‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and Wartime America
I watched Frank Capra’s 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life every Christmas growing up. I remember the characters, the plot, and the warm feeling it leaves you with at the end as the music fades out, but it wasn’t until I got older that I realized why it always stuck the landing.
Initially released on December 20th 1946 (78 years ago as of 2024), the majority of the film takes place during the same time period it was made, leading it to be an excellent primary source when trying to understand what this decade was like for American society. Wartime brings out a sense of unity in people, and with this film having been released right after the end of WW2, it was the kind of movie people needed. It was also the kind of movie that studios wanted people to need, as its themes of family, small town living, and hope, were things that studios wanted Americans to believe in.
The film acts as a time capsule, allowing audiences of today to take a look at what American society looked like at the time. With the film having come out more than 70 years ago, it’s easy to see the differences between the world generated in the story, and the one of today. While the circumstances have changed, and there are new issues afoot, I believe we can all take something away from this film, no matter the time period in which one watches it.
The story illustrates 1940s American societal values, not with a character that believes in them, but with one that firmly detests them.
George Bailey has dreamed of traveling the world his entire life, but his plans to leave are constantly interrupted by external forces. This causes him to stand on the side lines and watch as his friends go off into the world, while George remains forever stuck in his hometown of Bedford Falls. His dreams of travel are suppressed more and more by his day to day responsibilities, and his inability to venture off into new places takes a gradual toll on his state of mind.
George plays an extremely important role in the survival of the town, being in charge of his father’s financial business that countless residences depend on, and always being of help to his neighbors and family. He becomes the backbone of Bedford Falls, running the family business as his brother fights in WW2, and as his friends get rich in NYC, watching on helplessly as nearly everyone in his life seemingly surpasses him.
Following his father’s sudden death, George is forced to remain in Bedford Falls, unable to leave knowing his absence would mean the end of his father’s Building and Loan, and financial ruin for countless families who would fall victim to Mr. Potter, the richest man in town — a man who reels people into lifelong debt, forcing them to live in slums, while he collects all the money. Even after George’s commitment to the business is solidified, he still plans to leave one day and travel the world, but when he marries, buys a home, and has kids, this dream becomes more of a whisper.
George represents the average person who lives according to the expected social behavior of the 1940’s, but who also finds little joy in his life. On Christmas Eve, as George stands at a bridge, planning to commit suicide, he wishes not only that he was dead, but that he had never born. This wish is granted, and he experiences the rest of the night in an alternate Bedford Falls, one that exists as though George had never been there to influence it. He is not recognized by any of his family or friends, and is shocked to see what the town has turned into due to his never being there to support it.
The guardian angel who granted George’s wish, and accompanies him throughout this alternate universe, says to George, “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”
All of the people he helped, saved the lives of, provided homes for, protected, are dramatically impacted by his never being born, and as the night transpires, he realizes the effect that his life had had on this small corner of the world.
After experiencing this nightmare, he goes back to the bridge and wishes for the exact opposite than he had earlier in the night, now pleading to live again. When he is quickly recognized by a friend who is driving over the bridge, he realizes that his wish has been granted, and he runs through a now restored Bedford Falls, screaming “Merry Christmas!” to all the buildings and people on the street, a scene that is considered one of the most iconic of all time.
The message this gives to audiences relates directly to 1940s American society, pushing the ideals of doing good, and being involved with your specific corner of the world, and the impact that can have on building a strong country. It is a movie about a man who puts his dreams on hold, again and again, for the betterment of his community. A film viewed through the prism of its origins, in a nation that had just been through a very tough time, projecting the not-so-subtle theme that we are only as good as our ability to connect with those around us.
Not only does It’s a Wonderful Life exemplify the 1940s belief in family, and living a quiet life, but it also showcases the pitfalls of greed, as well as the financial cages countless lived in during this time. The character of Mr. Potter represents greed, banks, and complete money grubbing. Owning everything in Bedford Falls except George Bailey’s family Building and Loans business, Potter represents the worst qualities of capitalism that live in the elitist minority of wealthy Americans.
He is the complete opposite of George, as Potter makes his customers live in slum-like conditions, while George goes out of his way to build nice homes for the residents of Bedford Falls, even using money out of his own wallet. The opposition between these two characters speaks to the different tactics of dealing with money at the time.
The idea of hogging resources, and not making sacrifices, was something that the country could not afford in the 1940’s, as Americans took on an all-hands-on-deck approach to societal needs during WW2.
With the memory of the Great Depression still fresh in people’s minds, the bank, ‘the man’, was still an image many people had resentments toward, and this image made Potter look that much more evil to those who viewed this film upon its release, making the urgency to not be like him that much more prevalent.
Money, being a large part of the reason that George had planned to commit suicide, played such an important role in peoples lives in the 1940s, as it does in the film, more than half the conversations in the movie being about money. By presenting Potter as evil, the film projects the message of being anti-greed and promotes sacrifice and community to those who watch it.
Along with money, hope was something countless people lived off of during this time, not knowing what would happen with the war, and the overall status of the country, people clung to the idea of hope, with not much else to go on. The necessity of hope is a huge theme in It’s a Wonderful Life, as it dictates the lives of so many of the characters.
When the war ended, new challenges came afoot, such as PTSD in soldiers, the desire to return to normalcy, and the unexpected costs of the war. Like the soldiers who fought, George tries to make his sacrifice (staying in Bedford Falls) worth something, attempting to make the country a better place. Yet, we get the sense that the characters aren’t sure if they’ll ever find this peace, similarly to those who came home from WW2, unsure of what it was all for, and if their service was really worth it.
It’s a Wonderful Life perfectly displays American hopes and anxieties in 1946, as well as casting an optimistic eye toward the future. Capra’s film connected with audiences, feeding off of people’s desire for hope and prosperity in that troubling decade.
In its final scene, the entire community gathers at George’s home in order to donate funds to his Building and Loans business, which was on the verge of closure due to Potter. George’s brother dramatically bursts into the room wearing his uniform returning home from the war, Mary and George’s kids surround them, a warrant for George’s arrest is dismissed, the Christmas tree is stocked with lights and tinsel, a small bell rings indicating that the angel who helped George has earned his wings, and the film fades out with the entire town singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ in celebration.
Being one of the most upbeat, heartwarming, and frankly too perfect to be true, scenes of any film, it definitely served its purpose of instilling audience members with hope for the future of America.
It’s a Wonderful Life idolizes a time period when people left their doors unlocked, neighbors helped each other out, and making a big difference to your small area was valued. The 1940s, though incredibly tough, was also a decade of families and neighbors working together, a national sense of unity, and little need to go far for that which you require.
While at times the film is overly happy, with unrealistically chipper characters, it nonetheless represents the issues of 1940s America through its characters dealing with the problems of the decade.
