Why Do We Love It’s a Wonderful Life?

Fantasy is defined as anything that has no solid foundation in reality. Elements of fantasy are used in It’s a Wonderful Life to convey themes and create an interesting structure which amplifies these themes, ultimately winning the hearts of the American people. The genre of fantasy allows you to escape reality and lets your imagination ignite a world in which you have not seen before. In the film there are elements such as a parallel world, flashbacks, an overall fight of good versus evil, control the playback of reality, guardian angels, an attempt to complete a goal, and later an effort to ‘save a community’. In It’s a Wonderful Life director Frank Capra illustrates many elements of fantasy, in which is pulls you into a new world, constructed by imagination. The opening credits, which are illustrated on a story book, are where the ‘fairy-tale’ and fantasy mixture begins. As the first scene opens the town sign is covered in snow, as well as the ground, indicting a Wintery Wonderland, as the camera scans to the town of Bedford Falls. Capra demonstrates the typical small town, the snow covered ground, lights stung in the trees lining the sidewalks, and specialty shops. Even though it looks and seems completely normal you will still have the feeling of an imaginary or fantasy land. The film begins in the present time; the year is 1945 on Christmas Eve. Voiceovers occur, praying for George Bailey. After hearing such prayers, we see a star-filled sky, and what seems to be ‘constellations’ beam with light, and they begin to talk to one another. They initiate conversation on the current state of Mr. George Bailey, because of the immense number of prayers for him. We find out it is George’s ‘crucial’ night and they are sending someone down to help him. The angel whom is sent is Clarence, who is considered a second class angel because he has not yet earned his wings. Franklin and Joseph, the two angels, tell Clarence his assignment. They tell him that at 10:30 that evening he will be sent to Earth to save George and explain that for the next hour they will be telling Clarence about the life of George Bailey and how he ended up at this point in his life. A flashback occurs, in which Franklin and Joseph tell Clarence to look at the Earth and focus hard to see a ‘picture’—a crucial moment in George’s childhood. Clarence is unable to do this because he has not yet earned his wings, so Franklin helps Clarence concentrate and we see George and his friends sledding down an icy hill. The last person to go is Harry Bailey, the ‘kid brother’ of George Bailey. Harry slides down and goes too fast. He ends up breaking the ice on the pond and yells for help. George saved his brother’s life that day, but at a cost. George lost hearing in his left ear due to an infection.
At this point in the film, we are beginning to see many different aspects of fantasy—the constructed world, guardian angels, and flashback. Each aspect has shown important information and has related in a specific way to the film. After saving his brother, we learn that George was not able to return to his after-school job until a few weeks after the incident. He works for the local druggist, Mr. Gower. One day he is asked by Mr. Gower to make an emergency delivery to a customer. George notices something is not quite the same with Mr. Gower, and discovers a telegram on the counter, which is declaring the death of his son, Robert. This has caused Mr. Gower to drink excessively, and George observed Mr. Gower may have mixed the wrong ingredient into the medication. George is immediately faced with a dilemma. Should he obey his boss, and make the delivery as normal, or confront him. George makes his way out of the store and see’s the sign ‘Ask Dad he knows’; he runs to find his father, who works at the Building and Loan.
George runs to find his dad, and ask for help. He walks in and finds his dad and the town ‘scrooge’ in an argument. Mr. Potter, whom the kids call the meanest and richest man in town, is demanding payments from people who have loans out. Mr. Peter Bailey is a character foil of Mr. Potter. He is a true family man, and believes in doing good for people, and therefore receiving good later. We are presented with the struggle of good versus evil, during their ‘squall’. Mr. Potter represents a man who cares only about money and corruption. We later find out that when George Bailey tells Clarence, his guardian angel, that he wishes he had never been born, Mr. Potter takes advantage of the whole town, and turns Bedford Falls into a pervert town of nightclubs, bars, and pool-halls with drunks and prostitutes wandering the streets. After returning from his dad’s work, George has decided to ask Mr. Gower if he knew what ingredients he had put into the medicine. Mr. Gower slaps George for questioning his work, but realizes George was right; he had mixed up prescription. Mr. Gower thanks George, and George realizes he saved Mr. Gower from a lot of trouble.
At this point, the film fast-forwards to the spring of 1928, the year Harry Bailey is to graduate high school. We see George at a local luggage shop, talking to a salesman about a particular piece he would like to buy. Joseph and Franklin paused ‘reality’ and comment on George Bailey’s face. Clarence notes that his smile is big and that his face is bright. This scene shows another element of fantasy—in which the angel’s are able to control the playback of reality. Joseph and Franklin have paused their flashback of George’s childhood. It is as if they were watching a movie—thinking it is not a big deal. Once they resumed ‘playback’, we see George leaving town and heading home; while walking home, people began to shout congratulatory messages, wishing him well. George returns home, and discusses his college plans with his parents over dinner. When George was a child he always spoke of exploring. This dream did not die, even as George got older. During the spring of 1928, George is walking back from his brother’s graduation party, he tells Mary Hatch, his soon to be wife, “I'm shakin' the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I'm gonna see the world.” This shows that George Bailey is in search of an adventure. He wants to get out of his small town life and pursue bigger dreams. Here, George is trying to complete a goal, leaving this past behind him, and moving on to bigger and better things, or what he thinks is better. He attempts to complete this goal when he decides to leave for college the summer after Harry graduates high school, although he is stopped suddenly with the unexpected death of his father, Peter Bailey. A meeting occurs with the Board of Supervisors, Mr. Potter, George Bailey, and others from the Bailey Building and Loan, including Uncle Billy. George finds out Mr. Potter’s intentions with the building and loan, now that his father is gone. The Board voted down Mr. Potter’s plan to sell out the Building and Loan, with one exception—they would only allow the Building and Loan to remain open if George Bailey will run it. This stops the adventure that George has set up. He is not able leave Bedford Falls and follow his dreams. This provides for another fantasy element, which is the effort to save his community, which is his whole world in a sense.
Finally the last major fantasy element in It’s a Wonderful Life, is a constructed world. It comes into play when Clarence comes down to Earth and spots George, who is standing on a snow covered bridge, and is looking down at the water. George looks back at Clarence, and then again at the water. Suddenly, George looks to Clarence and he dives into the icy water. After seeing Clarence dive in, George goes in after him, trying to save his life! George pulls him out of the water, and asks Clarence why he jumped in? Clarence explains that he is George’s guardian angel, and he jumped in ultimately to save his life. George is confused and asks how Clarence was saving his life. He explains how he knew of George’s intentions of suicide; frightened George asks how Clarence knows who he is. Once again Clarence states he is George’s guardian angel. George walks away, claiming Clarence is crazy. He follows George and tells him that suicide is not the way and that George has accomplished many things in his life—stating suicide is not the way. George does not agree and bluntly says he wishes he were never born. Clarence checks with his ‘boss’ and gets the “OK”. Clarence tells him he got his wish and tells George he was never born. George is not a believer in Clarence’s abilities. At this point we began to see the ‘constructed world’. Without George Bailey many things are not the same. His old boss, Mr. Gower was sent to prison for killing a child, the Building and Loan went out of business many years ago, even though Uncle Billy took it over after the Peter Bailey died. Also, Uncle Billy was admitted to an insane asylum because the Building and Loan collapsed under his control. His mother is now the owner and operator of a boarding hose. His childhood love, Mary Hatch works in the library and is an old maid. The sweet and quaint town of Bedford Falls is now known as Pottersville. It has become corrupt, just as Mr. Potter has. George begins to see that Clarence is right; his life had meaning, and he had done many things to help people throughout his life. He learns that his brother died at the age of nine because he was not there to save him when he fell into the ice pond. George runs back to the bridge; realizing Clarence is right, he wants to claim his life again. He begs for Clarence’s help, asking to be able to ‘live again.’
Abruptly, the winds blows and Bert, the local cop, shows up, asking George if he is ok. George realizes that Bert recognizes him. He knows his life and been restored.
The genre of fantasy has become widely known in the recent years. Whether it is a film, a novel, or a television show—fantasy gives Americans a sense of hope. Many fantasy movies have happy endings. Most people watch fantasy movies to escape troubles or to simply forget where they are for that moment in time and slip into a world where nothing can hurt them. Their imagination lets loose and it is as if they person becomes a child again.
In conclusion, It’s a Wonderful Life illustrated many elements that define fantasy. It’s a Wonderful Life attracts many types of Americans—mainly those who value family or those who enjoy an inspirational Christmas movie that was made to lift spirits and show that every life is meaningful and if certain people were not born, other’s lives would not be the same. It is a blending of reality with imagination—allowing for people to ignore life and sink into a well written novel, or watch a movie.

Works Cited

It’s a Wonderful Life. Dir Frank Capra. 1946. DVD. Liberty Films. 2006.