IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE | KAIROS GLOBAL | MARCH 2024

Author: Benita Elissa Benny

The renowned author, Anton Chekov rightly quotes, ‘The world is, of course, nothing but our conception of it.’

People's conception of the world often leads to conditions like existentialism, depression, suicidal despair and so on. We, more often than not, get the idea that our existence is meaningless and it would have been much better if we hadn't been born in the first place. 

Director Frank Capra attempts to give an answer to this underlying problem, in his It's a Wonderful Life. Loosely based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and adapted from the short story, ‘The Greatest Gift' by Philip Van Doren Stern, this 1946 Christmas classic, follows George Bailey, who is seen at the beginning of the film, as about to commit suicide. Before jumping off the bridge though, he decides to say a prayer. God hears his prayers and assigns Clarence Oddbody, an angel to go down to Earth and save George’s life in order to earn his wings. 

This is followed by God showing Clarence and the audience highlights of George’s life, depicting him as selfless and benevolent. He, in his childhood, saves his drowning brother Harry, risking his own life. He also saves the reputation of the pharmacist he was working for, by saving him from accidentally poisoning his customer. He is a man of big dreams, wishing to travel the world, become rich and happy. However, circumstances never allowed him to do so. His father who owned Bailey Brothers Building and Loan, suddenly passed away and the business was under threat of fading away, at the hands of Henry Potter, a capitalist feudal lord, who controls most of the town, whose ideals go against that of the organisation’s, which seeks to build houses for the poor. George takes over the organisation, hoping that his brother would be back after college to replace him. After his brother gets married and is honoured as a war hero, George realises that he is going to be stuck home at Bedford Hills, New York. He meets Mary Hatch, an equally selfless lady and a wonderful wife, who constantly serves as a grounding force for George.

When a small mishap leads to George potentially going bankrupt and to jail one Christmas Eve, he loses all hope and tries to commit suicide. This is when Clarence steps in, and finding no way to change George’s heart, resorts to an extreme solution, showing George what it would be like if he had never existed.

Although this movie did not receive much acclaim during its release, it is now considered a cult classic, with memorable dialogues, and is considered one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time. Its portrayal of real life situations with a supernatural twist makes it the ultimate dramedy mixed with noir elements.

In a way, George Bailey (James Stewart) echoes each and every one of us, or at least echoes the lives of every father. It tugs at the heartstrings and is not an easy watch, but becomes a perfect family Christmas movie, owing to its cathartic effect. A movie filled with comedic elements and heart-warming moments, this movie lets us view and appreciate the greatest gift provided to us, life. With Bailey’s journey of realisation, the viewers understand that a new perspective on life can make all the difference, and that individual actions, even though trivial have lasting effects on mankind. 

Gifting this movie to the world, Frank Capra exhorted, ‘Live your life to the fullest, love God, don't commit suicide, come to Heaven when you die so you could meet me in the stars, and just remember this in your life, your life Is a Wonderful Life!’

Benita Elissa Benny is pursuing her Bachelor’s in English from Rajagiri College of Management and Applied Sciences. She lives in Ernakulam, India, with her parents, sister and brother.