Film - 'It's a wonderful life' unAmerican?

[taxman]

It's no wonder the US mortgage market went tits up with people like him selling sub-prime mortgages to all and sundry without any thought as to how they would repay the loans.

 

Schmaltz layered on with a thick trowel. By the end I feel like machine gunning the whole lot of them.

[blake]

 

IAWL was no ground breaker in that film maker's message about capitalism and it's darker side.

 

 

of course it wasn't and in fact was rather late. IAWL was Frank Capra's last great film. He never made another one anything up to that standard again not because there was any 'conspiracy' against him but because he was getting older and losing his touch. As you know the USA suffered from the 1930s depression far much more than any other country in the world, and to a much greater extent than Britain, which was quite mildly affected by comparison. Many of the films released in the USA during these years reflected these times and had leftist sentiments, Frank Capra's films were not anything unusual. Think Grapes of Wrath. The Plow That Broke the Plains. The River. And those are just a few. All made before the USA got involved in WW2 and allied with the Soviet Union.

 

in the 1930s, plenty of Americans didn't like these kind of films and thought they were not much better than Communist propaganda. But so what. They were made anyway (when they would not have got past the drawing board in the Soviet Union), and seen, by millions of people, who were influenced by them regardless. This kind of thing shows that The USA is not a totalitarian dictatorship or anything close to it and never has been.

[Harleyman]

of course it wasn't and in fact was rather late. IAWL was Frank Capra's last great film. He never made another one anything up to that standard again not because there was any 'conspiracy' against him but because he was getting older and losing his touch. As you know the USA suffered from the 1930s depression far much more than any other country in the world, and to a much greater extent than Britain, which was quite mildly affected by comparison. Many of the films released in the USA during these years reflected these times and had leftist sentiments, Frank Capra's films were not anything unusual. Think Grapes of Wrath. The Plow That Broke the Plains. The River. And those are just a few. All made before the USA got involved in WW2 and allied with the Soviet Union.

 

in the 1930s, plenty of Americans didn't like these kind of films and thought they were not much better than Communist propaganda. But so what. They were made anyway (when they would not have got past the drawing board in the Soviet Union), and seen, by millions of people, who were influenced by them regardless. This kind of thing shows that The USA is not a totalitarian dictatorship or anything close to it and never has been.

 

A lot of Americans liked, even loved Charlie Chaplin's movies and the theme always ran to the little under dog taking on the big fat cat with the inevitable fair maiden being rescued in the process. Chaplin was probably at one time the most popular comic movie star of his generation in America and his politics without a doubt were very left wing which everyone knew Unfortunately, unlike the great percentage of movie stars and producers who knew better he managed to antagonize J. Edgar Hoover.

 

The alliance with the Soviet Union was strictly an alliance of convenience especially from Churchill's point of view. Stalin never trusted the Americans or the British, certain almost that they would make a peace deal with Hitler behind his back but Stalin was chronically paranoid about most things.

His massive purge of Red Army officers prior to the war was a disaster for the army when it initially took on the German army. Luckily for Stalin he found Zhukov and Konev and it was Zhukov, arguably the greatest general on the allied side who managed to turn almost certain defeat into victory

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2013 at 06:53 ----------

 

Oh was it?

Well I must have seen it two or three times now, but its still one of those inspiring heart-warming films i would enjoy seeing again.

 

I've never seen It's a wonderful life. I always go for Scrooge at Xmas especially the one where Alastair Simm played Scrooge.

 

Miracle on 34th Street is a heart warming story also if you've ever seen it

[Anna B]

A lot of Americans liked, even loved Charlie Chaplin's movies and the theme always ran to the little under dog taking on the big fat cat with the inevitable fair maiden being rescued in the process. Chaplin was probably at one time the most popular comic movie star of his generation in America and his politics without a doubt were very left wing which everyone knew Unfortunately, unlike the great percentage of movie stars and producers who knew better he managed to antagonize J. Edgar Hoover.

 

The alliance with the Soviet Union was strictly an alliance of convenience especially from Churchill's point of view. Stalin never trusted the Americans or the British, certain almost that they would make a peace deal with Hitler behind his back but Stalin was chronically paranoid about most things.

His massive purge of Red Army officers prior to the war was a disaster for the army when it initially took on the German army. Luckily for Stalin he found Zhukov and Konev and it was Zhukov, arguably the greatest general on the allied side who managed to turn almost certain defeat into victory

 

----it

 

I'm surprised there's never been a film made (or has there?) about McCarthyism and that whole anti-americanism issue that invaded Hollywood in the 50's. It finished off quite a few careers.

 

I think it's a fascinating time in American history and as you say, you had to be there at the time to appreciate what happened, so a film would be interesting.

 

AS for 'It's a Wonderful Life' I can't believe you haven't watched one of the greatest Christmas Films to come out of Hollywood...ever...!

[janie48]

 

I've never seen It's a wonderful life. I always go for Scrooge at Xmas especially the one where Alastair Simm played Scrooge.

 

Miracle on 34th Street is a heart warming story also if you've ever seen it

I've seen the other two, they were good, especially Scrooge.

 

You've missed a treat if you haven't seen Its a Wonderful Life. Apart from its messages of family and social values in the midst of crisis, the acting performances are great, not only from James Stewart who plays the lead, but also from the less famous character actors.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

Yes, It's a Wonderful Life is excellent.

Odd how reminiscent the Northern Rock withdrawals queueing scenes were...

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2013 at 20:21 ----------

 

I'm surprised there's never been a film made (or has there?) about McCarthyism and that whole anti-americanism issue that invaded Hollywood in the 50's. It finished off quite a few careers.

 

I think it's a fascinating time in American history and as you say, you had to be there at the time to appreciate what happened, so a film would be interesting.

Yes, there was. See Woody Allen's 1976 film "The Front" http://www.ask.com/wiki/The_Front

[Sierra]

I think you Yanks have got cultural paranoia perfected better than anyone else has. I love the Duck And Cover films where citizens are advised to cover their heads with a wet towel or similar in order to survive a nuclear attack.

 

How is disaster preparation cultural paranoia? These were public service announcements in their time, as well as drills practiced by schoolchildren. Growing up in California, we practiced earthquake drills along with fire drills.

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2013 at 21:44 ----------

 

I've seen the other two, they were good, especially Scrooge.

 

You've missed a treat if you haven't seen Its a Wonderful Life. Apart from its messages of family and social values in the midst of crisis, the acting performances are great, not only from James Stewart who plays the lead, but also from the less famous character actors.

 

If you like it, then keep watching it.

 

Personally, I like

with Bill Murray. He thinks the reason his secretary (Alfre Woodard) has been wearing all black for a year is because of a "fashion thing."

[Harleyman]

How is disaster preparation cultural paranoia? These were public service announcements in their time, as well as drills practiced by schoolchildren. Growing up in California, we practiced earthquake drills along with fire drills.

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2013 at 21:44 ----------

 

 

If you like it, then keep watching it.

 

Personally, I like

with Bill Murray. He thinks the reason his secretary (Alfre Woodard) has been wearing all black for a year is because of a "fashion thing."

 

I doubt LeMaquis ever heard of fall out shelters which does not surprise me.

People could buy them and have them installed in their back yards I heard.

 

The duck and cover may have reassured the kids but a nuclear blast incinerates everything in it's path including buildings.

 

Still, in my school days in Britain during those dangerous times we didnt practice anything for a nuclear attack even though the British Isles would have been subject to a Soviet nuclear strike if war had broken out.

 

I guess it could be said that the British goverenment philosphy was "Why bother with drills? They'll never know what hit em anyway"

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2013 at 21:08 ----------

 

I've seen the other two, they were good, especially Scrooge.

 

You've missed a treat if you haven't seen Its a Wonderful Life. Apart from its messages of family and social values in the midst of crisis, the acting performances are great, not only from James Stewart who plays the lead, but also from the less famous character actors.

 

I'll make a point of seeing it next xmas for sure

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2013 at 21:13 ----------

 

I'm surprised there's never been a film made (or has there?) about McCarthyism and that whole anti-americanism issue that invaded Hollywood in the 50's. It finished off quite a few careers.

 

I think it's a fascinating time in American history and as you say, you had to be there at the time to appreciate what happened, so a film would be interesting.

 

AS for 'It's a Wonderful Life' I can't believe you haven't watched one of the greatest Christmas Films to come out of Hollywood...ever...!

 

There was a movie made around the late 80s called "the House on Carroll Street" which kind of dealt with that era. I dont remember who starred in it but it's sometimes shown on our cable movie channels

[Sierra]

I doubt LeMaquis ever heard of fall out shelters which does not surprise me.

People could buy them and have them installed in their back yards I heard.

 

The duck and cover may have reassured the kids but a nuclear blast incinerates everything in it's path including buildings.

 

Still, in my school days in Britain during those dangerous times we didnt practice anything for a nuclear attack even though the British Isles would have been subject to a Soviet nuclear strike if war had broken out.

 

I guess it could be said that the British goverenment philosphy was "Why bother with drills? They'll never know what hit em anyway"

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2013 at 21:08 ----------

 

I read somewhere duck and cover had something to do with the initial "flash" of the bombs at the time, and keeping people away from windows and flying glass. The normal instinct for most people would be to run to the window and see what caused the bright light.

 

If there were zero disaster preparedness, he would be sneering about the thick yanks and their lack of foresight.

[janie48]

 

If you like it, then keep watching it.

I haven't seen it for a few years, but all this talk of it hasn't only reminded me of how well I remember it, its made me want to see it again.

Some films always leave a lasting impression.