A couple of weeks ago, Reggie and I were at a holiday dinner party. There was a Christmas trivia-type sheet as part of the evening. Once I looked at the questions, I knew that I would not be in the running to win. There were questions about various holiday movies, the favorite things from “The Sound of Music” and such. Here’s the problem…I have a very short attention span when things aren’t interactive, so I haven’t really watched many classic movies all of the way through. (People think that I’m studious because I take a lot of written notes during talks. In reality, that’s the only way that I can stay awake for lectures and speeches!) Anyway, after the dinner I made a goal of watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Sound of Music” during this week’s winter break. I’m half-way there.
Reggie loves the movie so the whole family watched it together. He thinks that James Stewart was one of the coolest onscreen actors. It really was a great movie and kept my attention the entire time. I think that along with “A Christmas Story” (which I find to be hilarious), “It’s a Wonderful Life” will become one of my regular holiday movie viewings. Or maybe I will just watch it whenever I am feeling especially disappointed or discouraged.
I won’t really review the plot of the movie…since I’m probably the last of my readers to watch it anyway. One funny conversation happened during the movie though. During the part where the drunken pharmacist Mr. Gower beats George Bailey, Michael wondered aloud, “Did people really beat other people’s kids?” We answered that neighborhoods used to be more like extended families and that “yes” neighbors sometimes used to spank kids that were not their own. “Could parents beat up their kids?” he then asked. When we explained that while parents weren’t allowed to “beat up” their kids, many did spank them. The conversation ended by Michael declaring, “I’m glad that I’m not old and that I didn’t live back in those days.” He has no idea…
In any event, I thought that the movie did a great job of reminding everyone about the importance of life and what it truly means to be rich. As the angel Clarence wrote in the gift book that he left for George at the end, “Remember no man (or woman!) is a failure who has friends.” My family and friends mean so much to me and this movie was a touching reminder of their importance. With them in my corner, it really is a wonderful life!
{Post image of family & friends courtesy of my friend Namir}