*Spoilers.*
A few days ago I watched this movie for the first time. We were at my niece-in-law’s and it is her family tradition to watch it so I was glad to watch this classic. After about 15 minutes in I was floored. I can’t recall a movie that makes altruism the moral ideal in such concrete and clear terms. The movie is not ambiguous with regard to George Bailey’s motivations and actions. As the movie progresses, it becomes obvious that Bailey is truly sacrificing his life for others.
The climax occurs when Bailey returns home after having a bad day at work and starts yelling at his wife and children and destroying models he built of a bridge and a building, essentially destroying his dream of becoming an architect. It was at this point that I became really engaged thinking “Yes! Now we are seeing why altruism is evil. How will this be resolved?”
Sadly, it gets “resolved” in the most absurd way. Poor George can’t even kill himself because of his altruist nature. After the angel shows him a world without altruism, a world in which alcohol and show girls abound and meanness is the normal human interaction, George sees the error of his ways and comes to understand that sacrifice is necessary to make a wonderful world and a wonderful life.
If you haven’t watched this movie I highly suggest it. Watching it is a good exercise in philosophical detection which is the only value I can see in it at this point.
As for me, I don’t know if I will watch it again. I find such classics as “Christmas Vacation” and “A Christmas Story” much more enjoyable.
