It's A Wonderful Life

1946.

#11 / #20

Nominated for 5 Academy Awards.

George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) has a pretty tough life. When he contemplates suicide, Clarence (Henry Travers) - an angel - shows George what his life would be like if he had never been born.

Eddie: I had never seen IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. I had seen the ending and the parodies, but never the whole flick. First, I thought the movie was terrifyingly slow. It takes a solid hour to recap George's life and another half-hour to fill you in on why things are so bad at the moment. It's not until ninety minutes in that we finally get to the bridge. Secondly, the score is terrible. The composer, Dimitri Tiomkin, has a knack for hitting a scene a little too hard on the nose, and I think it takes away from the emotion of the movie. The performances are so good, the flick doesn't need "Mickey Mouse" music to oversell its sentimentality.

Despite that, I thought it was great. It was a lot darker than I expected it to be, and I loved it. Stewart's performance is light years ahead of its time. This, coupled with THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, prove that there's more to a Stewart performance than just that iconic voice. He is the master of understatement, saving it for a big explosion. In the case of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, it comes when he barrels through his house, "Why did we have to have so many kids?".

In the end, the movie pays off all of the tension that it has wound up. When Harry comes in and offers a toast, "To my brother, George, the richest man in town," I wept.

Sarah: I hadn't seen this movie since middle school. I remember thinking it was a bit cartoonish. That is still true. Frank Capra's Bedford Falls is like a Norman Rockwell picture. Between Clarence the clumsy angel, and the Scrooge-like villian, Henry Potter (Lionel Barrymore) (saying "you're a wizard Henry" never got old to me), this seems like it should be a kid's film.

But then the film takes a sharp twist to darkness and depression. These are scenes I didn't quite grasp as a kid. When you're young, you can't fully understand George Bailey's tragedy - giving up his own dreams in order to fulfill his obligations. It's startling to see this change, and though it feels a bit bi-polar, the scenes where George really starts to lose it are what gives the film its staying power. I was wondering how I went from watching a silly Christmas movie to watching a movie about a man reckoning with his disappointments in life. How had this annoyingly cheery film arrived here? But, that's what is fascinating about IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

And of course the end makes the whole film worth it. As the town pours in to support George and Mary (Donna Reed), I was becoming just as overwhelmed as they were.

Why You Should See It: We try to avoid clichés in this part of our review, but if we said anything other than the last reel of the movie, we'd be lying. The ending of the movie, starting with Bert discovering George on the bridge, all the way to Clarence getting his wings - it's pure gold.

High Noon

1952.

#33 / #27

Winner of 4 Academy Awards

At noon, pardoned-convict Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) is due to arrive in Hadleyville to seek revenge upon the town's marshal, Will Kane (Gary Cooper). Kane tries to find deputies to help him stand up to Miller's gang, but in the end, he has to face Miller alone.

Eddie: HIGH NOON isn't your average western, and maybe that's why it's one of my favorites. There are no silly duels (until the very end) or horse chases or yeehaws. Instead, the movie glorifies one individual who does what's right, what's expected of him, and what no one else will. God damn, this movie makes me love America.

The movie unfolds in real time, which builds the suspense at a constant, alarming rate. Gary Cooper plays one of the most decent characters in any film. And I'm not sure if the movie is an allegory for HUAC or not, but either way, it's probably more relevant today than the day it was made.

Sarah: Meh. This film underwhelms me. There are no surprises, and narratively it is too simple. Good guy fights bad guys with no complications. Yes the build of tension is well done, but after the movie is through, there is no great catharsis or food for thought.

I think Eddie is giving this film too high of a praise. I'd say SHANE or TRUE GRIT are better examples of courage and doing what is right in the Western genre. HIGH NOON is just too sunshine-y and apple pie.

Why You Should See It: The gunfight at the end. It's the reason Eddie's been biting his nails for an hour and a half.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939.

#29 / #26

Winner of 1 Academy Award.

Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart) is appointed to the U.S. Senate, but he's caught up in a political machine that threatens to slander his good name. In order to defend himself, Senator Smith leads an against-all-odds filibuster on the Senate floor.

Eddie: Anybody who doesn't love this film must hate America. Stewart's depiction of Jefferson Smith epitomizes Stewart's predilection for playing good characters struggling to do great things. Frank Capra's films don't exactly offer roller coaster twists and turns, but the simple story in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON delivers in a big way.

The good guy triumphs. The bad guy is brought down. Liberty and justice for all.

Sarah: This is one of those movies that makes you feel like everything is A-OK, and if you just believe in yourself and do what is right, things will work out. But it's refreshing to have something like this on the list. This apple-pie life is part of Capra's charm.

Why You Should See It: The filibuster scene, of course.