How not to remake its a wonderful life film analysis. Instead, most of the film is quite gloomy and dismal. Its a wonderful life is popular in its own right for our current western pop culture. In this essay through textual analysis i will be describing how the representation of time and space can either facilitate or hinder the clear presentation of a cause and effect narrative structure. Yet it was also during the 1980s that the film received its most caustic analysis, in the form of a saturday night live. Its a wonderful life film 1946 study guide movie packet.
James stewart and donna reed in its a wonderful life. Description, analysis, and more, so you can understand the ins and outs of its a wonderful life. The summary of the film makes the movie seem sentimental and contain the classic happy ending. What types of editing techniques are used in the 1946.
Essay about analysis of its a wonderful life its a. The film s thematic message about the value of community building over personal ego gratification may have seemed a little out of fashion during the reign of the me generation, but it is just as timely today as when the film was released. It has a positive and redeeming message about the importance of individuals, the joys and benefits of friendship, and the family ties that sustain us. The film its a wonderful life directed by frank capra is considered one of the greatest and most successful works of the american cinematography in the twentieth century. Rhyme scheme the last words in the first two lines of each verse rhyme.
It takes courage, strength, and diligence to become a master of two worlds the known and the unknown. The best and worst things that ever happened to its a wonderful life are that it fell out of protection and into the shadowy nomansland of the public domain. However, cozy memories of the movie often fail to remember that it is actually a fairly uncompromising work that unflinchingly depicts the pain and suffering people must endure to truly appreciate life and love. James stewart and frank capras its a wonderful life. Its a wonderful life is not particularly complex, deep or stylistically marvelous. Morgans analysis digs deep not only into uncle billys experience, but that. George bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of bedford falls. One of the reasons that its a wonderful life is such a popular movie around the holidays is that it. Its the great struggle for finding what it is in life you really want to do. Its a wonderful life study guide contains a biography of horatio alger, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. It has very quickly become one of my favorite movies of all times.
This classic movie uses the entirety of its first act to leisurely introduce and build its characters. The movie opens at the height of the main characters troubles and immediately has us wondering why george bailey is in such a fix that the whole town is praying for him. How does its a wonderful life reflect the postwwii. Because the movie is no longer under, any television station that can get its hands on a print of the movie can show it, at no cost, as often as it wants to. All that prevents him from doing so is georges modest building and loan company. Throughout the movie, we see how georges actions have affected the town of bedford falls. Eventually, due to difficulties in keeping the building and loan solvent, bailey falls into despair so deep that he. George bailey teaches us so lessons throughout the film and in the end he teaches us the. Stewart, who does most of the heavy suffering in this film, and it is he who. Analysis of its a wonderful life 753 words 4 pages in its a wonderful life, the main character, george bailey, is a good, giving man who faces a rough patch in his life.
The best and worst things that ever happened to its a wonderful. At any rate, its a wonderful life is a great story with a lot of emotional impact. Analysis of george bailey s it s a wonderful life 960 words 4 pages. Its a wonderful life 1946, originally made for liberty films, is one of the most popular and heartwarming films ever made by director frank capra. George bailey is a fictional character and the protagonist in frank capras 1946 film its a wonderful life. I ts fitting that its a wonderful life went from beloved christmas staple to fullblown american institution during the reagan years, when the cozily reactionary proclivities of frank capras movie seemed most in synch with the ostentatious conservatism of the times. A structural analysis of frank capras its a wonderful life. One point may be the accessibility of film and literature in different time periods. Im no movie critic, and ill leave to others any erudite evaluation of the film as cinematic art, but to examine it closely is to experience its a wonderful life on several different. George bailey james stewart shows officer bert ward bond zuzus petals. Visions of light is the kind of movie that will affect the way you look at movies.
Morgans analysis digs deep not only into uncle billys experience, but that of. In an era when things tended to be resolved before the the end sign appeared on the screen, its a wonderful life deserves credit for not solving every problem with the tinkling of a bell. The movie is about redemption and hope as well as belief in the man goodness, and also belief in god. The morality of banking in its a wonderful life the. This does not make frank capras film static or uninteresting because he varies his camera angles. Its a wonderful life begins on christmas eve in a small town in upstate new york called bedford falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint mr. Its a wonderful life is a 1946 american christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by. James stewart, center, is shown in the last scene of frank capras 1947 film its a wonderful life. George bailey is the main protagonist in the film its a wonderful life. This study guide consists of approximately 23 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of its a wonderful life. This was an extraordinary movie that showed the homely smalltown moral values through glossy studio production.
Kim morgans reflections on its a wonderful life is a great piece of analysis. This was the first full christmas after the war, jeanine. Its a wonderful life essay the heros journey is a treacherous journey and not for those of the faint of heart. The character is a building and loan banker who sacrifices his dreams in order to help his community of bedford falls to the point where he feels life has passed him by. The following 7page document is a study guide movie packet to guide a viewers analysis of the 1946 film its a wonderful life directed by frank capra. George bailey features an almost nonprofit form of capitalism and doesnt really care about making money. Reflections on its a wonderful life go into the story. The american film institute has held its a wonderful life as a top 20 film in the last 100 years of cinema. The first page provides a cast and crew list and a background and intr. Over the shoulder, low angle, high angle, wide shots and extreme closeups help make up for the lack of camera movement throughout the film.
Firstly, i would like to discuss the representation of time and space in the tony. Seventy years after its release, frank capras its a wonderful life remains a holiday classic, with warm and fuzzy messages about the importance of love and family. One of the most interesting things about it happened one christmas, the 1977 tv remake of its a wonderful life, is how closely the narrative sticks to the source material. Its a wonderful life is a film of endless frustrations, deferrals of gratification, and of the complete impossibility of representing the most passionate impulses and imaginations of the self in the worldand yet the title is still entirely unironic. Frank capra regarded this film as his own personal favorite it was also james stewarts favorite of all his feature films. The gospel message in its a wonderful life the gospel message in its a wonderful life by anne morse, oped contributor monday, december 05, 2016. The worst thingwhich has inspired stewart to testify before a congressional committee and capra to issue a sickbed pleais that the movie has been colorized.
They decide to assign a secondtier angel, clarence, to george, in order to help him not lose hope. The study guide can be used for study in an english or film studies class. Its a wonderful life is one of the best movies america has ever. You also have to look at the man responsible for editing its a wonderful life, the brilliant film editor, william hornbeck. Kim morgans reflections on its a wonderful life is a great piece of analysis, well worth the read. Its a wonderful life is very limited in its camera movements compared to todays films. Essay on analysis of its a wonderful life 612 words 3 pages. Its traditionally watched on the tv by the whole family at christmastime, even though only about one hour of the twohour, fifteenminute film takes place at that time of the year it. Analysis of its a wonderful life this was an extraordinary movie that showed the homely smalltown moral values through glossy studio production. On december 21, 1946, frank capra and james stewart held the world premiere for its a wonderful life in new york at the globe theater. But what this film is about, at its deepest level, is the gospel message. None of that is a criticism of the film it is, in fact, the very reason why this movie is so brilliant.
That was the best thing that happened to its a wonderful life, bringing cheer into the lives of director frank capra and star james stewart, who both consider it their favorite film. A man with big dreams, but who is perpetually held. Capra opens with a successful framing device that hooks the reader with a sneak peek of the climax. Its a wonderful life 1946 is a perennial christmas classic, treasured by critics and audiences alike for its heartfelt, emotional story and inspiring message. This is the best piece ive ever read on frank capras classic movie. The movie speaks to the depravity of capitalism run amok the illogicality of concerning ones self with the needs of others and the surprising, yet genuine capacity of human beings to do the god damn right thing. And so frank capras 1946 classic its a wonderful life comes back to uk cinemas for the umpteenth christmas runout. Analysis of its a wonderful life essay example graduateway. Its a wonderful life was created as a type of fable for the life of the normal person. This is the moment that forever changes georges life and sets the subsequent plot. This stage version of the classic film, now touring 45 rural communities, has a raggedy, unforced charm. Essay on analysis of its a wonderful life 612 words. What types of editing techniques are used in the 1946 movie, its a wonderful life.
It reminds shmoop of life is beautiful, roberto benignis film about a father and son trying to survive in a brutal concentration camp. Making of its a wonderful life frank capra jr duration. Its a wonderful life is a favorite christmas classic movie in the us. As our story opens, georges life is the opposite of wonderful. A structural analysis of frank capras its a wonderful life essay english language and literature studies other publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. Boring bedford falls would have been better had george. Its a wonderful life was the first film hed made since returning home from the war, and it had been a long time since he had kissed a woman onscreen. The major focus of the movie was placed on the life path of its main hero george bailey who always helped other people, sacrificing his own life and welfare.
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