Well, it is that time of year again... The time that I invariably catch the remarkable, incomparable Jimmy Stewart in one of his landmark roles for the big screen, Frank Capra's 1946 masterpiece "It's a Wonderful Life." I am working on a film right now that requires visual effects to provide "snow augmentation" so as I flipped channels and came across this marvelous film, I initially just stopped surfing to think about how the crew accomplished so much damned falling snow in the film. But, of course, not much more than a moment passed before I was drawn in by Stewart's amazing, frenetic, emotionally relentless performance. There is something so convincing in his eyes in this film, the performance never fails to grab me. Of course, the spirit of the time, and it's likable themes don't hurt. But man, he's just incredible isn't he? No matter the cynicism these days about the schmaltz of the Christmas season and its overbearing commercialism, those eyes just cut right through to the heart of what Christmas means to so many people. Believing in doing the right thing. Seeing the good that comes from the struggle to achieve something morally right. People banding together to recognize and thank those who have been so generous to them in their lives. It is all that and much more.
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