It's A Wonderful Life
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Real Identity: Not Applicable
Appearances (BTAS): Christmas With The Joker
Powers/Skills: Entertainment
Voiced By: Not Applicable
It's A Wonderful Life is an American movie from 1964 categorized as a drama. Produced and directed by Frank Capra, the movie was loosely based on Philip Van Doren Stern's short story, "The Greatest Gift" which in itself drew parallels from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." In both stories, a man is aided by supernatural beings, shown their past, and experience a renewed world view. In "It's A Wonderful Life," the title's lead character, Geroge Bailey becomes embroiled in a scandal and contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve. However, Clarence Odbody, Angel Second Class, intervenes and shows him an alternate timeline that would have happened if Bailey never existed. Inspired, Bailey races home and finds the town banded together to help him through his troubles. He realizes he did have a wonderful life and finds a copy of the book, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," left by the angel Clarence who received his wings for helping the man.
The movie went through several script revisions and was eventually sold to Frank Capra's Liberty Films. After being polished, the script was finally made into a movie that was not considered a commercial success. Capra contends the movie's two main themes were about an individual's belief in himself and a response to atheism. Decades later, the movie is considered one of the best films ever made and a classic Christmas tale replayed on television every holiday season. The movie had a similar fond resonance with the young Dick Grayson. On one Christmas Eve in the early 1990's, Grayson suggested he and Bruce Wayne should relax. They came to an agreement that if the escaped Joker wasn't found, they would return home and watch the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." After arresting the Joker, the Dynamic Duo settled down and watched the movie anyway. Even Wayne was moved by the movie's message.