Tracy & Hepburn in Capra’s ‘State of the Union’ 1948

Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn 's characters already have problems
before he decides to run for president, in 1948's "State of the Union."

State of the Union, successful in 1948, has been long considered second-tier Frank Capra. Hard to top a string of hits from original material during one's youth, for sure. Post-war, Capra questioned his place in movie making. He turned out It's a Wonderful Life in '46, not a smash but not the flop that legend has long claimed.

Frank Capra's "State of the Union" still has some pertinent political zingers!

Noteworthy is the fact that State of the Union came from a 1945 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, from Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, the creators of Life with Father, among other hits. Capra wasn't exactly slumming here! And this was a faithful rendition, with plenty of its sharp political humor intact. Technically a Frank Capra Liberty film, State of the Union was essentially a MGM movie, with their contract talent. Metro head L.B. Mayer probably wouldn't have permitted all of this adult, liberal material. Still, it reunited Tracy and Hepburn much more successfully than the previous year’s soapy Sea of Grass, directed by the young hotshot Elia Kazan.

The stars of Frank Capra's political comedy-drama, 1948's "State of the Union."
L to R: Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson, & Angela Lansbury.

State of the Union was filmed in the last quarter of 1947. Spencer Tracy was 47 and looked much older; Katharine Hepburn was 40 and looked great onscreen, with the aid of MGM's glam squad. Then there’s Angela Lansbury as the villainous other woman, who turned 22 during production! Angela always looked older and was cast as such, though she could have been cast as Tracy and Hepburn's daughter. 

Spencer Tracy as self-made man and presidential hopeful Grant Matthews,
in 1948's "State of the Union."

Katharine Hepburn as Mary Matthews, the estranged "good wife"
of Spencer Tracy's presidential candidate, in 1948's "State of the Union."

Tracy is the beacon of decency as Grant Matthews, though that light flickers a bit since he has had an affair with Angela Lansbury's Kay Thorndyke. In his latest test of integrity, running for President, the self-made man has a hard time not being made over by political hacks. Fear not, Grant is played by Saint Spencer, who will come through it all, decency intact. 

Kate, fussing over Spence as usual,  in 1948's "State of the Union."

Hepburn plays her political wife well, though her '40s woman, whose man has wronged her, feels that she deserves a kick in the pants... for not being unquestionably loyal. I also didn't realize that Kate’s doting on Spence so slavishly onscreen went back this far. Most movie fans eat it up, but I find it a bit much. That said, Tracy and Hepburn perform with their usual professionalism, intelligence, warmth, and wit as a couple who have had their ups and downs.

Political pillow talk with Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn's at odds couple, 

in 1948's "State of the Union. "

Angela Lansbury's performance as Kay Thorndyke steals the show, from a cast at the top of their game. As a newspaper heiress, her Kay wants to determine the next Republican presidential candidate. The ruthless character is played with precision and no mercy, reminding me of Faye Dunaway's mad programmer in 1976's Network.

As the malevolent political opportunist, Lansbury gets a dress rehearsal for her classic political manipulator of nearly 15 years later, in The Manchurian Candidate. And once again, Angie was cast as much older. At 37, she was cast as Laurence Harvey's mother!

Adolphe Menjou & Angela Lansbury are the political heavies of 1948's 

"State of the Union." Angela's thinking maybe a game of solitaire to pass the time!

Lansbury's performance is extraordinary at such a young age. And had it been an actual MGM movie, Angie might have scored a Best Supporting Actress nomination. The film's opening scene, where Kay is saying farewell to her dying news magnet father (an excellent Lewis Stone), is chilling, and made me think of Bette Davis at her stone cold best.

Angela Lansbury as Kay Thorndyke, about to be come heir to her father's
 newspaper empire.  With Lewis Stone in 1948's "State of the Union."

Van Johnson, not a favorite of mine, is very good as a one man Greek chorus of non-stop humorous sarcasm. As Spark, he has some of the best lines in this movie, reacting to all the political monkey business. The only scenes with Van that I didn't like was of the maid (Margaret Hamilton) mooning over him, and Spark wincing in response—it seemed like a cheap shot at her expense.

Van Johnson is Spark, the freckled Greek chorus of 1948's
"State of the Union."

Adolphe Menjou was famously a right-wing Republican, so he's well-cast as Jim Conover, who only wants a candidate that will win. Menjou was an expert actor in comedy and drama, and it's fascinating to watch him in scenes with the famously liberal Hepburn. 

Adolphe Menjou schools Katharine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy's characters
on political realities, in 1948's "State of the Union." 

Frank Capra must have had a soft spot for Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer. Capra gave the fading young star a fun bit in It's a Wonderful Life and a showy one in State of the Union as the over-tipped bellboy.

While some of the dialogue in State of the Union is dated, it makes you realize that nearly 80 years later, there's nothing new in the world’s second oldest profession!

Director Frank Capra is in good form here as a storyteller and State of the Union is stylishly done and moves at a good clip. Capra only goes Capra-corn when Tracy's idealist waxes political and the about-face finale where Grant reclaims his integrity. Corny, but Capra and the cast put it over.

It struck me as unbelievable that Kay Thorndyke would try to shoehorn old flame Grant Matthews into a typical Republican candidate. By this time, the actual party was becoming even more conservative and Grant's political views were very liberal left. Kay may think she can tone down Grant's pie in the sky liberalism, but the tough cookie should know better. BTW, director Capra was a populist who later became a Republican.

Old flames in 1948's "State of the Union." Well, at least one was old!
Spencer Tracy was 47 and Angela Lansbury was 23.

The only scene I found flat-out too much was the flying scene where Tracy goes all Top Gun with a fellow pilot, capped by tubby, middle-aged Spence putting on a parachute and leaping out of the plane. What a he-man! 

State of the Union may be the first film to look at the packaging of a political candidate with the modern media of television. This State is not a classic, but classy entertainment boasting a great cast and a subject that never goes out of style.

Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn, on the set of 1948's comedy-drama,
 "State of the Union."

MGM’s 1942 drama, Keeper of the Flame.

MGM’s suspense story Keeper of the Flame is one of two dramas that Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn made, from their nine films together. This is the story of a revered American hero who turns out to be a cultish fascist. Spencer is the reporter on the story; Kate is the hero’s widow. My take here: 

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2025/05/tracy-hepburn-team-in-rare-drama-keeper.html

Stewart Hit His Stride in ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ 1939

James Stewart as Jefferson Smith, who's down but not out, in 1939's comedy-drama,
 "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

I never watched Mr. Smith Goes to Washington until 2025 for evolving reasons. First, I was not very political in my younger years, so the subject matter didn't interest me. Later, when I did become more invested in politics, I thought a Frank Capra movie on the workings of Washington, D.C. would be too sentimental and clichéd. Finally, after the last ten years of non-stop US political turmoil, I decided to seek comfort in Mr. Smith’s political journey.

I was taken aback watching Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. While there was sentiment in this cinema classic, it is heartfelt. What really surprised me was how strongly the political corruption was portrayed, and how powerful still is Mr. Smith's disillusionment with the system. The latter is especially so when he collapses on the senate floor, and only then is there a positive resolution. 

In Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’s last act, the naïve senator is railroaded by corrupt politicians, and it is great story telling. While some of the David and Goliath aspects of Smith and his young supporters versus the aging fat cats might be considered corny, there have been similar real life incidents in recent US election cycles that show dirty tricks haven't changed all that much: biased press inciting the masses, running the opposition literally off the road, and treating the opposition with aggressive strong arm tactics. 

James Stewart and Jean Arthur make a marvelous team in 1939's
"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

The political story of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is surprisingly in-depth and adult. The scene where Washington insider Clarissa Saunders explains the cycle of creating a bill to Jefferson Smith is snappy and priceless. The opening, with a death of a politician, the first concern is who will replace him! Young Mr. Smith’s tour of the Washington monuments might make you feel downright patriotic. The scene where Smith is thrown under the bus in the Senate to deflect blame for corruption feels very current. And when Jefferson goes to lick his wounds at the Lincoln Memorial, with Saunders touched by Smith’s tears, it is genuinely affecting. So rare for an actor of this era to show his emotions, but that was one of James Stewart’s strengths as an actor. And of course, Stewart’s great monologue, where he filibusters to make his voice heard, and innocence believed. This set piece is very powerful, which we just witnessed the power of a filibuster in real life, recently.

James Stewart gives his heart and soul to the role of Jefferson Smith in 1939's
comedy-drama, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

The entire cast of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is terrific. In the title role as Jefferson Smith, this is the embodiment of James Stewart's screen persona. Director Frank Capra cast him because he immediately saw that Stewart’s small town genuineness was perfect for everyman Smith. Jimmy is authentic throughout, as his character is put through the wringer. Movie making in 1939 was considered the peak year in film. In any other year, Stewart would have won the Best Actor Oscar. He got a makeup award the next year for The Philadelphia Story. But hey, that guy who played Rhett Butler lost out in ’39, too!

Jean Arthur plays pragmatic yet spirited reporter Clarissa Saunders, who comes to
 believe in James Stewart's new senator, in 1939's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Jean Arthur plays the experienced, pragmatic reporter and performs in an understated style, rather than the quirky fusspots she later played. Jean’s nervous energy plays well against Stewart’s laid-back demeanor. Arthur’s Clarissa Saunders has a subtle character trajectory, going from cynical disbelief of innocent Smith to admiring his integrity, to falling in love with him. Jean plays each phase beautifully without a false note.

Frank Capra’s perennial favorites are here: This is Jean Arthur’s third time as a Capra leading lady; there’s Thomas Mitchell as Arthur’s fellow reporter; H.B. Warner as a politician; Edward Arnold, perfectly cast as charismatic but corrupt businessman named James Taylor; and Beulah Bondi’s first time out as Jimmy’s Ma. Stewart appeared in three Capra film, and like the later It’s a Wonderful Life, he's serenaded with Auld Langsyne. 

Beulah Bondi is once again Jimmy Stewart's loving Ma in 1939's comedy-drama,
"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Capra always had marvelous ensemble casts in his films, this may be the best: Guy Kibbee as the pliable politician who surprises by picking Stewart’s Jefferson Smith as the next senator; Harry Carey, so wryly expressive as the president of the Senate; Eugene Pallette, very funny as Chick, who’s in charge of herding Smith; and best of all, Claude Rains as Senator Joseph Paine, who was best friends with Smith’s father, but is now conflicted between corruption and conscience. Rains gets to run the gamut in his juicy supporting role: subtle, grand, gentle, glib, charming, rotten—everything! My only criticism with Claude is that his hair was dyed a distractingly snow white. At almost 50, Rains was still 20 years older than Stewart, believable enough as a contemporary of Smith’s father. Finally, look for a very young Jack Carson as a reporter.

Whose idea was it to dye Claude Rains hair snow white at 50 for his role in
1939's comedy-drama, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?"

There was a fair amount of location shooting for the era in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and the images are powerful. In particular, those of James Stewart gazing at Abraham Lincoln—two lanky icons! This entire sequence evokes some powerful feelings. The meticulous reproduction of the senate chamber is striking, a most impressive and convincing set. The script is filled with memorable lines, several worth repeating today! Sidney Buchman and Myles Connolly were Mr. Smith’s screenwriters.

Two icons gaze at each other in 1939's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

I love this scene, where Jimmy Stewart looks on in awe at the Lincoln Memorial,
in 1939's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

At just over two hours, Mr. Smith sags just a bit in the middle. The Jean Arthur and Thomas Mitchell quasi-romance could have been trimmed a bit. And that cutesy bit with Stewart’s Smith continually dropping his hat in front of Senator Paine’s glamorous daughter is a bit much.

Frank Capra, an Italian immigrant who hailed America, created a great movie with Mr. Smith, about how the fight for democracy is never-ending. While the homespun aspects of this story might put some viewers off, the bigger picture of Capra’s storytelling still resonates deeply. Even for those who call his work “Capra-corn” or naively populist, well, the man had his point of view. And Frank Capra expressed it skillfully in his work.

James Stewart with director Frank Capra at the Lincoln Memorial
for a scene in 1939's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

The machinations of monopolies, big business buying politicians, and dissenters getting crushed, all seems very familiar and timely, sad to say. To get his message across, Capra wisely didn’t pin identifying labels on the crooked politicians and money men.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was promoted and hailed as Capra’s best work in 1939. For once, the Hollywood hyperbole was correct. This indeed was Frank’s last film that was both critically and commercially successful. He had more money makers later, but very few critical hits. One film that was underrated at the time later became his signature film, It’s a Wonderful Life.

"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" was indeed director Frank Capra's greatest hit!

Here’s my look at Frank Capra’s American version of A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2016/12/its-wonderful-life-still-has-wonder-70.html

And here’s Jean Arthur, where this time she’s the idealistic politician, visiting war-torn Berlin, in Billy Wilder’s comedy-drama, A Foreign Affair: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2023/05/billy-wilders-adult-foreign-affair-1948.html

 

Jimmy Stewart was perfectly cast as the idealistic new senator, Jefferson Smith,
in 1939's Frank Capra classic comedy-drama, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Charm Over Chuckles in ‘It Happened One Night’ 1934

Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert on the road to romance: "It Happened One Night."

A year after its release, 1934’s It Happened One Night swept the Oscars on February 27, 1935—Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Writer—a feat seldom duplicated. As of January 1, 2025, at age 65, I had never seen this classic, except for clips. I then watched Night twice and these are my takeaways.

The big surprise for me was that I thought It Happened One Night was a straight up comedy, but it's really a humorous but heartfelt slice of life during America’s Depression era. The runaway bride is a screwball comedy staple, for sure. Yet it’s more about the rich girl, Ellie Andrews, rubbing elbows with everyday people, like fired reporter Peter Warne. Night then becomes a romantic “road” movie, as well.

"It Happened One Night" was made on a modest budget but became a popular hit.

There are some famous comedic moments: The society girl jumping off the family yacht, the motel blanket “walls of Jericho,” the girl hitching her skirt to hitch a ride, and the bride bolting from the altar. But there really aren't any hilarious lines and the scenes that I just mentioned brought a smile to my face, but no outright chuckles—and I have a good sense of humor.

The walls of Jericho provide a blanket of privacy in 1934's "It Happened One Night."

Considered one of the big screwball comedies, It Happened One Night was directed by Frank Capra, who directed a few, like You Can’t Take It with You and Arsenic and Old Lace. Frankly, I don’t find It Happened One Night a “screwball” type comedy—not like the antic My Man Godfrey or Bringing Up Baby. There are elements, but they’re pretty mild, not wild. Also, for a comedy of this era, it’s a bit leisurely at an hour and forty five minutes. Twentieth Century, My Man Godfrey, and Nothing Sacred all clocked in at around 90 minutes.

Many have noted that It Happened One Night may be the first rom-com, where the leads are at odds, while also attracted to one another. What’s typical is that nearly a century later it’s still almost always the woman who’s the flake or a spoiled brat who needs to be taken down a notch or two, and the strong man who just softens up with love. One of the few times that the roles were reversed was Cher and Nicolas Cage in Moonstruck—though I’m sure there have been others.

Director Frank Capra with stars Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert.

Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert were in their first flush of stardom by 1934. Both proved adept at comedic acting here, and already played romantic and serious roles. It Happened One Night was by turns a comedy, a romance, and with some dramatic moments. Clark and Claudette were triple threats in this classic.

Claudette Colbert as the bride about to bolt, with father Walter Connolly,
in 1934's "It Happened One Night."

Claudette Colbert, with her crescent moon eyebrows and Betty Boop makeup, is the perfect comedic doll, balanced by her natural intelligence and class. Colbert’s large, expressive eyes, especially when she realizes she’s in love with the hard-nosed reporter, are well-utilized by the star. Clark Gable was still a lean young movie star in Night. While Gable’s not so skilled in his comic drunk scenes, he’s naturalistic in his dramatic as well as comedic scenes. The two stars play in a modern style that still makes this movie watchable today.

Clark Gable at his youthful peak, in 1934's "It Happened One Night."

This is really a two character film, Gable’s reporter and Colbert’s rich girl. There are some great character actors who show up for one scene—Alan Hale, Sr., Ward Bond, etc. Colbert has her irascible millionaire father (Walter Connolly), Gable has his ornery editor (Charles C. Wilson). But they are all window dressing for the two leads on the road to romance.

Audiences made this movie a hit with word of mouth, perhaps because they saw themselves and their lives depicted realistically on the screen. Also, It Happened One Night was considered risqué back in the day, and was released before the July 1934 clamp down of the enforced censorship code for films.

Claudette Colbert's rich girl shows know-it-all reporter Clark Gable how to get a lift,
in 1934's "It Happened One Night."

I think this movie was a refreshing change of pace for its time and it’s why It Happened One Night swept the Oscars that year. It's interesting that Gable beat William Powell's first time as Nick Charles in The Thin Man, which led to a long-running movie series. Or that Myrna Loy wasn't even nominated as Nora Charles! And that Bette Davis was a write-in for her career changer, Of Human Bondage. 

How was it that Claudette Colbert thought she wouldn’t win the Oscar? Her only official competition was MGM’s perennial nominee Norma Shearer and opera singer Grace Moore. It Happened One Night was released with little fanfare in February 1934, to mixed-to-good notices. But by Oscar night a year later, the sleeper comedy had become a huge hit with the public. Colbert still departed by train for a long-overdue vacation only to be brought back when she won, accepting her Oscar in a Travis Banton traveling suit.

Shirley Temple gives Claudette Colbert her Best Actress Oscar.

The cinematography by Joseph Walker is beautiful, this artist worked on nearly all of Capra's films. The outdoor night scenes or the rain sparkling on the bus and motel windows, are just exquisite. The script by Robert Riskin is bright and clever, depicting people of all variety. And Frank Capra’s direction is warm and character-driven, Capra at his best.

It Happened One Night has a lasting charm, with characters that feel quite real, quite an accomplishment for a movie that happened nearly one century ago!

The walls of Jericho, about to come down, in 1934's "It Happened One Night."

Here’s Clark Gable, a quarter of a century later, playing another rough around the edges reporter, out to get a story and the leading lady, this time Doris Day, in Teacher’s Pet. My take here: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2022/04/teachers-pet-1958.html

 

Here's Clark Gable a quarter of a century later, in 1958's "Teacher's Pet."

 

'It's a Wonderful Life' Still Has Wonder 1946

'It's a Wonderful Life' opens and closes with a Christmas theme.

It’s a Wonderful Life has been revered—and occasionally reviled—from about every angle. What’s left to say about this 1946 film, about a suicidal man and his guardian angel, which went from half-forgotten to holiday favorite?

The Baileys wonder if they should go back to the bank!

I can only add that It’s a Wonderful Life, along with a few other favorite films, was an important part of my childhood. As an adult, I haven’t watched the movie every year like I did as a kid. When I do watch, I see Hollywood storytelling at its best. And that beneath the story’s sentiment is the slightly melancholy message that each person matters in this world.

It’s a Wonderful Life is a movie that started popping on local TV across the US in the early 1970s, when the rights fell into public domain. Our family first started watching it in on the afternoon movie. Our Upper Michigan TV channel ran old films during the week for 90 whopping minutes, before the local news. Since It’s a Wonderful Life ran 130 minutes, it had to be aired on two days.

George & Mary Bailey of Bedford Falls. This was Donna Reed's first starring role.

During my upbringing, Life was a welcome tradition in our family. Our Manistique family related to small-town Bedford Falls, with its poor, working-class people. We loved the familiar faces of the cast—hey look, there’s Grandma Walton playing a bank customer! We loved to hate Bedford Falls own Scrooge, Mr. Potter. And we really loved the fantasy look at Bedford Falls as Potterville, when George Bailey gets his wish that he’d had never been born. And like The Wizard of Oz, us smarty pants Gould kids never tired of the story, in fact, we enjoyed the repetition and pointing out the movie’s miniscule details.

Drew Barrymore's great-uncle Lionel as Mr. Potter!

As an adult, I fell away from watching It’s a Wonderful Life because it hadn’t yet been hailed as a re-discovered holiday classic, and was still run on afternoon movie shows. I have caught Life a few times in the last couple decades, and while nostalgia certainly figures into my feelings, I still find It’s a Wonderful Life an incredibly moving as well as entertaining movie. The film is the American counterpart of A Christmas Carol.

Director Frank Capra has often been criticized as a filmmaker version of artist Norman Rockwell. While there’s truth to that comparison, both men were meticulous artists and suffered from depression, which made their optimistic work a bit dark around the edges at times. In Capra’s case, both he and star Jimmy Stewart had come back from World War II changed men. They weren’t sure what kind of films they wanted to make. Capra was intrigued by a story about an ordinary man who still had a great impact on the people around him. Stewart was interested, but no longer wanted to play the folksy good old boy roles that made him famous.

Gloria Grahame played Violet, Bedford Falls bad girl with a heart of gold.

It’s a Wonderful Life had its critics upon its Christmas 1946 release and beyond, citing Capra’s sentimental whimsy as naïve in post-war America. Ironically, though Life wasn’t the flop that legend has it—as was said of The Wizard of Oz—yet audiences found the story depressing. Like Oz, Life was a costly film to make, and despite some good reviews and Oscar nominations, was not a great comeback movie for the director and star. And as the case with Oz, television is the medium that made Life a classic, a perennial favorite.

What I enjoy about It’s a Wonderful Life is that the film has the greatest qualities of old-time Hollywood film-making. Yes, it’s sentimental and the plot hinges on chance—every time George Bailey tries to bail out of Bedford Falls, something life-changing happens and he gets pulled back home. But I have no patience for today’s movie watchers who criticize past cinematic conventions by today’s standards, as if to demonstrate their coolness. I find it ridiculous that at least two generations of moviegoers, whose movie diet is mostly big-screen cartoons, can’t tolerate another era’s movies, because they’re not believable. It’s called suspension of disbelief, people.

George Bailey is not feeling so wonderful about his life.

In fact, in It’s a Wonderful Life, Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey is not always such a wonderful guy. George is bored with small-town life and longs to travel the world. But Bailey’s sense of obligation keeps him tied to the family banking business due to his father’s death, financial mismanagement, and WWII. Stewart truly should have won an Oscar for his multi-layered portrayal of George Bailey, a decent everyman frustrated by his lot in life. Stewart is not always saintly. Think of the scene where George calls upon Mary, at the insistence of his mother. With interference from her mother and rival Sam Wainwright calling, Bailey rails at poor Mary about not getting tied-down to the same small town and woman. The scene is emotionally heart-felt, despite being one of the least romantic proposals in movie history. Or how about the scene where George’s befuddled Uncle Billy loses the bank’s money? Again, Stewart is no saint, ranting that he won’t take the fall. This is capped by the disturbing domestic scene—especially for a ‘40s movie—where Jimmy’s George Bailey takes his frustrations out on his entire family, before bailing to the nearest bar.

Thomas Mitchell, Scarlett O' Hara's dad, plays Uncle Billy.

Life is a great example of old-style filmmaking where all the threads of the story come together and create a beautiful piece of storytelling. All the strands of George Bailey’s life and the people who know him come together memorably. Which is the point of It’s a Wonderful Life: each person’s life has an effect on another.

H.B. Warner & Robert J. Anderson as the bereaved druggist and young George. 

What I’ve always loved about this Frank Capra classic is that the brilliant casting. Capra was famous for starring American icons like Jimmy Stewart or Gary Cooper in his films and surrounding them with great character actors. It’s a Wonderful Life has one of the best ensembles in film history. Aside from Stewart in his signature role, Life gave Donna Reed her first starring role. Reed’s ideal as the girl next door, warm and real. Lionel Barrymore is one of movie’s great villains as Bedford Falls’ rich and rotten Mr. Potter. Thomas Mitchell, famous as Scarlett O’Hara’s father in Gone with the Wind, plays his other most famous role as alcoholic, forgetful Uncle Billy. Beulah Bondi, often cast in maternal roles, has her most famous mother as Mrs. Bailey. Her warm presence makes the later scene where she harshly doesn’t recognize son George most startling. Gloria Grahame got her first break as small town vixen Violet. H.B. Warner, famous in the silents as Jesus in King of Kings, does a heartbreaking turn as Mr. Gower, the drunk druggist. The intense scene where young George Bailey makes Gower realize he’s accidentally poisoned a prescription always makes me tear up. Robert J. Anderson is naturally appealing as young George—unlike many child stars of the era. Ward Bond and Frank Faylen were so likeable as Bedford Falls’ Bert and Ernie that Sesame Street named two of their puppets in their honor!

Henry Travers' turn as Clarence didn't even get an Oscar nod!

Of course, the scene stealer of It’s a Wonderful Life is Henry Travers as Clarence, the angel in need of wings. Travers was a popular working actor, but Life was the cherry on top of long career—he retired from acting just three years later.

To George Bailey, the richest man in Bedford Falls!

Given the acting style of classic Hollywood, the film’s entire cast, from the stars down to the bit roles, is remarkably natural. This great acting ensemble, along with Frank Capra’s superb storytelling, is why It’s a Wonderful Life has stayed in the hearts and minds of audiences for 70 years.

Here's another holiday themed movie with James Stewart and the great Carole Lombard, as struggling newlyweds in Made For Each Other, my look here: 

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/01/lombard-stewart-are-made-for-each-other.html