Program Information

Following World War II, film director and producer Frank Capra resumed his career with a film that was a box office disappointment but is now considered his masterpiece – "It’s a Wonderful Life."

A Moment in Time is a brief, exciting and compelling journey into the past. Created to excite and enlighten the public about the past, its relevance to the present and its impact on the future, A Moment In Time is a captivating historical narrative that is currently broadcast worldwide.

Transcript

Lead: Following World War II, film director and producer Frank Capra resumed his career with a film that was a box office disappointment but is now considered his masterpiece – "It’s a Wonderful Life."

Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: "It’s a Wonderful Life," starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, has been embraced by millions and has become a staple in many households, especially during the Christmas season. Capra’s winning formula was consistent--nostalgic and sentimental portraits of common men in small town America who, through acts of great courage, triumph over injustice.

When the film was released to the post World War II audiences, the “feel good” Capra-esque formula fell flat. Movie goers were more interested in patriotic war stories or realistic stories reflecting disenchantment after the war and the cultural and social changes that followed. “Film Noir” with its darker approach became popular after World War II. Detective thrillers and crime dramas with the beautiful femme fatale reflected the cynicism, tensions and conflict of the period.

Although "It’s a Wonderful Life" was nominated for five Academy Awards, it was a box office disaster and disappeared for the next quarter century. Capra even let the copyright expire. During the 1970s, however, the movie began to be shown to a new generation during the Christmas season on network television and they loved it! "It’s a Wonderful Life" got a second life and it slowly developed a devoted and widespread following that continues today. It is considered one of the most beloved and inspiring movies of all time. When Capra was asked about the belated popularity of his film, he told the Wall Street Journal in 1984: “It’s the damnedest thing I’ve ever seen. The film has a life of its own and I can look at it like I had nothing to do with it. I’m like a parent whose kid grows up to be president. I’m proud...but it’s the kid who did the work. I didn’t even think of it as a Christmas story when I first ran across it. I just liked the idea.”

The closing scene toast by the hero’s brother at the happy ending demonstrates the Capra formula that obviously has appeal across the generations, “A toast, to my big brother George, the richest man in town.”

At the University of Richmond, this is Dan Roberts.

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