It's a Wonderful Life!

Who was George Bailey?

George Bailey, his wife Mary and their children. Credit: Corbis via Getty Images

Merry Christmas!!

It’s a Wonderful Life is my favorite Christmas movie by a long-shot. I think I might have watched it over 1,000 times in my life. I remember watching it in my grandfathers basement, the fire flickering off the wood paneling, my grandfather asleep in his rocking recliner. When I was in high school my dad finished our basement and got us a big screen tv, and one of the first movies I remember watching was It’s a Wonderful Life. The lights dimmed, leaning back in our new recliners, it was always a joy to watch. No matter how old I got it wasn’t Christmas until I watched George Bailey navigate the corrupt and unforgiving world of Bedford Falls. I’ve watched George so much it feels like I know him.

So who was George Bailey?

As a child George was a passionate leader in his friend group. When his kid brother, Harry Bailey, fell through the ice, George, only 12 rushed in and saved him. George carried around a National Geographic magazine and would share his dreams of exploration with confidence and joy. George was never afraid to do the right thing. When he was working for the local Pharmacist Mr. Gower, who was drunk after learning about the death of his son, mixed up medicine and sent George to deliver poison as medicine. George did what any right minded dutiful son would do and rushed to his father for advice, however his father was too busy dealing with the corrupt Mr. Potter to help. George, unsure what to do goes back to the pharmacy. Mr. Gower is upset he didn’t deliver the pills and starts hitting George, causing his ear to bleed. George while getting beat says “Mr. Gower you don’t know what you’re doing, you put something wrong in those capsules.” Mr Gower hears George’s voice through the tears and realizes what he’s done. He then begins to hug and thank George.

George the dutiful son, after high school worked for his father at the Building and Loan, a community financial institution that specialized in safety deposits and mortgages. After 4 years George was ready to travel and go off to college, his father wanted him to stay but, George needed to be his own man. George’s father respected his sons hard work and recognized and supported his need for independence. George’s plan of exploration never got off the ground, before he was set to leave his father had a stroke and died. George canceled his travel plans to help the Building and Loan handle the transition. After weeks of work, at the final meeting George realizes that Mr. Potter is going to use his capital (power) to destroy the Building and Loan, George stands up to him in front of the other board members. The board sides with George, but only if he comes on as President. George is worried about all the people in the community who will suffer if he doesn’t stay on, all the homes Potter will foreclose on, all the people who will be reduced to a number on a piece of paper. George decides to stay.

We can’t get a complete picture of George without also taking a look at Mary and his courtship of her. George and Mary connected the night his father had the stroke. It was that night Mary fell in love with George, they danced and sang together, and shared their dreams with each other. George promised to lasso the moon for Mary, but their paths were heading in different directions. She left for school and George stayed behind to run the Building and Loan. The night George promised to lasso the moon, he was excited to chase his dreams, he was confident, respectful and caring. Four years later, stuck in the same crummy town of Bedford Falls, running the Building and Loan tamed his passions of travel and education but not Mary. This time when he sees her he’s not confident, but insecure. She’s seeking his attention but he isn’t focused on her, he’s focused on his failures. George try’s to fight his feelings by deflecting and lashing out, but no one looks at him the way she does, no one makes him feel more complete when he is broken than she does. George lowers his guards and lets Mary in.

George and Mary get married, they buy her dream house on Sycamore street, and have four kids. George settles in at the Building and Loan and grows comfortable as a leader in his community against the corrupt corporate power of Mr. Potter. George and the Building and Loan represent labor and the working class people, Mr. Potter and his Banks represents capital and a corporate way of life that is unforgiving. It’s not the life George dreamt of in his youth but it’s the one he was given, and he loves serving his community. Around this time George’s forgetful uncle Peter has an interaction with Mr. Potter at the bank while making an $8,000 deposit. Peter is gloating about Harry Bailey receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service during WWII, he shot down two planes about to crash into a transport, saving the men on board. He takes Mr. Potters paper and unfurls it to show the picture of Harry with the President, when he hands it back he also hands him the envelope with the $8,000 inside. Mr. Potter finds the money and keeps it. Peter is left scrambling and when he tells George it throws him into a spiral.

All the sudden George’s life is turned upside down, the man who’s never been afraid to do the right thing is now faced with prospect of scandal, prison, and failure. George begins to crack under the pressure. He lets his insecurities show, he lashes out at his wife and children. He looks like a madman throwing a tantrum screaming and yelling. His wife is disappointed and his children are frightened. His daughter ZuZu caught and cold and when her teacher calls to check on her George deflects his anger, blaming her for ZuZu’s cold. The rational side of George is struggling for control and the emotional side has taken over. He goes to see Mr. Potter for the money and is ready to make a deal with the devil to save himself, but George can’t do it and storms out. George finds himself at the local pub Martini’s, he drowns himself in cheap liquor hoping to forget his problems. Driving home he wrecks his car into a tree, with heavy snow falling he makes his way to the bridge, he climbs up and is contemplating jumping into the river below and leaving it all behind. Just then an Angel jumps in to save George, and as predicted, George jumps into save the Angel.

Back at shore, while drying off George wishes he were never born. The Angel grants his wish. George is transported from the crummy little town of Bedford Falls to the sin-filled town of Pottersville. In a world where George was never born there is no check to the corporate power of Mr. Potter. The town is now filled with night clubs and dancing girls where everything is for sale including your soul. In this world Harry dies in the lake and never saves the men on the transport, in this world Mr. Gower goes to prison for poising a child, in this world his love Mary doesn’t know his name and his children were never born. In granting his wish the Angel shows George his value by showing him his impact on the world. George suddenly wants to live again, for his wife recognize him and to hold his children in his arms. His house is a work in progress, his children are nosey, and the bank is closing in on him, but with his new perspective he’s just happy to be alive.

Back in Bedford Falls George is happy to see his wife and children again. While he was gone the press and investigators arrived at his house. Instead of being filled with worry and discontent, he is filled with love and joy. While he was gone Mary called around and rallied help from the community. People from all over showed up to help George in his time of need, they raised the $8,000 and more for the Building and Loan.

George Bailey was a first born who was running from himself and his father trying to carve his own path. He didn’t live life he wanted, but he grew happy in life he was given. Independent and compassionate his greatest strengths were his greatest weaknesses. He could stand up for the little guy, but struggled to stand up for himself. He was was looking to help others, but he didn’t know how to accept help for himself. He was saved by his reflection and the love from his wife who taught him to how to accept help. In the end, the community George worked so hard for was there for him and he they helped another Angel get his wings.

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If you listen to the podcast you’ve heard me talk about ChatGPT and how much fun it is to play with. So I asked ChatGPT to write an essay on George Bailey.

My instructions: Write an essay on George Bailey the man.

George Bailey is a character from the classic holiday film "It's a Wonderful Life." He is a complex and multifaceted character who embodies the virtues of hard work, loyalty, and selflessness.

At the start of the film, we see George as a young man with big dreams of traveling the world and experiencing all that life has to offer. However, he is forced to put his own desires aside and take over the family business, the Bailey Building and Loan, after his father passes away. Despite his initial reluctance, George takes on the challenge with determination and a sense of duty to his community.

Throughout the film, we see George's selflessness as he continually puts the needs of others before his own. He works tirelessly to keep the Building and Loan afloat during the Great Depression, even going so far as to mortgage his own home to keep the business going. He also helps countless families in Bedford Falls achieve the dream of homeownership, often at great personal cost to himself.

In addition to his dedication to his work, George is also a loyal husband and father. Despite his initial reservations about marrying Mary Hatch, he eventually falls in love with her and they start a family together. Despite the many challenges they face, George remains committed to his wife and children, always striving to provide for them and give them the best life possible.

Despite his many virtues, George is not without his flaws. He is often quick to anger and can be short-sighted at times. However, it is clear that these flaws are outweighed by his many good qualities. He is a kind and compassionate man who truly cares about the well-being of others.

In conclusion, George Bailey is a complex and multidimensional character who embodies the virtues of hard work, loyalty, and selflessness. He is a man who is dedicated to his family, his community, and his work, and who always puts the needs of others before his own.

Who wants to compare and contrast our essays?