The It's a Wonderful Life Book by Jeanine Basinger

Scrooge is generally played by the grimmest, grouchiest actor available: Lionel Barrymore, George C. The difference between Sim, and all other other Scrooges before and since? He's funny. But on the small screen, she said, it feels just right. The grim story of George Bailey (Stewart) the frustrated small-town idealist who is driven to the brink of suicide until his guardian angel (Henry Travers) shows him a nightmarish vision of what his town would be like without him, might have been too overwhelming for theater audiences. Basinger, chair of the Film Studies Department at Wesleyan University, and author of 'The 'It's a Wonderful Life' Book' (1986). It was also the TV medium itself, argues Jeanine D. 'It's a Wonderful Life' had been seen by millions.īut it was not only the constant exposure that turned 'It's a Wonderful Life' into a classic. By the time the lawyers regained control of the property, in 1994, it was too late. When VHS was introduced in 1976, 'It's a Wonderful Life' began to appear in dozens of video editions. Suddenly, small local TV stations had access to an A-list Hollywood Christmas movie, starring Jimmy Stewart, that cost them absolutely nothing. Which is how a Christmas miracle happened. In 1974, someone forgot to renew the copyright. No one gave much thought to the film for many years. No thanks, said Hollywood, which gave the film only one Oscar - a technical nod for a new method of creating faux-snow. Instead - what was this? Disappointment, despair, attempted suicide, hallucinations - all wrapped up in a big Christmas ribbon. Smith Goes To Washington') first film after he returned home from World War II, and people were expecting great things.

This was director Frank Capra's ('It Happened One Night,' 'Mr. You might not guess, given the hoopla surrounding this film's 75th anniversary including a deluxe new Blu- ray edition of the film with lots of bells and whistles, that it was considered a misfire in 1946. Holidays: Hope for the holidays? Start with your Christmas tree 'It's a Wonderful Life' You might find some surprises in the box. Think you know these familiar Christmas presents? Let us help you unpack them. 'Amahl and the Night Visitors,' which was an annual Christmas tradition between 19 and has been frequently revived on stage since that time, was commissioned by NBC - the first opera to be created directly for television.

It was only after repeated TV showings that viewers warmed to them. Both 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946) and 'A Christmas Carol' (1951) - originally titled 'Scrooge' in Britain - were considered disappointments when they were released theatrically.

The It's a Wonderful Life Book by Jeanine Basinger