Film - It's a Wonderful Life

The opening with images of Christmas gives audience heart-warming effect.
The story begins with Christian God talking to Gabriel, archangel.
The hero, George, is on the edge of losing his own life. Clarence Odbody, Angel 2nd Class is ordered to help him by God and archangel, combined with the angel’s own promotion exam.
Clarence follows George’s life since his childhood till he is now, with impressive episodes coloring George’s life.
He is given a birth in a little town and has lots of dreams. The biggest dream that excites him is leaving the town. He is an intelligent and discerning child, and understands adults around him and how they live.
He grows up, faces up to his father’s death, and inherits his Building and Loan Association.
After getting married with a woman also grown up in the same town and having their own children, his life is satisfactory. However, on a Christmas eve, he loses huge amount of capital of his association. When he decides to commit suicide, Clarence, Angel 2nd Class comes around to show him how the world would be without George.
Apparently, this piece of work is based on Christian view point, persuading the hero not to commit suicide. Whilst George denies himself as well as his own life, the 2nd class angel explains how his existence is influence to others.
Generally, not many have clear answer to prevention of suicide. In addition, many cannot visualize their value of their lives in society.
Especially in Japan, people are shifting towards “how an individual thinks” rather than “what the community values”. On the other hand, “mutual monitoring society” has been progressing that has also been chasing people into corners. Without noticing one’s value connected with society, suicidal rate will keep its level as high as it has ever been.
In this film, following the hero from his childhood intricately makes audience to be with him. At the same time, there are some narrations from heaven as a third-person, and this gives audience a unique view point as subjectivity and objectivity at the same time.
There is another important issue in this film, which is that one can
achieve a dream in a limited circumstance.
George tries to go out of town a couple of times, but in vain. However, he finds his way to live where he grows up by facing up to what he should do and how he should behave sincerely. He does not get fed up with his confrontation no matter what happens. At the same time, his wife is also as active and decisive as himself, expressed as a “strong woman”. She is not merely a “a good wife and wise mother” that is something to be mentioned of that age.
This piece of work may be noted as a Christian film, but prayer can scarcely be seen, but there are some scenes that prayer cannot help anyone.
There hidden a success story of Clarence Odbody, Angel 2nd Class. He is wing-less and has limited in activity. Clarence Odbody is apparently a mid-aged man and he is to help George in order to get wings for himself. It is a cynical expression towards human society that tends to beautify celestial existence and also a humorous aspect towards the end.
In addition, this could be taken as hierarchy in Christian society.
At the same time, the whole story is not critical but humorous as well as heart-warming story. It prevents the story getting too critical.
The main view point is how people help each other in their confrontations and this helps the film falling into a religious propaganda. The hero’s prayer does not be heard by God and it reflects realism in American film.
One can live by connection with others and help by God is merely “a little push”.
Although this piece of work is based on Christianity, it tells relationships between an individual and society. This is what makes this work outstanding.