Friday, December 15
"The richest man in town": It's a Wonderful Capitalist Life
"Why does this story take place at Christmastime? Because director Frank Capra understood that Mr. Potter was a great Christmas villain. George Bailey is saved by the financial freedom of others. Christmas villains are always against people getting to spend their own money. Burgermeister Meisterburger of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town hates toys and forbids anyone to sell them. How The Grinch Stole Christmas is self-explanatory.
"And, as we learned in the wake of Columbine, the hero of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a ticking time bomb. What's the only thing that reforms this freak into a useful member of society? The threat of children not getting their hard-earned toys.
"It's A Wonderful Life is all about money. It's all about gifts. And it's all about Sam Wainwright. He's an old industrialist pal of George's who has the money to save both Bedford Falls and George Bailey. The character's barely on the periphery of the plot, but Wainwright is the film's true force for Good."
"And, as we learned in the wake of Columbine, the hero of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a ticking time bomb. What's the only thing that reforms this freak into a useful member of society? The threat of children not getting their hard-earned toys.
"It's A Wonderful Life is all about money. It's all about gifts. And it's all about Sam Wainwright. He's an old industrialist pal of George's who has the money to save both Bedford Falls and George Bailey. The character's barely on the periphery of the plot, but Wainwright is the film's true force for Good."
