Wonderful? Sorry, George, It’s a Pitiful, Dreadful Life.

[MattSh]

Let me say that I'm NOT out to ruin anyone's Christmas spirit. Although I do like this film, it's has always bothered me a bit. When you give up all your hopes and dreams and live the life others expect, I guess someone HAS to come along and convince you that it's really been wonderful.

I guess that even reminded me about MY life. Until I ditched it all a few years ago, moved to Europe, and got married.

Lots of people love this movie of course. But I’m convinced it’s for the wrong reasons. Because to me “It’s a Wonderful Life” is anything but a cheery holiday tale. Sitting in that dark public high school classroom, I shuddered as the projector whirred and George Bailey’s life unspooled.

Was this what adulthood promised?

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is a terrifying, asphyxiating story about growing up and relinquishing your dreams, of seeing your father driven to the grave before his time, of living among bitter, small-minded people. It is a story of being trapped, of compromising, of watching others move ahead and away, of becoming so filled with rage that you verbally abuse your children, their teacher and your oppressively perfect wife. It is also a nightmare account of an endless home renovation.

and...

Disappointments pile up. George can’t go to college because of his obligation to run the Bailey Building and Loan, and instead sends Harry. But Harry returns a slick, self-obsessed jerk, cannily getting out of his responsibility to help with the family business, by marrying a woman whose dad gives him a job. George again treats Mary cruelly, this time by chewing her out and bringing her to tears before kissing her. It is hard to understand precisely what she sees in him.

NY Times

Merry (Early) Christmas everyone.

[tomreedtoon]

1. I've heard this bit before and it needs re-examination.

It used to be traditional on Salon to run a piece by Gary Kamiya, called "All Hail Pottersville!"

http://archive.salon.com/ent/feature/2001/12/22/pottersville/index.html

It's cynical and snarky. And it's pretty incomplete. Let me count the ways:

1) First of all, remember Frank Capra was an immigrant. In this era, many immigrants came here because they had a real belief in the country - sometimes too blind a belief. That's way too much for modern cynics, especially boomers who are alienated from government. (That disdain for government and American traditionalism is shared by hippie dropouts and George W. Bush alike.)

2) Pottersville is basically a whorehouse. Capra didn't make it clear that all these "entertainments" were pretty exploitative - while there's plenty of noise, nobody seems to be having any genuine fun. And guess who's the only one making money in a whorehouse? The owner, undoubtedly Mr. Potter (who is not seen in Capra's eight minute excursion into the film noir territory of Dark City). Guess who's owned the whorehouses of America, and for whom the last eight years has been Pottersville Heaven?

3) The central factor about George Bailey is that he cares about other people enough to sacrifice his own welfare for others. My therepist calls that "codependency" and "lack of self-esteem," and in that sense George is in trouble. But the logical reverse, which seems to be true of Kamiya and possibly the OP himself, is self-centeredness. You know, the qualities promoted by Bush, Hummer, Limbaugh, O'Reilly and all the people WE ARE SUPPOSEDLY AGAINST.

4) I know a lot of you are sick of Christmas. And Christianity. And while I can't blame you, especially if you've been personally burned by it, I never associated Christ's beliefs with any specific church or faith, and I'd rather support them in my own way, privately, outside of organized religion. Striking back at IAWL and a lot of other Christmas events may be pretty popular in this cynical age, but it is also kind of petty.

I know we probably need a new Christmas mythology that reaches out to more people and that can embrace even non-Christians with its spirit. No, I know what you're thinking, but Mister Hankey the Christmas Poo isn't quite it...but it's a good starting place.