‘The Heart of It’s a Wonderful Life’ Shows Why It Resonates Today
Jimmy Hawkins, a child actor in the 1946 movie, reviews how the Frank Capra work became a classic.
"The Heart of It's a Wonderful Life: How the Most Inspirational Movie of All Time Still Inspires the Spirit" by Jimmy Hawkins tells why we love the film today. Harper Horizon
One of the most beloved films of all time is Frank Capra’s 1946 gem “It’s a Wonderful Life.” But public adoration didn’t blossom until decades after its tumultuous creation and disappointing initial release.
This new book by Jimmy Hawkins details the story behind “It’s a Wonderful Life” and ruminates on why its resonance grows stronger with the passage of time. Hawkins was a 5-year-old actor when he played Tommy, the youngest child of James Stewart’s character, George Bailey.
The Story
“It’s a Wonderful Life” grew out of “The Greatest Gift,” a short story written by Philip Van Doren Stern (1900–1984). Stern self-published his work as a pamphlet in 1943 after no magazine would print it, and he mailed it as his Christmas card to 200 friends. One of the recipients was Hollywood agent Shirley Collier, who arranged for the RKO studio to buy the rights for $10,000 ($186,193 today).
Phil Hall
Author
Phil Hall is the author of 11 books, the host of the syndicated radio talk show “Nutmeg Chatter,” the editor of Weekly Real Estate News, the co-editor of Cinema Crazed, and a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, New York Daily News, Hartford Courant, Wired, The Hill, Jerusalem Post, Cowboys & Indians, Film Threat, and Wrestling Inc.
