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Started By
Message
Negative thoughts on "It's A Wonderful Life"
Posted on 12/26/09 at 3:21 am
Posted on 12/26/09 at 3:21 am
My girlfriend and I watched "It's A Wonderful Life" last night. It was her first time seeing it and my first time watching it in about 20 years. After watching it, two thoughts came to my head. It was:
1. Simple to the point of being annoying, and
2. Preachy to the point of being unbearable
Since "preachy" message ridden movies have been a hot topic around here lately, I figured I'd throw this one into the mix.
"It's A Wonderful Life" is altruistic bullshite, borderline socialist propaganda. On the one hand you have evil Mr. Potter keeping the townsfolk down, forcing then to pay high rents to live in slum conditions. On the other hand, you have benevolent George Bailey, providing an option for the poor and downtrodden to get out from under the oppressive hand of big business, er, I mean Mr. Potter. And then at the end we get to witness how without George Bailey sacrificing his own life for the betterment of others, the town becomes a cesspool of bars and girly joints and all the townspeople are miserable.
Seriously? You guys want to talk about "Avatar" as having an unwelcome message but we are forced to have this socialist propaganda film considered an American "classic"????
I know I'm probably going to get ripped to shreds for posting this, but frick it, it was really bothering me how selective some people can be when talking about preachy films, and "It's A Wonderful Life" is surely no exception.
1. Simple to the point of being annoying, and
2. Preachy to the point of being unbearable
Since "preachy" message ridden movies have been a hot topic around here lately, I figured I'd throw this one into the mix.
"It's A Wonderful Life" is altruistic bullshite, borderline socialist propaganda. On the one hand you have evil Mr. Potter keeping the townsfolk down, forcing then to pay high rents to live in slum conditions. On the other hand, you have benevolent George Bailey, providing an option for the poor and downtrodden to get out from under the oppressive hand of big business, er, I mean Mr. Potter. And then at the end we get to witness how without George Bailey sacrificing his own life for the betterment of others, the town becomes a cesspool of bars and girly joints and all the townspeople are miserable.
Seriously? You guys want to talk about "Avatar" as having an unwelcome message but we are forced to have this socialist propaganda film considered an American "classic"????
I know I'm probably going to get ripped to shreds for posting this, but frick it, it was really bothering me how selective some people can be when talking about preachy films, and "It's A Wonderful Life" is surely no exception.
12
Posted on 12/26/09 at 5:19 am to WikiTiger
To Kill A Mockingbird is also preachy. Straight up situational ethics. The Sheriff will lie about what happened because it will make things easier.
I don't notice, or can put up with the preachyness if the movie is good. With Avatar...not so much.
I have also noticed the issues you mention about Wonderful Life.
I don't notice, or can put up with the preachyness if the movie is good. With Avatar...not so much.
I have also noticed the issues you mention about Wonderful Life.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 8:12 am to WikiTiger
quote:
It's A Wonderful Life" is altruistic bullshite, borderline socialist propaganda. On the one hand you have evil Mr. Potter keeping the townsfolk down, forcing then to pay high rents to live in slum conditions. On the other hand, you have benevolent George Bailey, providing an option for the poor and downtrodden to get out from under the oppressive hand of big business, er, I mean Mr. Potter. And then at the end we get to witness how without George Bailey sacrificing his own life for the betterment of others, the town becomes a cesspool of bars and girly joints and all the townspeople are miserable.
Well, certainly some movies may be to obvious or "preachy" with a message. But tell me, do you thing altruism or self-sacrifice for others is a bad thing? Are you one of those Ayn Rand groupies?
This post was edited on 12/26/09 at 8:13 am
Posted on 12/26/09 at 9:05 am to WikiTiger
quote:
"It's A Wonderful Life" is altruistic bullshite, borderline socialist propaganda
not borderline
Posted on 12/26/09 at 9:06 am to WikiTiger
um....
Looking a little too far into a movie, don't you think?
Looking a little too far into a movie, don't you think?
Posted on 12/26/09 at 9:06 am to WikiTiger
All movies of that era were preachy. tell me about To hell and Back. (Audie Murphy's 'autobiography)
Or any western or John Wayne movie.
Or any western or John Wayne movie.
This post was edited on 12/26/09 at 9:07 am
Posted on 12/26/09 at 10:51 am to WikiTiger
naturally, every film will portray a set of ethics
I think in Avatar's case, the public is lashing out against a theme that's been exploited and made popular by 2 very successful, relatively recent disney films (pocohantas, wall-e) but especially because there was a massive disdain for the hype surrounding the movie, with people audacious enough to judge the movie before even seeing it.
slightly related to the people nauseous over environmentalism and resource plundering. here's a funny headline I read the other day on global warming:
"What if it's a big hoax and we create a better world for nothing?"
I think in Avatar's case, the public is lashing out against a theme that's been exploited and made popular by 2 very successful, relatively recent disney films (pocohantas, wall-e) but especially because there was a massive disdain for the hype surrounding the movie, with people audacious enough to judge the movie before even seeing it.
slightly related to the people nauseous over environmentalism and resource plundering. here's a funny headline I read the other day on global warming:
"What if it's a big hoax and we create a better world for nothing?"
Posted on 12/26/09 at 11:08 am to H-Town Tiger
quote:
quote:
"It's A Wonderful Life" is altruistic bullshite, borderline socialist propaganda
not borderline
You guys are absolutely nuts.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 11:18 am to VOR
quote:
You guys are absolutely nuts.
we're nuts because we recognize a message in a movie? The funny thing is Capra was supposedly a big anti-communist.
BTW: I love the movie.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 11:38 am to H-Town Tiger
just enjoy the movie, nerd.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 11:43 am to H-Town Tiger
Capra was anti-communist socialist. A lot of his movies are what I would call "American socialism". It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mr. Deeds, Meet John Doe... all incredibly patriotic yet socialist movies. Capra was a proud American who believed in the "common man" and hated those who tried to exploit the average American.
I love It's a Wonderful Life and the way it promotes small town America, but let's be honest, Mr. Potter's America won. And honestly, I'd rather live in Pottersville than Bedford Falls. Capra is championing a vision of America that died a long time ago.
I love It's a Wonderful Life and the way it promotes small town America, but let's be honest, Mr. Potter's America won. And honestly, I'd rather live in Pottersville than Bedford Falls. Capra is championing a vision of America that died a long time ago.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 11:45 am to WikiTiger
ANYTHING with Jimmy Stewart is as annoying as hell.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 12:04 pm to H-Town Tiger
quote:
we're nuts because we recognize a message in a movie? The funny thing is Capra was supposedly a big anti-communist.
So wait a minute . . . I ask again . . . it's a negative thing to be a bit selfless and desire to help those in unfortunate circumstances? Capra had a message in a lot of his movies, but they're hardly "socialist" in the sense that it's used on the political board.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 12:06 pm to Baloo
quote:
Capra was anti-communist socialist. A lot of his movies are what I would call "American socialism". It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mr. Deeds, Meet John Doe... all incredibly patriotic yet socialist movies. Capra was a proud American who believed in the "common man" and hated those who tried to exploit the average American.
I love It's a Wonderful Life and the way it promotes small town America, but let's be honest, Mr. Potter's America won. And honestly, I'd rather live in Pottersville than Bedford Falls. Capra is championing a vision of America that died a long time ago.
Well, I don't necessarily disagree with most of your post. However, the term "socialist" is thrown around so loosely. This country has a history, dating back to Puritans, Quakers and other settlers in New England, of valuing service to others and concern for the "common man".
Posted on 12/26/09 at 12:10 pm to WikiTiger
I don't like the movie and never have.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 12:20 pm to VOR
quote:
it's a negative thing to be a bit selfless and desire to help those in unfortunate circumstances
You might as well ask if someone is still beating his wife, this is such a loaded question.
There is certainly nothing negative about correcting the mistake of a a drunk pharmacist or saving your brother from drowning(though if George wasn't there to save Harry, would Harry have been sledding there anyway? If so were the other kids not capable of saving Harry?
) In the grand scheme of things some one like Sam Wainwright does a lot more to help people than George Bailey.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 12:38 pm to WikiTiger
This movie is only positive. Anybody who says otherwise should jump off a bridge while it is unbearably cold.
Just kidding. It is trying to teach a lesson, and it is a good lesson to learn. I love the film. And I love Donna Reed.
Just kidding. It is trying to teach a lesson, and it is a good lesson to learn. I love the film. And I love Donna Reed.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 1:05 pm to VOR
True, but I'm not on the poli board and unlike those foaming at the mouth attack dogs, I don't believe socialism is positive or negative. I also understand that socialism has a long history of anti-communism, and that the two things are different. It's like saying all federal governments are communist like the Soviet Union was.
Capra had a strong socialist bent. He was also an extreme American patriot. But we are way off on a tangent here, I'm just trying to say I wasn't using "socialist" as a pejorative.
Going back to the movie, it's not that Sam Wainwright is portrayed as a negative character. He does good, and he's a rich man. He just doesn't think to help Bedford Falls without George's urging. But he doesn't fight it, and he sees the plant as a good business decision. George's dad, OTOH, was a good man yet a terrible business man. I think the movie is trying to show that success is business doesn't make one good or bad. Martini, to use another business man, is the sole proprietor of a saloon, and he's cast in a positive light as well.
So the movie is not anti-capitalist in the communist sense. Capra just abhored people who made money AT THE EXPENSE of people. Mr. Potter, bad. Sam Wainwright, good.
Capra had a strong socialist bent. He was also an extreme American patriot. But we are way off on a tangent here, I'm just trying to say I wasn't using "socialist" as a pejorative.
Going back to the movie, it's not that Sam Wainwright is portrayed as a negative character. He does good, and he's a rich man. He just doesn't think to help Bedford Falls without George's urging. But he doesn't fight it, and he sees the plant as a good business decision. George's dad, OTOH, was a good man yet a terrible business man. I think the movie is trying to show that success is business doesn't make one good or bad. Martini, to use another business man, is the sole proprietor of a saloon, and he's cast in a positive light as well.
So the movie is not anti-capitalist in the communist sense. Capra just abhored people who made money AT THE EXPENSE of people. Mr. Potter, bad. Sam Wainwright, good.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 1:48 pm to Rex
quote:
ANYTHING with Jimmy Stewart is as annoying as hell.
Final proof of the total rot of your insides.
Posted on 12/26/09 at 1:56 pm to WikiTiger
quote:
"It's A Wonderful Life" is altruistic bullshite, borderline socialist propaganda. On the one hand you have evil Mr. Potter keeping the townsfolk down, forcing then to pay high rents to live in slum conditions. On the other hand, you have benevolent George Bailey, providing an option for the poor and downtrodden to get out from under the oppressive hand of big business, er, I mean Mr. Potter. And then at the end we get to witness how without George Bailey sacrificing his own life for the betterment of others, the town becomes a cesspool of bars and girly joints and all the townspeople are miserable.
I agree with you on the Potter portrayal. Although isn't Potter portrayed as outright dishonest at one point? Doesn't he discover something hidden in a newspaper that was left behind that he shouldn't have known about? I can't remember exactly.
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