WTF Is This Model of ‘It is A Great Life’?

Frank Capra’s 1946 movie It’s a Great Life is definitely one of the best holiday films ever made. It’s additionally simply one of the best films ever made, period. A giant a part of that’s due to the third act, when the principle character, George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), sees what life would’ve been like if he’d by no means been born. It makes him understand how lovely and particular his life was, resulting in the heartwarming last scene of a city’s appreciation and adoration.

However what would It’s a Great Life be with out that scene? What if George Bailey didn’t see what his life can be like with out his being born? These are questions actually no one has ever asked as a result of it’s like saying, “What’s House Alone with out the traps?” It’s type of the purpose. And but, there’s a model floating on the market that removes that essential scene, and we nonetheless can’t imagine it.

Final 12 months, I used to be sitting down for a viewing of It’s a Great Life on Prime Video and realized there have been a number of variations. There’s the unique black and white model, which is clearly the one one anybody must be watching. Then there’s additionally a colorized model (sacrilegious however comprehensible) in addition to an “abridged” model. Once I noticed that final one, it stuffed me with curiosity. It’s a Great Life is ideal. What would you abridge, precisely? I used to be much more curious once I noticed the model was a complete 12 minutes shorter than the unique. How do you trim 12 minutes from that film?

The reply, unfathomably, is that it completely removes the perfect, most important scene within the film. George’s guardian angel, Clarence, arrives, throws himself within the river, and George saves him. All of it performs out precisely like the unique film, besides after George asks Clarence how he’s going to assist, the movie smash cuts to George screaming, “Mary!” again within the current, full of pleasure that he’s again in actuality. He doesn’t see Pottersville or meet any of his associates or something. It’s simply gone. The ending then performs out usually. The edit is unnecessary and utterly ruins the movie.

Now, once I first noticed this, I posted about it on social media, and it went a little viral. Within the feedback that adopted, a number of folks offered what I imagine is the perfect and most reasonable rationalization. Apparently, it’s a authorized factor. The massive alternate universe scene in Pottersville is predicated on a brief story known as “The Biggest Present” by Philip Van Doren Stern. That story has a unique copyright than It’s a Great Life as a complete, which hit the general public area in 1975. So this model exists as a rights-free model that anybody can use or entry with out fear. Not that you simply’d wish to.

Fortunately, there may be loads of warning turning you away from this model. It’s very clearly marked as “abridged” in its title, and there’s a card initially saying that it’s shorter and the ending has been modified. However both means, that it exists and is so simply accessible feels oddly evil. Like one thing Outdated Man Potter would’ve finished, making an attempt to disclaim us the enjoyment of the Baileys.

The unique, black and white model of It’s a Great Life is on Prime at this link. You possibly can seek for any others in case you so want.

Need extra io9 information? Try when to count on the most recent Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on film and TV, and every little thing it is advisable to learn about the way forward for Doctor Who.