The Powerful Message of It’s a Wonderful Life Essay -- Film, Movies

The Powerful Message of It’s a Wonderful Life It’s a Wonderful Life begins in the â€Å"party economy† of the 1920’s, during the rise of capitalism in America. The growth of economy and rapid technological advances during this post-war period lead to improvements in production and telecommunication, increasing the importance of financial markets. Allowing companies to make money by the sale of shares, financial markets opened ownership of companies to the public. In the 1920’s, when business was booming and many people were making money in the market, the public became very excited about the get-rich-quick opportunities they saw in a market they didn’t necessarily understand. When the ignorant public began throwing their money into the stock market on the unstable basis of margin buying, money in the market became inflated until the market eventually imploded. Numerous people, businesses and banks were financially ruined in the stock market crashes of 1929. Speculating heavily with their deposi ts, many banks were totally wiped out during the crash of 1929, which created a run on the banking system. The crashes, along with other social, political and economic disasters, provoked the Great Depression. The Great Depression is the backdrop for It’s a Wonderful Life, and although the film does not delve deeply into the economics of the depression, it influences and affects every aspect of the movie. The first major impact the depression has on Bedford Falls is the run on the bank. Everyone in town is in a panic because of the market crash, and fearful that they may lose all of their money in the Savings and Loan, the public rushes to the bank in an attempt to retrieve it. Fortunately, the Savings and Loan was not financially ruined i... ... the quality of life change with George’s existence. Nick lives in Potter’s field and works as a bartender in Pottersville. He is a mean and cynical old man. In Bedford Falls, Nick had lived in Bailey Estates and had owned the bar with help from the Savings and Loan. He was a caring family man. The importance of balance of powers within a single community is evident when examining the two scenarios. George Bailey fights on the side of the people in Bedford Falls. He sacrifices himself and his future a number of times in order to raise the standard of living. Keeping the Bailey Savings and Loan in business saves the town from Potter’s monopoly and the subsequent transformation of Bedford Falls. It’s a Wonderful Life is not only a story about one man’s impact on the lives of others, but also a glimpse of how a town can transform under different economic scenarios.