I hate thinking this at the time and I hate saying it now.
It's a Wonderful Life is my mom's favorite movie. We watch it every year around Christmas. I don't mean to warp its message in any way. That belongs to her, and I intend to keep it that way.
But I can't deny the emotions one scene stirs up in me. When George comes home in a near panic after Uncle Billy misplaces a large sum of money belonging to the Building & Loan’s clients — money Potter has essentially kept to ruin him.
He’s completely dysregulated. Snapping at the kids, yelling at his wife Mary, blowing up over small things, even snatching the phone from her to scream at Mrs. Welch, Zuzu’s teacher.
After yet another outburst:
It’s an effectively ugly and painful scene, especially because we know George is fundamentally a good, decent man.
What pains me is that when I was the age of those children, that kind of behavior was normal in my home.
There was no Mary around to stand up for me in moments like that. Nobody to point out that I, a small child, was intimidated by a much larger adult who had in fact harmed me in the past. The behavior was normalized and accepted. Even at that young of an age, I understood that if my father exhibited any sign of irritation, I was to stay out of the way. Both physically and socially.
How those children in the scene don't recognize his anger boiling up beforehand — how they stay present, seen, sometimes in George’s way — makes me posture defensively, in anticipation for their wellbeing.
In my case, all of the protection was reserved for my father, who, admittedly, was going through some hard times like George Bailey. But unlike in the movie, it was prolonged, and tolerated.
I love my parents. I don't think they're bad people, nor a failure in any form. I wouldn’t have anything without them, not even my life.
But I just had to get this off my chest. The movie depicts George's outburst as extraordinary and unusual behavior. I grew up witnessing it, and expecting it.
Thank you to anyone who read this far.
Source I used for the screenplay transcript: https://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/wonderfullife.html
But I can't deny the emotions one scene stirs up in me. When George comes home in a near panic after Uncle Billy misplaces a large sum of money belonging to the Building & Loan’s clients — money Potter has essentially kept to ruin him.
He’s completely dysregulated. Snapping at the kids, yelling at his wife Mary, blowing up over small things, even snatching the phone from her to scream at Mrs. Welch, Zuzu’s teacher.
After yet another outburst:
The room has suddenly become ominously quiet, the only SOUND being George's labored breathing. George goes over to a corner of the room where his workshop is set up — a drawing table, several models of modern buildings, bridges, etc. Savagely he kicks over the models, picks up some books and hurls them into the corner. Mary and the children watch, horrified. George looks around and sees them staring at him as if he were some unknown wild animal. The three children are crying.
Mary and the children stare at him, stunned by his furious outburst. There is silence in the room.
Janie breaks into sobs.
The sight of Mary and the children suffering is too much for George.
He looks around him, then quickly goes out the front door of the house.
GEORGE (gasping for breath)
I'm sorry, Mary, Janie. I'm sorry. I didn't mean... you go on and practice. Pete, I owe you an apology, too. I'm sorry. What do you want to know?
PETE (holding back his tears)
Nothing, Daddy.
Mary and the children stare at him, stunned by his furious outburst. There is silence in the room.
GEORGE
What's the matter with everybody? Janie, go on. I told you to practice. (shouts) Now, go on, play!
Janie breaks into sobs.
JANIE
Oh, Daddy...
MARY (in an outburst)
George, why must you torture the children? Why don't you...
The sight of Mary and the children suffering is too much for George.
GEORGE
Mary...
He looks around him, then quickly goes out the front door of the house.
It’s an effectively ugly and painful scene, especially because we know George is fundamentally a good, decent man.
What pains me is that when I was the age of those children, that kind of behavior was normal in my home.
There was no Mary around to stand up for me in moments like that. Nobody to point out that I, a small child, was intimidated by a much larger adult who had in fact harmed me in the past. The behavior was normalized and accepted. Even at that young of an age, I understood that if my father exhibited any sign of irritation, I was to stay out of the way. Both physically and socially.
How those children in the scene don't recognize his anger boiling up beforehand — how they stay present, seen, sometimes in George’s way — makes me posture defensively, in anticipation for their wellbeing.
In my case, all of the protection was reserved for my father, who, admittedly, was going through some hard times like George Bailey. But unlike in the movie, it was prolonged, and tolerated.
I love my parents. I don't think they're bad people, nor a failure in any form. I wouldn’t have anything without them, not even my life.
But I just had to get this off my chest. The movie depicts George's outburst as extraordinary and unusual behavior. I grew up witnessing it, and expecting it.
Thank you to anyone who read this far.
Source I used for the screenplay transcript: https://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/wonderfullife.html
