5 out of 5

Director: Frank Capra

If ya have no ability to sit down with your old-fashioned movie-watchin’ sensibilities in tow, you might end up thinking It’s a Wonderful Life is the sap fest you always thought it was. But… eh… miracle of miracles, the movie manages to knock even a modern day cynicism aside with a surprisingly relatable main character and – though our 11th hour turnaround happens kinda quickly – a story that doesn’t take shortcuts. Before watching, I thought this was a Christmas Carol. You know, the three ghosts? And it kind of is. But as the summary here suggests, director Capra and his writers found a backwards way into the concept, giving a good man a reason to live as opposed to a bad man learning the evil of his ways. George (Stewart) has big dreams… but bad timing and a sense of duty to his hometown and father’s business always seem to keep those dreams one step away. When more misfortune suddenly makes it seem like the world would be better without his meddling, George makes the decision to end it… until an angel intervenes to show him how much good he’s done just by existing. So that’s a feel good film, and my synopsis and opinion are pointless at this point. But if you’re watching it new or watching it again, you might be surprised, as I was, at the patience and honesty in setting up the story. It’s a bit cheesy at points, of course, and the sudden realization that life is good comes a little too easily, but timeless is timeless, and it helps that Capra has a classic sense of framing and timing. Unique and fun, still, after 50 years makes this an easy 5 stars.