Rating: 
Summary: It's a Wonderful DVD!
Review: Perhaps because it's such a wonderfully resonant story as well as an annual Christmas "ritual" in many American homes, "It's a Wonderful Life" has been well received despite the frankly horrible quality of thousands of circulating 16mm film prints and VHS tapes. Once the copyright on the film expired, putting it in the public domain in the early seventies, duplicate prints were being struck from duplicate prints, and new, cheap VHS versions were being produced and sold by multiple distributers for under $5. Despite the "muddy," distorted look and absence of "grey scale," we tolerated the inferior print quality in exchange for the magic of the movie.This DVD version, struck from the original print, makes it possible for the first time to enter Bedford Falls and fully inhabit its sparkling world. It's like seeing the film for the first time all over again. In fact, it may be better. Formerly I thought of the movie as talky and even loud at the expense of visual language, but now I'm able to appreciate Capra's photographic eye as well as the meanings that are purely cinematic. The flip side of the disc contains interviews with Capra and Stewart, behind-the -scenes information on the making of the film, and some history of the film's conception and reception. It's frequently repetitious, but a nice bonus nonetheless.
Rating: 
Summary: WAS IT REALLY?
Review: George Bailey had one dream in life, to get out of the small town of Bedford Falls, see a few new sights, and have a few adventures. His first shot of this was to be his college years. This fell through, he stayed in Bedford Falls and his brother had the college career. Throughout his entire life, every attempt to get away from Bedford Falls, even for a week or two, was thwarted by some business or family responsibility. The poor guy never even got to go on his own honeymoon! Others came and went, but not poor old George Bailey. Finally, on one Christmas Eve, as a result of the chicanery of a nasty old grinch type businessman in town, George's business problems, on top of all of his thwarted ambitions, got so bad and he became so despondent that he was on the verge of suicide. Along came an angel named Clarence who had been a bit of a failure in his own right. He'd never been able to earn his wings and his absolute last chance to earn them was to keep Bailey from committing suicide. In a sort of reverse version of Dickens' tale of Scrooge seeing the ghosts of his past, present, and future, Bailey's angel showed him what miserable lives his (Bailey's) friends and families would have had had there been no George Bailey... Do you really think that the description of a wonderful life is one in which you never even got a trip around the block and the absolute high point is that you didn't commit suicide? Doesn't meet my definition.
Rating:
Summary: Truly great movies are hard to find
Review: It was quite hard nowadays to pick a movie that is truly great simply on it's own merits. Terminator 2, E.T., Star Wars perhaps...not that many, and even these have questionable taste and messages to the viewer. But there is one movie that is beyond question, a truly great film,"It's a Wonderful Life". If you like the original recording on VHS, you'll love the DVD version. A must have for all your friends and family to cherish for all time.
Rating:
Summary: The best and the worst
Review: The best thing about this movie is Stewart's intensity in conveying George Bailey's despair. The moment in the bar when he prays for help ranks with his breakdown in "Vertigo" and his barroom(!) rage in "Winchester 76." The worst thing about this movie, the thing I laughed out loud over without even meaning to the first time I saw it, is Clarence's revelation about Bailey's wife never marrying -- not only is she an "old maid" (that went with the times), but "she's just about to close the library!"
Rating:
Summary: It's About Time!!
Review: The following is an excerpt from my personal Video catalogue. I originally saw the movie in Toronto, Canada soon after it was first released and I never could understand why it wasn't received with much more acclaim (I am 74 years of age).But to quote from my catalogue: "A man who has become terribly despondent because of a financial difficulty inadvertently thrust upon him by his uncle, contemplates suicide but is "saved" by his guardian angel who grant's him his wish of not ever having been born. It took the viewing public more than THIRTY years to appreciate this Frank Capra masterpiece.The name, James Stewart and the character he portrayed, George Bailey became synonymous.The supporting cast, with names like Donna Reed, Thomas Mitchell, Beulah Bondi, H.B.warner, Ward Bond, Frank Faylen,Samuel S. Hinds and the "angel' Henry Travers was superb.A remake was made about 1978 with a female counterpart of George Bailey. Whatever became of it?
Rating:
Summary: Little reminder of whats important
Review: I think many people disregard this movie as an exercise in sentimental sap. I think they do a disservice to themselves as well as the movie to dismiss it as such. Let me ask one question before we go on. Who here has not asked the question, "What if?. If this is the first movie to deal with this question it certainly is the best. George (Jimmy Stewart) is not perfect nor is Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) completely evil. The key difference we get to see George 's life laid out before us and get to see what events it was that shaped him. What we see is a man feeling so alone so desperate he see no other choice before him until he is reminded what really is important. I really do not need to remind any one, just in case we forget the really important things in life are , family friends and love. Maybe this movie should not be watched at Christmas because it gets lumped into the "holiday" movie stereotype. It is a fundamental belief in all of us that we make a difference. Watch it now but watch at other times of the year when we those really important things in life get lost in the shuffle.
Rating:
Summary: This wonderful picture tells a valuable lesson!
Review: "One man's life touches so many others." That's what George Bailey's (Stewart) guardian angel Clarance (Henry Travers) says after George sees what happened when he wished he never existed. If you have seen this movie and don't like it, plese think about some of its memorable scenes. If the final scene doesn't leave you touched,your heart as three times too small.
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Summary: Dickens' Carol, Dante's Inferno, and more.
Review: How ironic that this once-forgotten and neglected film became by 1990 the most taken-for-granted American movie as a result of multiple screenings on virtually every television channel during the Christmas season. Now that it's been removed from public domain and its distribution returned to studio control, perhaps we can begin to appreciate once again what an extraordinary film it actually is. New viewers, especially, have the opportunity to approach the movie not with assumptions about its "excessive sentimentality" but to experience the darkness of George Bailey's suicidal descent, without which the film's ending would not provide such overwhelming relief and celebration of life's "wonderfulness." But prior to this emotional pay-off, we are also first-hand witnesses to much emotional pain. George's "surrender" to Mary, for example, is perhaps the most memorable kiss in all of film because of its violence (he curses and practically strangles her while yielding up his idealistic dreams of personal greatness). And later when it appears he has transplanted his grandiose visions to Bedford Falls, where he is its proudest citizen, we suddenly see what his pride has led him to: a complacent self-satisfaction so great it can lead him to thoughts of self-destruction over the disappearance of a mere $5000. More than Scrooge's stinginess or Dante the Pilgrim's sinfulness, George's story reminds us of our own misplaced piorities and their distorted, potentially fatal, consequences. This is a film that encourages self-examination and affirmation of life like few others. And because of it's archetypal patterns and complex, rich details of production and performance (it's far more than a "talking picture"), the film can never be reduced to a mere "message." It invites numerous viewings, each leading to the discovery of fresh, new meanings. If you see one film a year, make it this one (even if it's not during Christmas).
Rating:
Summary: A True Classic
Review: With remakes, new ideas, and new stars, there is a tendency to try and overshadow the originals which made these classics great in the first place. This movie, (like Miracle on 34th Street) gets greater every year. What would Christmas be without it? I have seen this movie at least 20 times and I am still not tired of it. It is a must for every video library.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Film and Timeless Classic
Review: This film has become a Christmas tradition in my family. We watch it every year and never tire of it. Frank Capra is a master of creating films with a message that reinforce strong values. This is probably his greatest film in that regard. Both he and Stewart have publicly stated that this is their favorite film. The message in this film is one of courage and sacrifice for the greater good as George Bailey, a man with big ideas about seeing the world, continually forsakes his own desires to do what is right for the town. The second message is that each life important. No matter how insignificant we feel we are, we are all inextricably linked to each other and play an important part in the fabric of one another's lives. Capra's direction is brilliant. His genius is bringing human stories to life in a ways that not only make a point, but that totally involve the audience in the lives of the characters. He is always extremely optimistic about the human condition. He is known for testing his characters with overwhelming adversity to make them struggle to triumph in a way that causes the world to change and the character to grow. For this reason his films were always crowd pleasers and this film was the best of all in that regard. Led by Capra's understanding hand, the actors all did a magnificent job. Stewart's wide-eyed enthusiasm and boyish charm, coupled with an unbending strength of character made him the perfect folk hero. Donna Reed was lovely and charming and attained the right balance between being supportive and inspirational. The romantic chemistry between her and Stewart was subtle and charming. Lionel Barrymore was towering as the greedy old skinflint who was trying to take over the town. Thomas Mitchell plays one of my favorite characters, as the bumbling Uncle Billy in probably his most memorable role. This film is number eleven on AFI's list of best films of the century. It was nominated for five academy awards and won none. It was swept in 1947 by "The Best Years of Our Lives", a great film that won seven Oscars that year but in my opinion was the lesser film. History has corrected that minor injustice by rendering "It's a Wonderful Life" an enduring classic that is viewed and loved by generation after generation. Of course, I rated it a 10/10. I can't wait to see it again this Christmas.
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