It’s a Wonderful Life is a classic Christmas film from 1946 that has been showing families how wonderful life can truly be for over 70 years, especially around Christmas time. We follow George Bailey as he attempts to juggle his need for adventure, his father’s business, and having a family, but it doesn’t prove to be easy.
While George navigates his way through the world, we viewers get to see his highs and lows. His life may be wonderful, but there are also times when he definitely is not. Luckily though, there are also moments where he’s a pretty nice person. Here are five moments when George was wonderful and five when he was not:
Wonderful: When He Saves His Brother’s Life
The first time we meet George, he’s 12 and playing outside in the winter snow with his friends. They are using large shovels to slide down a hill onto a frozen lake, and they all seem to be having a great time.
Then it’s George’s brother Harry’s turn. He slides down the hill but unfortunately breaks through the ice and falls into the lake. George runs to him and jumps in the lake to help his young brother. George saves Harry’s life that day, even if it causes him to go deaf in one ear. Pretty admirable, George.
Not: When He Calls Mary"Brainless" (And Gives Her Coconut)
As a pre-teen, George works at a little general store for a man named Mr. Gower. One day, a young girl named Mary comes in for a dish of ice cream. She tells George she would like chocolate, and he asks if she wants coconuts on top. Mary informs him that she doesn’t like coconuts, to which George replies, “Say, brainless, don’t you know where coconuts come from?”
After a lot of talk about Tahiti, magazines, and exploring, we see George scooping something white onto the ice cream. It appears to be coconuts! Not only is name-calling not cool, but he’s giving Mary something she just said she doesn’t like!
Wonderful: When He Gives Up His Trip for the Building and Loan Business
George is a man now and has just received a gift of a personalized suitcase; he’s ready to finally go see the world like he’s dreamed about since he was a boy. He is due to leave for school in Europe the next day, but that night, his father unexpectedly has a stroke and sadly passes away. George postpones his trip for several months to help handle his father’s estate and other things at the Building and Loan office that his father ran with Uncle Billy.
George even gives a lengthy speech defending his father’s character to mean old Mr. Potter, in which he calls the Building and Loan a “penny-ante.” It was kind of him to help out after his father passed, even if George didn’t think much of the business.
Not: When He Won’t Give Mary the Robe
After falling in a pool at the school dance, Mary must walk home in only a robe. George accidentally steps on it, causing it to come off! An embarrassed and naked Mary quickly jumps in the bushes as George picks up the robe from the ground. A gentleman probably would have handed it to her right away, but George Bailey decides to joke around first.
He talks to himself out loud, debating what to do and saying he’s never been in a situation like this before. Mary says she’ll call the police, and George replies, “They’d be on my side.” He eventually gives the robe back, but many people will agree that this is not a funny joke to pull.
Wonderful: When He Gives Away His Honeymoon Fund
Just after George and Mary tie the knot, there’s some money trouble with the Building and Loan. People are storming in demanding their money, but since the bank has just taken it all from the business, there’s none left to give back to the people.
Mary comes in with a large wad of cash that she and George had been gushing over earlier. She holds it up, asking loudly, “How much do you need?” George jumps at the idea, and the two hand out almost every bill. It was a selfless act, and the second time George put off a trip for the business.
Not: When He Has a Weird Attitude at Mary’s House
Before George and Mary get together, he pays her a visit for the first time in four years. He acts cold for a while, barely saying much and answering Mary’s questions and statements very shortly. Then they get into an argument about what he’s doing at her house and why he came over.
Instead of leaving, George grabs Mary by the shoulders and shakes her, yelling about how he doesn’t want the opportunity they were just offered on the phone and how he never wants to get married. Mary cries, and George kisses her several times. It’s a bizarre encounter from the beginning, and George probably could stand to have an attitude adjustment.
Wonderful: When He “Fixes” Zuzu’s Flower
Many years later, George at Mary have four lovely children. His young daughter Zuzu earned a flower as a prize at school, and she is very excited about it. She doesn’t even button her coat when walking home because she’s afraid she’ll crush it. Unfortunately, this causes her to catch a cold, and she’s in bed when George comes home.
As she shows him her flower, a few petals fall off. “Daddy, paste it!” she says sadly. George takes the flower and secretly pretends to attach the petals again while actually stuffing them in his pocket. The flower is as good as new, and he hands it back to her in this sweet father-daughter moment.
Not: When He Yells at and Insults the Teacher Over the Phone
Later on in the evening, Zuzu’s teacher calls to check on her and see how she is doing. Mary tells her that the doctor said Zuzu should be fine by dinner time on Christmas, the next day. George, angered over Zuzu becoming sick as well as problems at work, grabs the phone and demands to speak to the teacher.
He begins to reprimand her, yelling for letting his daughter come home “half-naked.” George calls her silly, stupid, and careless and exclaims that Zuzu will probably get pneumonia because of her (despite the doctor saying she’d be fine). No need to overreact, George. Insulting the teacher doesn’t solve anything.
Wonderful: When He Shows Concern for Clarence
George has been irritable all night, and when a cheerful and strange man named Clarence shows up, George is a bit annoyed by Clarence’s lively attitude. However, George’s heart isn’t completely frozen. At the bar, when Nick threatens to punch Clarence, George stands up for him and tells Nick that Clarence is an okay guy.
George also tells Clarence that he is worried about him, asking if he has any money or a place to sleep. We don’t get to see if George would have offered to help out, but it was kind of him to show that he cared, even just a little bit, especially since Clarence was driving him a bit batty all night.
Not: When He Yells at the Children
Before he meets Clarence, George is very frustrated and upset due to problems with work. He comes home mad and is taking it out on everyone. He snaps at the children for asking questions, playing the piano, and making noise.
He begins yelling at them, even though they’re just being innocent children. He then goes over to a table and begins kicking and throwing things around the room, all in front of his scared and crying kids. Mary asks why he must torture the children, and we have the same question. It’s definitely not wonderful to take your own problems out on kids and items around you.
