Wonder and Cruelty: Ontological War in Its a Wonderful Life

(Hardback)

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Its a Wonderful Life is an American film classic celebrated for its inspirational character. Famously shown during the holiday season, it brings families together in the spirit of mutual love and support. It tells the story of George Bailey, who turns suicidal one Christmas Eve after decades of frustration and sacrifice in which his dreams are repeatedly shattered for the good of others. George is convinced that his life is anything but wonderful. Enter Clarence, his guardian angel, who must find a way to get George to appreciate his family, friends, and all the good he does in life. Clarence does find a way and George returns to his family at films close. This might seem like a fairy-tale ending, but it is anything but convincing, which should come as no surprise since the film rehearses an ontological war between contending parties with rival conceptions of what it means to lead a meaningful life. It is a rather one-sided conflict as George finds himself more or less alone in the world. He has been trying to escape his hometown his entire life in order to pursue his Promethean vision in the wider world. To prevent this, God dispatches Clarence to get George to heel. He resorts to a kind of transcendental terrorism to force George to return home and believe it was his own idea. Yet what does it say about a form of life when it resorts to such means to prevail in an existential contest From a Nietzschean perspective, it is possible to illuminate the films extraordinary cruelty. Despite appearances, Georges restoration is temporary at best and there is every reason to believe that eventually he will try to take his life again. Tragically, George must leave Bedford Falls and those who love him must insist that he go.

Reviews

In Wonder and Cruelty, Steven Johnston offers a bold new interpretation of Its A Wonderful Life. Rather than a heartwarming tale celebrating good deeds, the film is a cruel tragedy, showcasing a man forced to affirm a life he finds both repressive and despairing. It depicts a war over the meaning of a life worth living. Wonder and Cruelty is indispensable for anyone interested in Hollywood film and the politics of tragedy. -- Elisabeth Anker, The George Washington University
Steve Johnstons masterful new interpretation of Its a Wonderful Life makes this old, familiar classic troublingly unfamiliar and compelling by revealing the films deep cruelty and highlighting the tragic depths of George Baileys existential crisis. Johnstons writing evokes scenes we think we know by heart, but draws attention to details easily overlooked that reveal an ontological battle between the slave morality of Pottersville and Baileys irrepressible will to power. Instead of dreading the eternal recurrence of the Christmas movie season, this book has me looking forward to watching the film again! -- Michaele L. Ferguson, University of Colorado, Boulder
Wonder and Cruelty brings Steven Johnstons account of political tragedy to bear on one of the touchstones of American political nostalgia, Frank Capras film, Its a Wonderful Life. Paying scrupulous attention to the narrative, sound, and cinematic texture of the film, Johnston powerfully exposes the cruelty of this classic film: Georges frustrations, Marys tenuous victories, and Clarences acts of existential bullying. Johnston illuminates the films inability to fully hide the tragedy of George and Mary Bailey, and, moreover, he offers a provocative way forward for the Baileys and for his readers. This brilliant book forever changes how the reader will view this beloved film and, more importantly, how we can live with the tragic narratives of our own lives. -- Char Miller, George Mason University

Author Bio

Steven Johnston is Neal A. Maxwell Presidential Chair at the University of Utah.