The ultimate American Christmas classic.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946; Amazon Prime Video)
A young man in a small town discovers love, community, and meaning when his guardian angel comes to help him . . . not commit suicide. This classic is stunning in every way. Lovable characters, quotable lines, the full gamut of human emotion, powerful cinematography, danceable music, and deep social and spiritual meaning. This is my favorite movie, and I’m not alone—it played on American television every Christmas for decades. This is how the movie became famous, because when it was first released, it flopped.
Why did it flop? Maybe because World War II left American society longing for happier films. Maybe because it was marketed as a simple romantic comedy—then you go into the theater and deeply feel joy, then grief, then joy, then confusion, then joy and wonder! But time has secured this film a lasting place among the classics, the final place: the end of the year. This is a movie for the cold darkness of winter, finding the warmth of home and the starlight of hope in the dark times of our lives.
Rewatching this movie annually is worth the time. It’s a long movie: two full hours. But it takes its time letting you get to know the characters, a whole town of characters, and you need this for the ending to have its full impact. Italian director Frank Capra juxtaposes romantic comedy (his early films) with the bleak, rainy streets of neorealism, and we discover the joy of community in the daily grind of caring for—living with—the poor, and a suffering that’s worth it in the end.
(Finding this film now takes a little detective work. It’s free on Plex but with a different musical score. If you find a full version legal and free, let me know in the comments!)
Something New…
No contemporary movie recommendation today, but if you want a laugh, watch this animated short made by a friend of mine for the World Animation Discord. Will Santa deliver his package? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo750lGGiqQ
Nathan’s Writing Update
I’m happy to announce that I have completed my summary video of Angus Fletcher’s Wonderworks! This new book reaches across literary history, from The Illiad to To Kill a Mockingbird, describing how literature interacts with our brains. Neuroscience shows that certain types of stories can make us more creative, boost our empathy, and much more. I end the book summary with my own analysis of the Inside Out films, which employ every one of the 25 literary “inventions” identified by Angus Fletcher. Check out my full summary video here! https://youtu.be/AGQUmntYz7o