Saturday, December 15, 2012


If there was ever proof needed that initial box office receipts and critical response are not equal to a movie becoming a timeless classic, you just have to look to It's a Wonderful Life. The Frank Capra film starring Jimmy Stewart was released to sub-par critical writings and was a box-office flop in 1946, and it is now the undisputed Christmas tale cinematic classic.

I'm also fascinated by the story because although now considered a family friendly Christmas tradition, people seem to forget that it actually has quite a few moments of distressing darkness, including that lil' part where Jimmy Stewart almost gives up on everything and leaves behind his wife and children to suicide (!). It seems that if handled by a different director or if given a slightly more Twilight Zone re-write at one point, it almost could have been a much different story (very similar to my thoughts on another personal favourite, Groundhog Day)

Catch the holiday favourite at the Mayfair today (Dec 15) at 6pm or tomorrow (Dec 16) at 5:30pm, and just maybe an angel will get his wings.

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