Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Not all movies age well, but It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) has become a favorite in my world! The film’s message has stood the test of time and maybe just maybe has Americans and people in the world yearning for what once was, a simpler and wonderful life. It wasn’t until NBC bought the rights to the film in the 1970s that it became part of the Christmas tradition in many homes in America and the world.
At the box office it It’s a Wonderful Life lost big, but now in its 76th year it is considered not only a great Christmas movie but simply a GREAT movie! Through the 1980s and 1990s, I had probably seen five-minute sections of the movie 10 times, typically George running down a snowy street at the end screaming Merry Christmas to everyone, but never once watched it all the way through.
Jimmy Stewart (George Bailey) says the reason it has such a hold on the Christmas tradition in America is Christmas is a time when people think about family, the importance of God, and the importance of community spirit. In the movie, George Bailey always planned to leave the small town he grew up in and go travel the world and then go to college, but he ends up marrying his childhood sweetheart and running his dad’s building and loan.
George’s mental health is tested when $8,000 is misplaced from the Bailey Bros. Building and Loan. George decides to take his life by jumping from a bridge into the river, which was a risk in 1946, because it is the first time that suicide was confronted in a film. But an Angelic visitor Clarence shows up and shows George his value in life. This Christmas Eve after a day of family, eating, and opening gifts take some time to evaluate your life while watching this timeless film. Some things to think about:
- Count Your Blessings, Be Thankful!
- The Grass is not always Greener…
- It’s Never too Late to remediate!
Watch it on NBC December 24th at 8 p.m. E.T., or stream it anytime on Amazon Prime or Google Play.
And Ohio State plays New Year’s Eve in the Peach Bowl!
