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What the *f* is wrong with you?
shareNothing, I hope? Happy Holidays.
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MovieChat Forums > It's a Wonderful Life (1947) Discussion > [deleted]
Remember the section in the film when Clarence showed George what would have happened to his loved ones had he never existed. Mrs Bailey told George that Uncle Billy had been in the insane asylum for years, right after he had lost his business. You are right to say that Uncle Billy had his weaknesses, but George’s kindness and decency saved him from himself.
shareYep.
The only reason Uncle Billy had a job was because George gave it to him. During the depression, that was a God-send. That's not to say Billy didn't earn his keep, at least, not until he absentmindedly left the money at the bank.
In retrospect, was it a good idea to have Billy make a deposit on that much money?
This conversation is making me think perhaps more than I should about this great movie. Billy was on the Building and Loan Board while his brother Peter (presumably the brains of the outfit) was CEO. It was called the “Bailey Brothers Building and Loan” company so perhaps there was some “family money” left to the brothers that they invested in the Building and Loan Company to help the people of Bedford Falls. George himself admitted to Potter that while his late father was an honourable man, he was not a businessman. The other members of the board would have sold out to Potter after Pa Bailey died unless George would take his father’s position. They clearly felt that Billy wasn’t the right man to take the Building and Loan forward. What a good decision. To your not unreasonable point of the wisdom in entrusting Uncle Billy with that amount of money. Probably not, but remember this section of the film is the culmination of all that has gone before. I would suggest that Uncle Billy made the walk from his office to the bank (with a great deal of money) more than once a week for all those years probably without mishap. Unfortunately this was the day when he was overexcited because of his nephew Harry being awarded the Medal of Honour and Mr Carter the austere Bank Examiner came to pay a visit. His boasting to Potter was the mistake, and why he couldn’t remember this conversation when walking back with George has always puzzled me. Sorry to go on, but while we’re on this point George went to see Potter and told him (twice) that HE had misplaced eight thousand dollars. What a guy!! Potter not owning up at this stage was despicable. Anyway thanks for the conversation. There’s so much depth about this film that we could write an essay about every scene and every character. Let’s enjoy the movie again between now and Christmas.
shareSorry to go on, but while we’re on this point George went to see Potter and told him (twice) that HE had misplaced eight thousand dollars. What a guy!! Potter not owning up at this stage was despicable.
Bingo.
I remember picking up on this the very first time I saw this film (in my 20s).
Not only did George say that it was he who lost the money, but Potter even repeated "you lost the money?" being incredulous that George accepted the entire responsibility for the money being lost. That Potter didn't have a cathartic moment at that very point is, as you say, quite despicable. One of the better scenes in this great film. share