So, last night a friend and I attended a showing of It’s A Wonderful Life at the old Belcourt theater here in Nashville. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t expecting the same sentimental shivers that I got last year when I went to see the film. But I have to tell you, the feelings I got this year may have been even more profound than what I felt the last time around. My life has changed a bit in the last year and I guess I have learned to appreciate certain things that I may have taken for granted before. Namely…friends.

The theater was even more crowded last night than last December and just like last year, there were people there who had never seen the film before. In fact, a gentleman stood before the movie started to introduce the picture and to tell the audience about the benefits of becoming Belcourt members. And his statement before leaving the podium was that this would be the first time he had ever seen It’s A Wonderful Life. That amazed me. He had to have been in his late twenties if not older and somehow he made it all that time without seeing the picture. What a lucky bastard.

This year certain things stood out to me that I don’t think I really focused on before. Most notably was the time after George Bailey was allowed to see what would have become of his town if he had never been born. Without even knowing it, he had affected so many people in so many positive ways. All I could think of was the fact that we have to be aware of the things we say and do to people. The smallest gesture, the most truncated phrase can change the way a person thinks. It can change the way they act or respond to others. The night before I had been at a company Christmas party and I recall being somewhat short and rude to a woman that has worked for the company for years, a woman I can’t trust or like no matter how hard I tried. After I made the curt statement to her, I saw a bit of shock in her face and watched as she walked away. After watching the movie last night, I almost felt compelled to email my coworker and apologize. There is a part of me that still wonders if I should.

The other part of the film that struck me last night were the words George Bailey reads in the Tom Sawyer book at the end of the film: Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends. No truer words —

As the film began to reach it’s end, I glanced about the darkened theater to see if the movie’s perennial warmth touched others as it had me. The woman to the right and in front of me was gently wiping her left eye with her fingertips. A man several rows up removed his glasses and brought a handkerchief to the corners of his eyes. You can’t escape it. Schmaltzy, saccharin. I don’t see it. It’s just a great film. And unlike last year, when the film ended and the lights came up, I applauded with the rest of the theater goers, and I knew that without even realizing it, a new holiday tradition had begun. For I know that come next December, I will be in line once again to purchase my tickets and see good old George Bailey remind everyone what the holiday season is really all about.

Sidenote:

At one point during the movie, the film broke and for about ten minutes we sat in the theater waiting for the film to continue. As we sat and waited, I had the opportunity to listen to the people who were seated behind me. I noticed during the movie that one person from their party kept getting up and leaving the theater. When he returned, his arms were full of what I thought was food. Turns out it wasn’t food. With each return, he was bringing back alcohol and by the time the film had broken (about two thirds into the film), he and his party were…well…happy. Following are some of my favorite quotes from their dialogue before the film resumed.

When the film first broke:
Quite audibly,

“You gotta be shittin’ me!”

Discussing the film (part 1):

“When the narrator was talking about VE day –”

“Yeah…that celebrated the victory in Europe. And VJ day was — ”

“Yeah?”

“Japan.”

“Oh. Oh, okay. That makes more sense to me now. I thought he said VE day and BJ day. I was like, ‘What the hell is BJ day?” It made me feel a little awkward.”

Discussing the film (part 2 — my favorite)

“You know that uncle? Uncle, uh…what’s his — ”

“Uncle Billy?”

“Yeah, yeah, uncle Billy. You know, I was sitting here thinking, ‘I wish someone would just shoot Uncle Billy in the face.”