Christmas is the perfect time of year to cosy up indoors and pick a film to watch – and there’s no better one than this hit. The 1946 film is often listed as one of the best and it’s one that fans look forward to watching every year.
Time Out has listed the film as one of the “best Christmas movies of all time,” and it won’t come as a surprise to many. It says: “Tinged with magical passages, buckets of good will and an alternate plotline with the disturbing kick of a Black Mirror episode, this tribute to the efforts of a small-town do-gooder cements the idea of Christmas as a time for giving.”
It’s a Wonderful Life tells the story of an angel who is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman see the value of his own life. Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore, it’s a film that has stood the test of time.
Aoide Magazine says the film is “a timeless masterpiece masquerading as a Christmas classic.”
One person who watched the film on IMDb said: “No movie ever made has influenced me more than this classic. I had the honor of doing a play version of it about 5 years ago. I had seen the film thousands of times, had loved it, but I never really knew what it meant.
“During the course of the production, I suddenly felt alive. I felt that I wasn’t having enough fun. I felt that I wasn’t doing enough in my life.
“Crazy things, like kissing my mother or my father. I hadn’t really hugged one of them in a while. It makes you think.
“It’s more of a thinking person’s film than a mere Christmas film. If you think it’s just a Christmas film, I insist you watch it again and again, until you get the message.”
When It’s a Wonderful Life was released in 1946, it was a box office flop for RKO Studios but in the years that have followed its reputation has quickly changed.
Another fan penned: “This film has become a Christmas tradition in my family. We watch it every year and never tire of it.
“Frank Capra is a master of creating films with a message that reinforce strong values. This is probably his greatest film in that regard. Both he and Stewart have publicly stated that this is their favorite film.”
If you’re wondering where you can watch the film this Christmas, it’s available on Amazon Prime.
By Alycia McNamara
Source link
