It`s a Wonderful Life -- For Those Not Paying Attention.
I still think that the role of George is pretty close to the best thing Stewart`s ever done. He has been in arguably better movies, especially Rear Window and Vertigo, but James Stewart has never revealed so much as he does here, and, indeed, in another great irony surrounding this film, it was this performance which convinced the Hollywood brass that he was able to play the roles he played for Hitchcock and others. Stewart plays George exactly as he ought to be portrayed, as a man torn between his need to escape and his duty to help others, and we see him literally fighting these two conflicting feelings on screen. He hems and haws, throws his arms up in frustration many times, and is generally nervous and twitchy throughout.
The very best scene which illustrates George`s conflict is when Potter attempts to hire George to work for him, as a last-ditch attempt to finally get rid of the Bailey`s humanistic influence. Potter brilliantly preys on George`s real feelings about himself and the Building and Loan, and for one fleeting second George seems quite prepared to throw the family principles away for a wicked raise in salary. (I must say that I`m most amused at Barrymore`s behaviour at this point in the film!)
As well, his crisis of faith on what ought to be one of the happiest days of the year is genuinely believable. He turns from the innocent young man to an almost crazy, bitter individual. His eyes are haunted and fiery, and he crumbles before our very eyes. This display seems rather graphic compared to other 1940`s films, although it is far more commonplace now.
The only thing that seems to make him happy is Mary (Donna Reed), and certainly, who would not be happy if they were coming home to a sexy Donna Reed?? Certainly, the two have a great chemistry together, and is pretty steamy for a 1946 film, I suppose, but, even when she accedently loses her bathrobe and has to hide in the bushes, everything feels very good and innocent, which is how we should feel about all romantic situations, really.
I must admit that this film is a flawed masterpiece at best. This is not a bad thing; nothing is perfect, and sometimes one stumbles during the search for genius. Unfortanately, that stumbling block occurs in the very first minutes of the film, when those damned
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