It's A Wonderful Movie

It's A Wonderful Life (1946) began as a shortshooting at them in a plane."In the 1930's Capra
story called "The Greatest Gift". Writer Philip Vanhad toiled at Columbia Pictures which was ruled by
Doren Stern was unable to sell it to a publisher, sothe autocratic Harry Cohn, long considered the
he sent the tale out as a long Christmas card tomeanest man in Hollywood. The Mogul kept the
friends. His agent subsequently sold the fable toentire studio electronically bugged, displayed a
RKO pictures, where it went through severalhuge portrait of Mussolini in his office, and used an
transformations. In one version a losing politicalelectrified chair to give unsuspecting victims
candidate contemplated suicide, only to have ansudden jolts. Capra had sat in it once, received a
angel convince him to stick around and do goodshock and angrily smashed the chair to bits. When
works. Finally it fell into the hands of Directorfilming began on It's A Wonderful Life, Capra was
Frank Capra who cried when he read it, said ithappy to be free of Cohn, but nervous. Now his
was the story he had been looking for all his life,own money was part of the investment. Known
and purchased it to be the first project for hisfor making movie sets fun places to work, he
new production company, Liberty Films.To playwas at first crabby and irritable with his cast and
the unassuming savings and loan clerk, Capracrew. Filming a snowy, Christmas movie in over
wanted Jimmy Stewart who he had previouslyone hundred degree heat in Encino did not help
worked with in You Can't Take It With Youmorale. Many of the heavily dressed actors
(1938) and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939).fainted. But there were nice moments. One scene
But coming back from World War II, therequired Mary to throw a rock through an old
thirty-seven year old Stewart was no longer themansion window and make a wish. Capra had a
easy going man about town he had been in themarksman ready off camera but to his delight
thirties. The former Academy Award winner forReed shattered the glass on her own. She turned
The Philadelphia Story (1940) had led a thousandto him and said," Why so surprised? Don't you
men in bombing missions in the European theaterthink an Iowa farm girl would know how to play
in hard to maneuver B-24s. The loud enginesbaseball?"As the shoot progressed Capra regained
damaged his hearing, in later years people whenhis confidence. He disdained special effects when
people would greet him and he would fail toClarence Oddbody the angel (Henry Travers) did
respond, some would mistake his deafness for ahis magic, preferring to tell the story through his
cold personality. He was uncertain after five yearsactor's faces. The Director started to believe he
away from the screen if he still wanted to be inwas making the greatest movie ever. As his
the movies. Sometimes the profession seemedmood lightened the Company enjoyed picnics and
so humiliating. In 1943 when Stewart had tried tosinging on the set which were hallmarks of
stay in the best hotel in Madrid, he was turnedCapra's earlier films.Too dark, the Country wanted
away because he was an actor. He went back tocomedy like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Too
the air force base, got his Lieutenant Colonel'sdated, Wonderful Life came off like a depression
uniform and then they let him in.When hefilm rather than a post war movie. For whatever
returned to Southern California in 1945 Stewartreason the three million dollar production failed to
took things easy. He refused to re-sign with hismake its money back. Capra chose to fold his
old studio MGM, despite tearful requests to do sotent shortly after the movie's release calling
from the hammy Louis B. Mayer. He was contentLiberty Films," The quickest way to go broke a
to spend time flying kites and building modelman ever devised." Stewart panicked. The ex-war
planes with Henry Fonda. When Capra came tohero received a phone call from his agent. "Donna
make his pitch Stewart looked bored, out of it,Reed loved working with you. She wants to do it
causing the Director to lose confidence. "Well Jim,again." "No way. That girl is jinxed." June Allyson
it's about a savings and loan clerk who wants tobecame his leading lady of choice playing his wife
commit suicide. There's an angel named Clarencefive times. Decades later he would praise the
who shows him what life would have been likeperformance of a bemused Donna Reed for
without him. . . aw forget it, it's a stupid idea."making Wonderful Life great. "My God," she told
Capra was turning to leave when Stewart put hisher friends. "He sure didn't say that when it came
hand on his shoulder. "Frank, if you want me, I'mout."Years passed. From that point on Capra,
your man." At least that's how the film's publicistsunwilling to either risk his own money or work for
told it.Stewart was morose and insecure as filmingsomebody else directed very few movies .
began. Since he went off to serve, Hollywood hadStewart decided to portray a stronger image on
found new leading men like Kirk Douglas andscreen. He refused to play in war movies saying
Gregory Peck who were seven years youngerthey were unrealistic, choosing instead hard, gritty
than he was. Some scenes called for the nowWesterns like The Man From Laramie (1954)
graying actor to still be in high school. He feltwhich helped to make him rich and surpass John
ridiculous and considered plastic surgery. But heWayne as the nation's number one box office
was helped greatly by his co-star Donna Reedstar. Reed restored her career by winning an
who encouraged him throughout. In the romanticAcademy Award for playing a prostitute in From
scene where George (Stewart) and Mary (Reed)Here To Eternity (1953) and then became one of
declared their love for each other, Capra jokedtelevision's most wholesome mothers. And It's A
that Stewart was so nervous he wrapped aWonderful Life fell into the public domain in 1973
phone chord around them so he wouldn't runbecause no one renewed it's copyright. The
away. James was also helped by the film's villainforgotten film was shown repeatedly on almost
Lionel Barrymore who was confined to wheelchairevery cable television station, finally got a huge
because of crippling arthritis. "Son, I want you toviewership, and became a perennial Christmas
cheer up. Don't you know you make peopleClassic.
happier being a movie star than you ever did