IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE [1946 / 2016] [Platinum Anniversary Edition] [Blu-ray] [UK Release] It’s One of Those Ageless Movies . . . That Improves With Age! Frank Capra's Inspirational Christmas Classic Despite Its Dark Undertones!
Voted the #1 Most Inspiring of All Time by the AFI’s 100 Years . . . 100 Cheers, ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ has had just that. Frank Capra’s heart-warming masterpiece continues to endure, and 71 years this beloved classic film still remains as powerful and moving as the day it was made. BONUS: This Blu-ray contains both the Colourized Version of the Film and the Original Black-and-White Version of the Film.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1946 New York Film Critics Circle Awards: 3rd place Award: Best Director for Frank Capra. 1947 Academy Awards®: Nominated: Best Picture. Nominated: Best Actor in a Leading Role for James Stewart. Nominated: Best Director for Frank Capra. Nominated: Best Sound Recording for John Aalberg (RKO Radio SSD). Nominated: Best Film Editing for William Hornbeck. 1947 Golden Globes®: Win: Best Director for Frank Capra.
FILM FACT No.2: The Academy Award win in the Technical Achievement category was for developing a new method of creating artificial snow. Russell Sherman developed a new compound, mixing foamite [a material used in fire extinguishers] with sugar, water, and even soap flakes, a spray able version of artificial snow was created that could be quickly blasted over set pieces. Frank Capra revealed that the film was his personal favourite among those he directed, adding that he screened it for his family every Christmas season. In 1990, another made-for-television film called ‘Clarence’ starred Robert Carradine in a new tale of the helpful angel. A purported sequel was in development for a 2015 release, and was to be called ‘It's a Wonderful Life: The Rest of the Story.’ It was to be written by Bob Farnsworth and Martha Bolton and follow the angel of George Bailey's daughter Zuzu (played once again by Karolyn Grimes), as she teaches Bailey's evil grandson how different the world would have been if he had never been born. Producers were considering directors and hoped to shoot the film with a $25–$35 million budget in Louisiana early in 2014. The film had been announced as being produced by Star Partners and Hummingbird Productions, neither of which are affiliated with Paramount Pictures, owners of the original film (Bob Farnsworth claimed that ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ was in the public domain). Later, a Paramount Pictures spokesperson claimed that they were not granting permission to make the film, "To date, these individuals have not obtained any of the necessary rights, and we would take all appropriate steps to protect those rights", the spokesperson said. No further developmental plans have since arisen.
Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Beulah Bondi, Frank Faylen, Ward Bond, Gloria Grahame, H.B. Warner, Todd Karns, Samuel S. Hinds, Mary Treen, Frank Albertson, Virginia Patton, Charles Williams, Sarah Edwards, William Edmunds, Lillian Randolph, Argentina Brunetti, Robert J. Anderson, Ronnie Ralph, Jean Gale, Jeanine Ann Roose, Danny Mummert, Georgie Nokes, Sheldon Leonard, Frank Hagney, Ray Walker, Charles Lane, Edward Keane, Carol Coombs, Karolyn Grimes, Larry Simms, Jimmy Hawkins, Jean Acker (uncredited), Ernie Adams (uncredited), Stanley Andrews (uncredited), Sam Ash (uncredited), Jack Bailey (uncredited), Brooks Benedict (uncredited), Al Bridge (uncredited), Marian Carr (uncredited), Adriana Caselotti (uncredited), Michael Chapin (uncredited), Jack Cheatham (uncredited), Harry Cheshire (uncredited), Edward Clark (uncredited), Tom Coleman (uncredited), Ellen Corby (uncredited), Jimmy the Crow (uncredited), Lew Davis (uncredited), Helen Dickson (uncredited), Tom Fadden (uncredited), Frank Fenton (uncredited), Eddie Fetherston (uncredited), Sam Flint (uncredited), Dick Gordon (uncredited), Herbert Heywood (uncredited), Art Howard (uncredited), Bert Howard (uncredited), Arthur Stuart Hull (uncredited), John Indrisano (uncredited), Eddie Kane (uncredited), Milton Kibbee (uncredited), Mike Lally (uncredited), Meade 'Lux' Lewis (uncredited), J. Farrell MacDonald (uncredited), Wilbur Mack (uncredited), Philip Morris (uncredited), Frank O'Connor (uncredited), Moroni Olsen (uncredited), Franklin Parker Almira Sessions (uncredited), Brick Sullivan (uncredited), Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer (uncredited), Max Wagner (uncredited), Larry Wheat (uncredited) and Charles C. Wilson (uncredited)
Director: Frank Capra
Producer: Frank Capra
Screenplay: Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, Frank Capra, Jo Swerling (additional scenes), Michael Wilson (contributor to screenplay) (uncredited) and Philip Van Doren Stern (The Greatest Gift novel)
Composer: Dimitri Tiomkin (musical score)
Cinematography: Joseph Francis Biroc, A.S.C. (Director of Photography), Joseph Walker, A.S.C. (Director of Photography) and Victor Milner, A.S.C. (Director of Photography) (uncredited)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Black-and-White and Colour)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English SDH
Running Time: 131 minutes [B/W] and 130 minutes [Colour]
Region: Region B/2
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Liberty Films / Universal Pictures
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: On 21st December, 1946, Frank Capra and James Stewart held the world premiere for IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE in New York at the Globe Theater. The film, is now a true festive holiday classic and a television staple event every year, and was nominated for five Oscars at the 19th Academy Awards® ceremony.
‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ is a wonderful title for a motion picture about which practically everyone who sees it will agree that it is a truly wonderful entertainment. The film marks Frank Capra's first production since his return from distinguished war service, and he has invested it with the tremendous heart that always stamps his offerings as above average. This couldn't be other than a Frank Capra picture, the humanness of its story the dominant factor at every turn of situation. Frank Capra’s direction of the individual characterizations delivered is also distinctively his, and the performances, from the starring roles of James Stewart and Donna Reed down to the smallest bit, are magnificent. When Frank Capra is at his best, no one can top him.
The story opens imaginatively upon Heavenly constellations that are twinkling and conversing. They are talking about a fellow down on earth that requires some guidance. To provide him the help he needs, a neophyte angel, still in the process of earning his wings, is dispatched to take over the case of George Bailey. But before he starts he has to know considerable about George Bailey's early life.
When he was merely a youth, George Bailey jumped into a freezing lake to save his brother from drowning. This act brought partial deafness to George Bailey, a disability that kept him out of the army when World War II came along. Meanwhile, he had married his childhood sweetheart and was raising a little family of his own in a typically American small-town community called Bedford Hills. He had taken over the management of the building and loan association and was bucking a local Scrooge who had jockeyed him into a position where he could be dealt misery. All these troubles came to a head during a Christmas season.
It was then that George Bailey, in a moment of weakness, wished he had never been born. The fellow angel from Heaven, named Clarence, who was assigned to watch out for him, granted that wish. In the fantastic events that follow George Bailey is brought to a realisation of how much his apparently aimless existence has meant to others and he retracts his wish. For showing him the futility of feeling futile, Clarence is rewarded with a beautiful pair of wings. Frank Capra's trick rests in the fulsome manner in which he allows a motion picture audience to share in the glory.
The musical score to accompany this story was written and directed by Dmitri Tiomkin and its value to the narrative is frequently out of this world. You will look far to find a finer score for a dramatic film. The photography by Joseph Walker, the credit for its completion shared by operative cameraman Joseph Biroc, is superior on all counts. So is the small-town atmosphere captured by the art direction and other technical aids are superb. This is indeed a brilliant start for the company that calls itself Liberty Films and is headed by Capra, George Stevens, William Wyler and Samuel J. Briskin.
James Stewart is distinctively and perfect acting as the character of George Bailey, his initial role in Hollywood after five years in the armed forces. James Stewart gives Frank Capra everything that is asked for, and he does it with the real authority of understatement. Donna Reed lends lovable personality to the childhood sweetheart he marries, ever a typical American wife and mother. No one could have bettered Henry Travers in the richly amusing part of the angel Clarence.
Then there is the superb Lionel Barrymore making the town banker even more of a Scrooge than anyone else could have. Thomas Mitchell is a splendid drunken Uncle Billy and Beulah Bondi a glorious mother for George. The kid brother is tellingly played by Todd Karns, of whom more will be heard, and the girl who is his romance is neatly portrayed by Virginia Patton. Performing the girl who has been given a bad name in town, Gloria Grahame will win a lot of personal attention.
Small-town characters are brought to vivid life by Frank Faylen, Ward Bond, H.B. Warner, Frank Albertson, Charles Williams, Mary Treen and Sarah Edwards. A stunning gem is that of a bartender by Sheldon Leonard. The roles of the central characters as children are sharply done by Bobbie Anderson, Ronnie Ralph, Jean Gale and Jeanine Ann Roose. George Bailey's children are respectively Carol Coomes, Karolyn Grimes, Larry Simms and Jimmy Hawkins, and are all excellent.
‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ achieves a fine balancing act between pathos and feel-good that is delivered by an outstanding cast. Even the minor parts are populated by some of the finest character actors and it produces a movie of timeless quality and relevance. ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ isn't just a festive holiday favourite, but a great film by almost any standards. There are a few cynics who will disparage this film, but, in a “feel good” genre clogged with imitators and inferior features, ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ stands high above the rest. Whether you view this film in the middle of the summer or at Christmas, Frank Capra's greatest film represents one of the most transcendent and joyful experiences any movie-lover can hope for. It is truly a “feel good” film, but a word of warning; please have the box of Kleenex tissues handy, as you will experience an emotional rollercoaster of this unique magic of motion picture.
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE MUSIC TRACK LIST
BUFFALO GIRL (Won't You Come Out Tonight) (uncredited) (Written by William Cool White)
ADESTE FIDELIS (O Come All Ye Faithful) (uncredited) (Music attributed to John Reading)
TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR (uncredited) (Traditional Song)
CHARLESTON (1923) (uncredited) (Music by James P. Johnson)
MY WILD IRISH ROSE (1899) (uncredited) (Written by Chauncey Olcott) (Performed by Thomas Mitchell)
AVALON (1920) (uncredited) (Music by Vincent Rose based on "E lucevan le stelle" from the opera "Tosca" by Giacomo Puccini)
WEDDING MARCH (1843) (uncredited) (from "A Midsummer Night's Dream") (Written by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy)
THE STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER (1897) (uncredited) (Written by John Philip Sousa) [Performed by George, Tilly and Eustace]
SONG OF THE ISLANDS (uncredited) (Written by Charles E. King)
I LOVE YOU TRULY (1906) (uncredited) (Written by Carrie Jacobs Bond) [Performed by Ward Bond and Frank Faylen]
THIS IS THE ARMY, MR. JONES (1943) (uncredited) (Written by Irving Berlin)
WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME (1863) (uncredited) (Music by Louis Lambert)
HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING (pub. 1856) (uncredited) (Music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy) (1840) (Hymn by Charles Wesley) (1730) [Performed by Carol Coombs]
VIENI, VIENI (1884) (uncredited) (Music by Vincent Scotto) (Lyrics by Henri Varna and Georges Koger)
KING PORTER STOMP (uncredited) (Written by Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton)
AULD LANG SYNE (1788) (uncredited) (Words by Robert Burns)
O SOLE MIO (uncredited) (Written by Eduardo Di Capua)
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE (Music by Ray Henderson) (Lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown)
Blu-ray Image Quality – Liberty Films and Universal Pictures presents this wonderful Blu-ray disc in a stunning 1080p black-and-white and colour images that reflect a quantum leap beyond the original inferior DVD version and both versions are of the highest quality calibre. The added sharpness and broader contrast in the Black-and-White version really helps when reading fine details on faces and absorbing wide shots and the contrast is just totally perfect, with very good detailing and texture. To top things off, the print is close to near perfect condition, noticeably cleaner than the original inferior DVD presentation, with far less visible dust, dirt and nicks on the print. Simply put, this film has never looked as good as it does here on this Platinum Anniversary Edition Blu-ray disc. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Liberty Films and Universal Pictures has brought out this wonderful Blu-ray disc with a brilliant 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio experience, and is of course a vast improvement over the inferior DVD release. Dialogue is very clear at all times, and thankfully fixes the audio defects that hampered the original inferior DVD version, which caused the sound to occasionally take on a horrible annoying muffled quality. So all in all this is again a very clean audio track, especially with no popping, no scratches, or other age related defects. Again the strong audio fidelity maintains sharp dialogue with a pleasant maturity from its original 71 year old release in the cinema. Brilliant moments to reflect, is of course the wonderful music film score and especially the ambience audio track enhances of the passing of the cars to the front of the soundstage; partially creating the illusion that they are moving past you. The dance hall scene has surprisingly potent low end information and it all sounds quite respectable for a 71 year old film. So well done Liberty Films and Universal Pictures for a professional job all round.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Picture Comparison: Here we get to compare the Colorized images with the Black-and-White images simultaneously to compare which you feel is the best image. To me the Colorization wins hands down and stands out the best for me, as I feel you get a much more impressive and greater depth of field in its presentation, as well being in colour I feel you get a much more image clarity, which is my personal preference. But do not feel I am down grading the Black-and-White images you view, as they are of good contrast in its different shades you get from a Black-and-White image presentation and at least you have the choice of watching the two different presentations and for you to decide which version you prefer to watch. But once again for me personally I prefer to watch the Colorized version and my mind is a much more enjoyable experience and made me so much more sympathetic and empathy to all the characters in the film. But what I thought they would do is just give short clips of the film to compare the different versions, but instead you have to watch the whole film.
Theatrical Trailer [1946] [480i] [1.33:1] [1:43] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ in Black-and-White. What a shame they could not of re-mastered this film trailer.
Special Feature: Trivia Tracks: Here once again you get to view the whole film, but this time I viewed it in Black-and-White. But the difference this time with watching the film, is that at the bottom of the screen you get white subtitles giving you unknown trivia information about the film ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE,’ and here we get the in-depth information on why this film has become such a firm favourite for all age groups who love to view this film and its wonderful philosophy and outlook on life in general and here is what you read: In 2004, the BBC TV listings magazine Radio Times conducted a poll into the “Best Film Never to have Won an Oscar;” ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ came second, ‘THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION’ 1994] was first. Before ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE,’ snow was created using painted cornflakes, unfortunately, the flakes would make so much noise, that any dialogue would have to be dubbed in later in postproduction, but frank Capra wanted to record the sounds live, so a new snow effect was created, using foamite, a chemical used to fight fires, soap and water. The mixture was then pumped through a wind machine to create falling snow. Over 6,000 gallons were used during the production and the effects department at RKO was awarded a special award by the Motion Picture Academy. In 2007, the American Film Institute ranks this film as the number 20 greatest movie of all time. Despite being set around Christmas, it was filmed during a heat wave, and it got to be so hot that frank Capra gave everyone a day off to rest, especially wearing heavy winter clothes. It was the one of the longest sets that had ever been made for an American movie. The RKO Pictures Encino Ranch and consisted of 89 acres and ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ [1939] and dozens of other classic films used the facility. It includes 75 shops and buildings, Main Street, factory district and a large residential and slum area. The main Street was 300 yards long. In 1947, an FBI analyst submitted, without comment, an addition to a running memo, on “Communist infiltration of the Motion Picture Industry,” in recording the opinion of an industry source who said that the film’s “obvious” attempt to discredit bankers “is a common trick used by the Communists.” The film has two lines of “secret dialogue,” spoken quietly through the door. They can be heard when amplifying the volume, and are also explicitly depicted in the closed-captioning. The lines occur at the end of the scene set in Bailey’s office with Bailey and his son George, and Potter and his good present. After George raves at Potter that, “You can’t say that about my father,” George is shown out of the room by his father, then George is shown standing outside the office door. At that moment, George overhears the following two lines of dialogue through the pane of glass door behind him. Potter: “What’s the answer?” Bailey: “Potter, you just humiliated me in front of my son.” This was James Stewart’s first film after finishing his service in World War II. Initially he rejected the part feeling it was too soon after coming home to return to work, but was convinced to take the role by Lionel Barrymore. For the scene that required Donna Reed to throw a big stone into the window of the Granville House, Frank Capra hired a marksman to shoot it out the window on her cue. But Donna Reed actually broke the window with the stone first time, and did not require the assistant of the hired marksman! A rumour that had been doing the rounds is that the Pink Floyd Album “Wish You Were here” can be played alongside the film with key events in the movie tying in with the song lyrics. In the film, as Uncle Billy is leaving George’s house drunk, it sounds as if he stumbles over some rubbish bins on the pavement, in fact a crew member dropped some equipment at the same time as Uncle Billy left the screen, while carrying on with the scene by saying, “I’m all right, I’m all right!” And frank Capra decided to use it in the final cut and he gave a clumsy stagehand a $10 bonus for “improving the sound.” This film is one of several films for the actress Beulah Bondi portrayed James Stewart’s mother, and the other films were ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ [1939], ‘Of Human Hearts’ [1938] and ‘Vicious Lady’ [1938], and once in his television series ‘The Jimmy Stewart Show’ [1971]. Frank Capra strove to make scenes as real as he could for the actors, thus the first kiss between Stewart and Reed was shot at the same time, as the other end of the phone conversation with Sam Wainwright [Frank Albertson] on a different set in Wainwright’s New York office at RKO’s Pathé Studio. James Stewart was nervous about the phone scene kiss because it was his first screen kiss since his return to Hollywood after the war. Stewart filmed the scene in only one unrehearsed take, and it worked so well, that part of the embrace was cut, because it was too passionate to be approved by the censors. James Stewart cited George bailey as being his favourite character and when Frank Capra inherited the project, he wrote it for James Stewart. The name Bedford Falls was combined from Bedford Hills in Westchester County, New York, and Seneca Falls, a small town midway between Rochester and Syracuse. The town of Elmira mentioned by the bank examiner, is a real town in New York. While filming the scene where George prays in the bar, James Stewart has said that he was overcome, that he began to sob during filming of the scene. Later, Frank Capra reframed the shot so it looked like a much closer shot that was actually filmed, because he wanted to catch that expression on Stewart’s face. The scene on the bridge where Clarence saves George was filmed on a back lot on a day where the temperature was 90 degrees Fahrenheit and if you look closely, you can see that James Stewart is perspiring profusely in a few scenes. When Officer Bert shoots at George, the “S,” “V” and “I” in the electric “Pottersville” sign far away in the distance, go out. ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ is ranked as the Number One Most Powerful Movie of All Time by the American Film Institute in 2006. ‘The Bells of St. Mary’ [1945] film is showing at the cinema as George runs down the street in Bedford Falls, well Henry travers who place Clarence the angel, starred in that film as Horace P. Bogardus. According to an interview with Karolyn Grimes, the actress who plays Zuzu [The Bailey Child], well the name comes from Zu Zu Ginger Snaps [1901] that George makes reference to this near the end of the film, where he says to Zuzu, “Zuzu, my little ginger snaps!” ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ originally ended with “Ode to Joy,” not “Auld Lang Syne.” The song “Auld Lang Syne” is sung at the end of the movie when the townspeople have come to Jimmy Stewart’s rescue, the same song is sung towards the beginning of the film ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ [1939] at the banquet honouring Jimmy Stewart’s appointment to the Senate. ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ was voted the Number One inspirational film of all time, in the AFI’s “100 Years . . . 100 Cheers” on the 14th June, 2006.
Finally, I am really glad that I took the opportunity to sit down and finally watch ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ in its entirety without any interruption and I was able to finally see what I had been missing with this film, as I had only previously caught bits and pieces when it was broadcast on television during the Christmas festivities, so I had never really payed much attention to it until now. This Platinum Anniversary Edition release is absolutely beautiful. Being an upgraded remastered version of the film, you can definitely tell that they have put the necessary work into this Blu-ray release to allow you to feel you are watching the most original feel to the 1946 film. Both the visual and audible experiences allowed for an appreciative experience that I can now truly appreciate and enjoy this film and every beautiful aspect of the whole magical film experience. The Platinum Anniversary Edition of this film really is one that should be in your Blu-ray collection as it includes both black-and-white and colourized versions of the film and it is the only way to get both versions in a single release. The inspirational, thoroughly festive ending is guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes, so have those Kleenex tissues at hand, as you will need them. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
