I think this is a pretty bad film.
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Film and Television Discussion
P.Error — 1 year ago(December 14, 2024 06:22 AM)
IMDb lists the plot as "An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed."
That's not the plot of the film at all. That happens at the end of the film. The runtime is nearly 2 hours before it gets to that point. If this were a new film, this would not be the plot synopsis of the film, as it would be a spoiler. It is a spoiler.
The guardian angel sequence is iconic and has inspired many references throughhout pop culture, so much that, listing the ending twist as the plot when that could only be framed through a decades-old perspective is overlooked.
The plot of the film is more accurately, "a down-on-his-luck businessman struggling financially to hold on to his business is at odds with a greedy, wealthy capitalist who wants full control of it which would ultimately give him the town."
For starters, this seems like this is two movies in one. There's George's story with Mary, Potter, and his loan company, and then the guardian angel sequence later. There's nothing particular Christmasy about this film outside of the final sequence. It's Christmas connection comes from the iconography in the final scene, every time a bell rings. It's a Christmas movie is sort of a Mandella Effect.
Clarence doesn't appear in "person" until the climax. Why didn't Clarence appear at the beginning during the conversation with the other angels? This makea me wonder if the Clarence appearing as a star in the opening scene, and as the unnecessary narrator exposition, were tacked-on in post-production. They don't seem like they were planned. Even as the story stands, they are unnecessary. We don't need to hear from Clarence until he shows up in person for this story to work.
The guardian angel, who shows George what life was like if he'd never been born, is a cheap way for the film to resolve itself. At least this one. This ending would work in any film, at least in the sense that this one did.
At the end of Batman 89, you could hijack the current plot by having a guardian angel take Batman, right before his fight with Joker at the cathredral, to show him what life was like if he'd never been Batman - and Commissioner Gordon is a crackhead, Vicki Vale is a prostitute instead of a reporter. Generic superflous stuff here. Batman returns to normalcy, and kisses everything in sight, happy he's Batman, and the movie ends, leaving Joker still in the cathredral. We are supposed to forget the story leading up the guardian angel sequence.
The movie's main antagonist Potter is still a threat. And he never got a boss fight. His arc was unresolved.
The sequence, while ingrained in popular culture, is in itself a take or rip-off of a A Christmas Carol. Instead of Past, Present, and Future, it's Never Been Born. I'd even argue that Potter is Scrooge here, and George is Bob Cratchit, and they switched who gets the spirit.
It's a Wonderful Life's sequence was, dare I say it, was poorly done. It only spends about 10 minutes of screen time going through this journey, and the characters's lives are generic archetypes. George's own wife is reduced to an old maid that runs from him in just a minute of screen time. Violet is a harlot who gets arrested as opposed to just a harlot. Real change there.
Never lose your desire. -
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P.Error — 1 year ago(December 14, 2024 07:16 AM)
George always wanted to go exploring and collected National Geographic mags. He couldn't leave for university and had to put his dreams of exploration on hold when he was put on the spot to run the loan company.
The movie would've better at least, if the angel showed him what life was like if he had gone to college instead of managing the bank.
The same events could've unfolded as they did. At least this way it connects to something in the story.
Never lose your desire. -
P.Error — 1 year ago(December 14, 2024 09:26 AM)
Also, remember the scene in Ghost where Oda Mae tries to prove she's with Sam by telling Molly only things Sam would know?
If Mary was unmarried in the alternate timeline, George could've told her things only she would know like where the birthmark is on her body. lol
Mary should've been married here because it'd be more emotionally devasting to George and give him more of a reason to want to go back.
Never lose your desire. -
MovieManCin2 — 1 year ago(December 14, 2024 07:30 AM)
You're in the minority there, Error. It has an 8.6 rating on IMDb. And I think it's a wonderful film.
MAGA! FAFO!
Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. Dumbocraps: evil people who celebrate murder. 
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P.Error — 1 year ago(December 14, 2024 08:58 AM)
When this first was released, it got poor reviews.
I think it's positive rating today has more to do with nostaglia and its legacy around Christmas time. Society is sort of indoctrinated into thinking this is a good film because it reminds them of happy season.
The ending of the film, the guardian angel sequence, is also the best part of the film and what people remember from it - despite being only in the final 15 minutes of a 2 hour and 10 minute runtime.
I just did some research and find out the angel sequence was in itself a short story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greatest_Gift
The short story OPENS with George PRATT attempting suicide. The angel takes him on a journey to show him what life was like if he'd never been born.
This part of the story should be feature-length. It doesn't reach its full potential here because it's simply glossed over too quickly.
Mary should've been married to another man, not simply an old maid - I'm not believing a woman looked like that in 40s and she didn't marry. She was even married in the original short story! It would've been more heartbreaking to George to see her being married to another man. Having her be unmarried gives George the chance to be with her again, so the stakes aren't really that crucial.
Never lose your desire. -
MovieManCin2 — 1 year ago(December 15, 2024 03:25 AM)
A lot of great films got poor ratings when they were first released. That means nothing. It's a great film and loved by most people. But then that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.
MAGA! FAFO! Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. Dumbocraps: evil people who celebrate murder. -
PygmyLion — 1 year ago(December 14, 2024 04:26 PM)
I hadn't watched the movie for many years (10-20), until I watched it last year just before Christmas. I found the movie to be very uplifting. So I think its rating of 8.6 on IMDB is justified.
It was nominated for an academy award in 1947, losing out to
The Best Years of Our Lives
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WarrenPeace — 1 year ago(December 14, 2024 11:38 AM)
George's own wife is reduced to an old maid that runs from him in just a minute of screen time.
Yeah, and she ends up wearing glasses just because she didn't meet George!
LOL
I guess that means that masturbation is bad for eyesight!
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall -
LucasBrown295 — 1 year ago(December 14, 2024 11:43 AM)
It's not a bad film at all. Just say you don't like or understand it. To spend that much time trying to trash it (unsuccessfully) shows you have no heart or (seemingly) have never known the deep support of friends and family.
Maybe someday you'll get it. I wish that for you.
