General Discussion

dgauss

(1,189 posts) Fri Dec 13, 2024, 09:11 PM Dec 13

I was watching "It's a Wonderful Life" tonight. [View all]

One of those rare movies I can watch over and over again.

I was thinking about the character of Mr. Potter, wonderfully played by Lionel Barrymore. This movie came out in 1946 and has been aired I believe every year since.

Every year, even up to now, Potter has been clearly seen as the villain in this story. Greed, dishonesty, self interest, malice, just ugly all around. Everyone gets it.

Yet now we have new, updated versions of Potter. The vulture capitalist Potters, the hedge fund Potters, the meddling billionaire Potters, the Libertarian Potters, the tech-bro Potters. And Trump.

And half the country, even after watching "It's a Wonderful Life" yet again and feeling all warm and fuzzy when George Bailey finally triumphs over the despicable Potter, still side with the new versions of Potter in real life.

Just depressing.

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I was watching "It's a Wonderful Life" tonight. [View all] dgauss Dec 13 OP

We were a different country, post WW2. And Dwight Eisenhower described it in the 1956 Republican platform. OAITW r.2.0 Dec 13 #1

We had plenty of assholes back then who hated Capra and the message of that movie thebigidea Dec 13 #4

Yeah, the reactionaries have always been with us. OAITW r.2.0 Dec 13 #8

Imagine how the audience would have reacted ReRe Dec 13 #13

Interesting, thanks. dgauss Dec 13 #9

What's wild in those FBI statements is that they totally ignore the fact that Potter wasn't following rules Docreed2003 Dec 24 #20

We watch it every year as a family. Bluethroughu Dec 13 #2

It does? choie Dec 13 #5

only in movies for children thebigidea Dec 13 #6

I watch it every year. Dulcinea Dec 13 #3

Love this movie......but so sorry to say...Potter does win the next four years. a kennedy Dec 13 #7

Just saw it tonight at our community cinema and it still works. TheRickles Dec 13 #10

I've thought the same for years. I kept thinking that Potter was Dick Cheney johnnyplankton Dec 13 #11

Funny thing, I posted this image on another site long ago. dgauss Dec 13 #12

I feel the same after watching 'A Christmas Carol'. How can anyone sinkingfeeling Dec 14 #14

And I've watched "Casablanca" many times since I was kid nuxvomica Dec 14 #17

America is Pottersville now. ZonkerHarris Dec 14 #15

The lost ending SocialDemocrat61 Dec 14 #16

We watched the Legend version on Tubi tonight. SleeplessinSoCal Dec 24 #18

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 24 #19

I couldn't handle watching it, this holiday season. Paladin Dec 24 #21

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 24 #22

That's what Ralph mercuryblues Dec 24 #23