Christmas time is here. Aside from family memories, most people include movie memories as part of their traditional Yuletide celebration. For me, any version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is a must (although Albert Finney’s musical version is my go-to), and “A Christmas Story” runs on a loop every Christmas day in the Hunter household. It helps that the story of 9-year-old Ralphie’s quest to obtain a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle takes place in 1930s Northwest Indiana. And who among you recalls that Peter Billingsley (Ralphie) appeared as Bob Gregory’s weather kid in the late 1970s / early 1980s?
However, before that, the movie that most people associated with Christmas time was the 1946 Frank Capra RKO studios classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which itself is loosely based on the 1843 Dickens Christmas Carol novella. It would be hard to find a more star-studded cast than can be found in Capra’s classic. Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Ward Bond, Gloria Grahame, Frank Albertson, and many more. Other familiar faces appeared in the film as well, although uncredited. The Walton’s Ellen Corby, and the Little Rascals/Our Gang Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer pop up, as does Jimmy the Raven as Uncle Billy’s pet. Wait, what, who is that last one, you ask? Jimmy (often erroneously credited as Jimmy the Crow) appeared in more than 1,000 films from the 1930s to the 1950s. Humorously, Jimmy Stewart once recalled that, “When they call Jimmy, we both answer.” Arguably, Jimmy the Raven’s most memorable appearance was in The Wizard of Oz as the bird that landed on Ray Bolger’s Scarecrow character.
Although the film was a commercial failure, today, it is viewed as a holiday classic. While not a big hit on initial release, the film became public domain in 1974, so virtually every TV station around started airing it around Christmas due to its being so inexpensive. In the early 1990s, its copyright was reinstated, but for twenty years it remained a holiday staple. Despite that auspicious beginning, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is now considered to be one of the greatest films of all time and among the best Christmas films. It has been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made. It was No. 11 on the American Film Institute’s 1998 greatest movie list, No. 20 on its 2007 greatest movie list, No. 8 on its list of greatest love stories, and No. 1 on its list of the most inspirational American films of all time. In 1990, “It’s a Wonderful Life” became one of 25 films selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
What makes the film even more interesting is the trivia that surrounds it. So, in the “spirit” of the holiday, here is a rapid-fire accounting of little-known facts about the film. The original movie idea comes from a 1939 4,000-word 24-page short story by Civil War historian Philip Van Doren Stern (1900-1984). Stern was unable to find a publisher, so he turned his story into a Christmas card that he sent to 200 family members and friends. One of those cards landed on the desk of RKO Pictures producer David Hempstead, who showed it to actor Cary Grant. Grant loved the story and wanted to play the lead role. RKO purchased the rights for $10,000 in April 1944 but ultimately sold them in 1945 to Frank Capra in 1945 for the same price. It remains the only film in history to originate from a greeting card.
The film was such a financial disappointment that it busted Capra’s production company, Liberty Films, just barely earning back its $3 million budget. Its general release after Christmas didn’t help. It marked the first and last time Capra ever produced, financed, directed, and co-wrote a film on his own. Although set in the fictional town of Bedford Falls, New York, it was filmed entirely in California at the RKO ranch, which was razed and sold to developers in 1954. One architectural backdrop from the film survives though. The swimming pool at Beverly Hills High School still has the sliding gym floor that opens to reveal a swimming pool underneath. It was The Little Rascals regular Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer as Freddie, who opened the gym floor so George and Mary can fall into the pool below.
The film was Jimmy Stewart’s first picture after 20 months on the front lines of WWII. He was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder while filming, which can be witnessed in the dark and despairing portrayal of George Bailey near the end of the movie. Stewart recalled that while filming the scene in which George prays in the bar, he began to sob real tears and later, Capra cropped the scene much closer to capture his expression up close. That’s why the shot appears grainy compared to the rest of the film. Stewart, who was considering quitting the industry due to a lack of work in Hollywood after the war, instead resurrected his career. As did Lionel Barrymore, who got the role over Uncle Billy actor Thomas Mitchell, mainly because of his popularity after twenty years of portraying Ebenezer Scrooge in radio versions of “A Christmas Carol.”
Both James Stewart and co-star Donna Reed shared a small-town background. Stewart was from Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Reed from Denison, Iowa. Reed proved her rural upbringing by winning an impromptu bet with Barrymore, who challenged her to milk a cow on-set. Furthermore, for the scene where Donna Reed’s character, Mary, throws a rock through the window of the Granville House, Frank Capra hired a marksman to shoot it out for her on cue. To everyone’s amazement, Reed broke the window on the first take without any assistance. She had played baseball at Denison High School and maintained her strong throwing arm.
It is always interesting to learn who auditioned (or was considered) for classic Hollywood movies, and “It’s a Wonderful Life” is no exception. Although it seems that Jimmy Stewart was born to play George Bailey, Henry Fonda was also considered for the role. Ironically, Stewart and Fonda were roommates for a few years in New York City while working in live theater. Other intriguing names include Olivia de Havilland, Jean Arthur, Martha Scott, Ann Dvorak, and Ginger Rogers were considered to play Mary. Vincent Price, Edgar Buchanan (Uncle Joe from Petticoat Junction), Raymond Massey, and Invisible Man star Claude Rains were considered for Mr. Potter. W. C. Fields and Barry Fitzgerald were considered for Uncle Billy. John Carradine and Bewitched star Maurice Evans were considered for Joseph (the angel). Robert Mitchum was considered for Bert and John Ireland for Ernie Bishop. Which leads to another interesting connection. Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie were supposedly named after Ward Bond’s “Bert the policeman” and Frank Faylen’s “Ernie the cab driver” characters in the film. The movie was said to have been Jim Henson’s favorite.
The scene on the bridge where Clarence saves George was filmed on an RKO backlot on a day when the temperature was 90°F. This is why Stewart is seen visibly sweating in the scene. Consequently, the snowy winter scenes in the film presented a special challenge. RKO studio’s head of special effects, Russell Shearman, developed a new compound using water, soap flakes, foamite, and sugar to create “chemical snow” for the film. Before then, movie snow was usually made from untoasted cornflakes, which were so loud when stepped on that dialogue often had to be redubbed afterwards.
My favorite bit of trivia from the movie comes from Sheldon Leonard, who played Nick-the-bartender, the actor who famously belted out the line, “Get me! I’m givin’ out wings!” in the film. Leonard was better known as a television producer responsible for bringing us shows like “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Gomer Pyle,” “I Spy,” and “The Andy Griffith Show.” Leonard claimed that he took the role only so he could have money for Brooklyn Dodgers baseball season tickets in 1947. And because of that, Leonard was there to see Jackie Robinson break the color line for the Brooklyn Bums.
I have a tenuous personal connection to this story. Kind of a six-dgrees of separation from Kevin Bacon thing. “It’s a Wonderful Life” was nominated for six Academy Awards in 1947, but only one for technical achievement. “The Best Years of Our Lives,” a drama about servicemen attempting to return to their pre-World War II lives, won most of the awards that year, including four of the five for which “It’s a Wonderful Life” was nominated. “The Best Years of Our Lives” was directed by William Wyler, Capra’s business partner (along with George Stevens) in Liberty Films. Unlike “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “The Best Years of Our Lives” was a resounding commercial success, ultimately becoming the highest-grossing film of the decade. One of its stars, Actor Harold Russell (1914-2002), won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the movie.
Russell was a World War II veteran (and first-time actor) who lost both of his hands during his military service. Russell was the first non-professional actor to win an Academy Award for acting and the first Oscar recipient to sell his award. In the early 1990s, I was fortunate to meet Russell at a hotel in Chicago. My wife and I spent a morning with him at a personal appearance at which he brought his Oscar statuette along with him. It remains the only time in my life that I have ever held an Oscar in my hands. It remains a singular thrill and a special memory for me to this day.
Al Hunter is the author of “Haunted Indianapolis” and “Irvington Haunts. The Tour Guide.” and the co-author of the “Indiana National Road” book series. His newest books are “Osborn H. Oldroyd: Keeper of the Lincoln Flame”, “Thursdays with Doc. Recollections on Springfield & Lincoln” and “Bumps in the Night. Stories from the Weekly View.” Contact Al directly at Huntvault@aol.com or become a friend on Facebook.
