Directed and Produced by: Frank Capra
Based on: The Greatest Gift & A Christmas Carol
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed
Stories which capture life are always inspiring, and bittersweet. They make us look forward to the hurdles of life. This film is such an uplifting film. It felt like the PIXAR's films have all gotten the spirit from this film. The way they torture the character. The way the film talks about order in life, and about the everyday common man. The film opens at heaven where one of the stars, Clarence, is assigned the duty to show a man George Bailey - how grave mistake he'd commit if he gave up on his life. To know that, the star shows Clarence and us - the entire life of George Bailey in fragments. The film that reminds me of Citizen Kane, and quite a few films of the classic Hollywood. How easier it was to tell stories of entire lives of fictional characters - now the budgets go sky rocketing with VFX and makeup. Forrest Gump. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I think the last film that did it decently in India was Vaaranam Aayiram - where they tell the story of an entire life of a fictional character.
The film uses butterfly effect - in a beautiful way to show how we intentionally and unintentionally end up doing a lot in our lives. Of course, they didn't focus on the bad that the character could've done. It's actually quite rare that my experience of a classic Hollywood film is as engrossing and immersive as I'm watching a modern day film. The film uses freeze frames, voice over, some interesting non-linear narrative - and I'm sure all of this would've been an unusual thing for the times the film was made in. This film tells me that even a film about family, order and the normalcy of life - could be fun and interesting. Even for a film geek like me, who is into the likes of Scorsese and the anarchy he roots for.
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