Any list of the best and most important Christmas movies would be incomplete without at least mentioning It’s a Wonderful Life. You can list countless films over the last eighty years that have been well-shot, well-acted, and well-directed, but there’s something about the complex characters and themes of purpose and meaning in It’s a Wonderful Life that continue to ring true, even today.
George Bailey’s descent into despair and questioning his very existence is one of the most iconic character arcs in modern storytelling. His delayed and forgotten dreams, his perceived failure because of Mr. Potter’s deceptions, and his continued stress and anxiety from the pressures of work and fatherhood all make him a relatable and often tragic character.
Bailey’s dark night of the soul also forces us to examine our own desire for justice and peace.
As the second week of Advent begins, we’re reminded that the arrival of Jesus means peace—peace for the world and for those of us who live in it. The prophet Isaiah foretells this arrival, declaring that Jesus will be called a “Prince of Peace.”
One of the most enduring truths of It’s a Wonderful Life is that life isn’t always wonderful. Even if he’s pessimistic at times, George Bailey tries to do things honestly—yet it seems he continues to be punished for his virtue. He watches as “evil,” personified by Mr. Potter, continues to thrive and succeed while he, himself, seems to always suffer.
The Gospel of Luke records a song of Mary after she learns she’s bearing the savior of the world, traditionally called “The Magnificat.” Thinking of the impact of the child in her womb, she magnifies the Lord, declaring that, “He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.”
Mary is dreaming of a future where the hungry are fed, the proud are humbled, and the greed of the rich is stemmed—but she’s also admitting that all of these injustices are real. The Magnificat and It’s a Wonderful Life are both brutally honest about the lack of peace in our world. Even on this side of the cross and redemption, there’s still sin, fallenness, and brokenness in our world. Can Christmas really bring us peace?
Despite “not being a praying man,” George Bailey prays for help in his moment of greatest despair. We won’t go into the theological implications of Clarence, the “angel, second-class,” but his arrival helps George realize that he’s looking at things all wrong. To spoil a very old movie, the conclusion of the film shows that George Bailey’s honest, self-sacrificing life had dramatic significance, far beyond his own limited perspective.
As we pause to reflect on the Advent season, we’re reminded that our perspectives can be limited too. Even if sometimes we can struggle to believe it, God is in the business of creating peace on our earth. He’s filling “the hungry with good things,” as Mary prays. With the arrival of Jesus—God incarnate—the full redemption of our sinful and fallen world began, a redemption and peace that we, as His church, have the privilege to help usher into the world.
Here’s a question you could use to kickstart—or continue—a conversation: When do you feel like Christmastime is peaceful? When is it not peaceful?