whole life was marked by kindness and helping others. So, why did he end up in such a tough spot? It's just not fair! And to make matters worse, it's right before Christmas!

But in this moment of desperation, George starts praying, something he's probably never done before in his life.

Around him, everyone who cares about him is praying too. And it's those prayers we heard at the beginning of the film. And guess what? They were answered!

George is sent an angel guardian (Henry Travers). Now, he doesn't have wings yet (although he's really hoping for them), and he's not exactly what you'd call an angel. I mean, who would've thought?

The way the director imagines the afterlife is pretty unique. And this angel in the film isn't the same kind of spirit that, say, Christians would imagine.

Don't judge a book by its cover. This quirky little angel comes up with a clever way to show George that if he hadn't been born, life wouldn't have been that much easier for him, and for many people, it would've been a real tragedy.

And to top it all off, George realizes that despite all the unfulfilled dreams and problems, his life is indeed wonderful! And it's precisely because he gave up on some things that he was able to achieve the best he could have.

Of course, the film ends happily (what else would a family movie end with?), but you'll have to see it for yourself.

This is the real deal – a heartwarming Christmas movie with a great story and a wonderful message!

It's fascinating to watch not only the story unfold but also how people lived back in the day.

How about that scene where they sled down a hill on a shovel?

And check out those funny little hats the kids are wearing at that moment (in the color version, they're different colors, but in black and white, they look identical and even more comical).

The pharmacy where they mix up different powders in the right proportions.

But you could also grab a magazine or enjoy some ice cream and a Coca-Cola!

These atmospheric outfits and hairstyles were all the rage among girls and young women in the early to mid-20th century.

There's definitely something to pay attention to here!

This movie is incredibly heartwarming.

What's most important is that it has a great underlying message. Even if you haven't achieved your dreams, it's not the end of the world. Take a look at your life! There are countless events that made you and those around you happy. And there's still a whole life ahead of you!

It's easier to live for yourself, but will that truly make someone happy?...

And yes! If you're kind and honest, with a conscience, people will see that and be willing to lend a helping hand, even if it's not always immediately apparent, and it can be harder for people like that than for cynics!

I believe that's true, and life often shows us that.

But each of us, no matter how kind and positive we are, has the right to feel tired, sad, and other negative emotions...

And it's better to let off steam (eco-friendly, of course), rather than bottling it up like George did, until you just can't live anymore.

It's great to have people around you who are willing to support and help you in tough times.

And these two 'camps' (those who need support and those who provide it) - they're not separate, isolated individuals, always fulfilling a particular role, but each person can be both sides at different stages of their life! Everyone has their turn to 'fetch the moon' from the sky.

I highly recommend watching this movie, especially if you're not familiar with it yet!

Thanks for reading the review!

Want to hear more about these and other movies? Check out my page for reviews and more!

What else can you watch on long winter evenings? For example,

'That'. A good winter movie from Disney. Not a masterpiece, but very nice.I've got to say, these three movies are real fairy tale gems. They're the old good kind of stories that can captivate both kids and adults!Another standout is 'Snow Maiden'. It's a visually stunning film with beautiful music, but the themes might be a bit too mature for young children.'Magic Mirror, or Double Trouble' is another fun one. It's a lighthearted, easy-to-follow tale that's perfect for early school-age kids.'Christmas in the City of Masters' is a great choice if you just want to unwind and not think about a thing. It's a calm, family-friendly film that's perfect for a relaxing watch with the whole family.'We Bought a Zoo' is a heartwarming story about a family that learns to come together. It's a great tale of redemption and the power of family.