Image quality has somewhat improved since the 1940s. The company, which released this . But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin. Title It's a Wonderful Life Year 1946 Director Frank Capra Genre Drama . Ellen Corby Smoking A Cigarette.After her stroke. Ellen Corby -- It's a Wonderful Life She was Mrs Davis at the teller window who asks for something like $17.43. & loan . Although she grew up mostly in Philadelphia, an interest in theatre led her to Atlantic City in 1932. Ellen Corby, who won three Emmys for playing the strong grandmother on the hit 1970s series "The Waltons," has died at the age of 87. . Feeling an overly religious tone didn't have the emotional impact of family and friends coming to George's rescue, Capra had the closing scenes rewritten. Pigeons, cats and dogs were allowed to roam the mammoth set to give it a lived-in feel. Some versions of this film are colorized. Grandma had a girlfriend Ellen Corby, who played strict, god-fearing Grandma Walton, was apparently a chain-smoking, cussing lesbian off the set. In fact, Barrymore had portrayed Scrooge in an annual Christmas radio broadcast since 1934 and was to have played that character in A Christmas Carol (1938), which instead starred Reginald Owen, because Barrymore was forced to withdraw due to arthritis. This is why James Stewart is visibly sweating in a few scenes. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 8.6. Some of Milner's scenes were re-shot by Joseph Walker, but due to Capra's major falling out with him early in production, Milner was not credited on screen for any work on the film. There are portraits of Potter and Peter Bailey in each other's respective offices; Peter's is a posthumous one. Her memorial site is in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California. There's also the drawing of George at his home. The actress's onscreen marriage to Will Geer (Grandpa Walton) supposedly served as a front to mask their romantic escapades. The husband and wife writing team of Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett found Frank Capra disagreeable and difficult to work with and were angered when they found he had rewritten their script. This and State of the Union (1948) were Liberty's only productions. Just before filming the sequence where the Bailey's Bedford Falls neighbors came to take their money out of the building and loan, Capra advised the future grandma on TV's "The Waltons," Ellen Corby, to ask Stewart for $17.50, half the amount that the script called for. David Newman conducts the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from Dimitri Tiomkin's reconstructed score. He wakes the kids up and Mary was getting ready to go to church. 25 year-old Donna Reed plays Mary from the age of 18 to 35. Key dollar values in 2020: The $8,000 Uncle Billy misplaces (in 1945) is worth $115,000. Ellen Corby Married To A Man But Lived With Her Girlfriend - Vizaca Both James Stewart and Donna Reed came from small towns; Stewart from Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Reed from Denison, Iowa. There's no mention of Clarence wanting wings, Mr Potter, or why George wanted to kill himself. Hooray For Hollywood. The set was razed in 1954, and only two locations survived: the gymnasium at Beverly Hills High School (which is still in operation, with a still working moving gymnasium floor) and the Martini house, at 4587 Viro Road, in what is now the city of La Caada Flintridge, then and now both locations are within Los Angeles County, California, USA. This episode was "Barney First Car.". 5 of 206. In an early script he was to be called Herbert Potter. The only one of Clifford Odets' ideas to appear in the finished script was George preventing Mr. Gower from mistakenly dispensing poison instead of medication. It's a Wonderful Life - Wikipedia Some considered Luchetta as Corby's caregiver, while others believed they were simply good friends. Under director Frank Capra's watchful eye, Stewart filmed the scene in only one unrehearsed take, and it worked so well that part of the embrace was cut because it was too passionate to pass the censors. The Waltons - The Characters - Elizabeth Walton - All About The Walton's 'The Waltons' Star Ellen Corby Was Once Married to a Man but Lived with Where Was It's A Wonderful Life Filmed? - The Cinemaholic Fun fact; both the actors who played the grandparents on The Waltons (Will Geer and Ellen Corby) were gay in real life. Old hollywood stars, Ellen corby, The waltons tv show - Pinterest The episode was hilarious! Both Walker and Biroc share credits on the film, Biroc listed above Walker. It could be "New York Gals," "Chicago Gals," or any other suitable town/city name. Here's a great example of the care that Capra took with each frame. Capra was to have invested in half of the colorization work in exchange for creative control and part ownership. When Corby's character was asked how much money she needed, she replied $17, which was in the script. His father is briefly shown with a pipe at the dinner table the night of the 1928 graduation party, but it also is not lit. Actors & Actresses . Hence the mentions of Buffalo and Rochester. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - Turner Classic Movies Frank Capra based George Bailey's character on Amadeo Giannini (more commonly known as A. P. Giannini), the founder of Bank of Italy (which became the original Bank of America) in California, also part of the present day (2020) Bank of America, who is credited as the inventor and innovator of many modern banking practices. This was the title of the 1944 story which inspired the film. Young Mary refers to "National Geographic" as "a new magazine", even though it began publishing in 1888. This misconception was immortalized in an iconic drawing, "The Elephant Man meets the Buffalo Gal," made by humorist Gary Larson around 1980, where such a creature meets a similarly misrepresented manifestation of the title The Elephant Man (1980). Both Donna Reed and Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer appeared in The Human Comedy (1943). It is never shown what happens to Mr. Potter after his attempt to frame George Bailey for embezzling the $8,000.00 Uncle Billy mistakenly placed in Mr. Potter's newspaper. Mrs. Hatch's first initials are "J.W." The Bailey Park model home is purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Martini in the movie. Virginia Patton Ruth Dakin Bailey . The pictures in the Granville house are all from George's brochures (but larger) that he threw away. It covered four acres of RKO's Encino Ranch. . In 1954, Corby met Stella Luchetta, a friend for the rest of her life. Supposedly, this town proved to be his inspiration for the fictional Bedford Falls. He knew the movie, of course, but would not have remembered the cop and the cab driver. Clarence's boss (named Franklin in the novelization, presumably named after recently deceased Franklin D. Roosevelt) describes life as "the greatest gift" in one of the opening scenes. Samuel S. Hinds Peter "Pa" Bailey Sheldon Leonard Nick Ellen Corby Miss Davis Virginia Patton Ruth Dakin Bailey Mary Treen Cousin Tilly Charles Williams Cousin Eustace Sarah Edwards Mrs. J.W. She was raised in Philadelphia and started harbouring an interest in amateur theatre when she was in high school. But the show itself would run for nine seasons along with a movie. Ellen Corby. Walter Abel, Leon Ames, Edward Arnold, George Bancroft, Edgar Barrier, Charles Bickford, Edgar Buchanan, Louis Calhern, Charles Coburn, Ray Collins, George Coulouris, Albert Dekker, Charles Dingle, Dan Duryea, Richard Gaines, Charles Halton, Henry Hull, Victor Jory, Otto Kruger, Gene Lockhart, Raymond Massey, Vincent Price, Claude Rains, Stanley Ridges and Lee Tracy were considered for Mr. Potter. In 1969 Corby was trained by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Rishikesh, India, to become a teacher of Transcendental Meditation. Warner) and a young George Bailey (Robert J. Anderson) wherein the child gets smacked, it was unfortunately not a fake . Classic Hollywood. Walter Brennan, W.C. Fields, Barry Fitzgerald, Hugh Herbert, Edward Everett Horton, Adolphe Menjou, Victor Moore, and Roland Young were considered for Uncle Billy. Director Frank Capra estimated the film would be shot within 90 days. Just prior to the first actual take, Capra took Corby aside and told her to give Stewart an odd number, thinking it would be funnier. The newspaper Bert the Cop is holding when George asks Ernie the cab driver for a ride, has the headline "Smith Wins Nomination," possibly referring to Frank Capra's and James Stewart's previous film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). Discover Ellen Corby's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Stewart's spontaneous reply was so genuine that Capra left the scene in the final film. Andy Griffith Memorial Page | Ellen Corby (Hubcaps Lesh) in It's a He kept fans glued to their TV screen and gossip columns for nine seasons before the series went off-air in 1981. The score was issued by Telarc on an album which included music from two other Christmas favorites: Miracle on 34th Street (1947) (Cyril J. Mockridge) and A Christmas Carol (1951) (Richard Addinsell). He doesn't see Harry at the party, but at his parents house. The set for Bedford Falls was constructed in two months and was one of the longest sets that had ever been made for an American movie. Capra then fired Walker, and Biroc finished the film, being promoted to cinematographer on the spot. The Granville house on sycamore would have been torn down and developed in an unborn George Bailey's Pottersville. The old iron bridge, the median down Main Street and the town's juxtaposition (among all the upstate New York cities mentioned in the film) made this a natural supposition. "It's a Wonderful Life," in which she played a depositor who withdrew a small amount of money from the beleaguered Bailey Building and Loan; the original "Sabrina," in which she was Humphrey Bogart's secretary; "Hush . The scene on the bridge where Clarence saves George was filmed on a back lot on a day where the temperature was 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The same gymnasium moving floor was used in a similar school dance scene in Whatever It Takes (2000), fifty-four years later. It's a Wonderful Life was the first film that Frank Capra and James Stewart made post-World War II. I was not able to confirm this with Jim before he died, but shortly thereafter I spoke to Jon Stone, Sesame Street (1969)'s first producer and head writer and a man largely responsible for the show's format. Every December, the town holds a "Bedford Falls" celebration in honor of the film. Filming began on April 15, 1946 and ended on July 27, 1946, exactly on schedule for the 90-day deadline. H.B. She was also nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe Award for her performance as Aunt Trina in I Remember Mama (1948). The duo remained inseparable for decades, accompanying each other on special events, award shows, and important milestones. "It's a Wonderful Life," in which she played a . This helped to create an outcry among filmmakers and their supporters that led to all subsequent colorized versions of films display a notice stating that they were not authorized by the picture's creators. Laraine Day was offered the role of Mary, but had to decline because she was already busy working on The Locket (1946). Frank Capra later re-framed and blew up the shot because he wanted to catch that expression on Stewart's face. Ellen Corby's birth sign is Gemini. In the version of this film which aired on TV in the late 1950s and early 1960s, George's line to the teacher on the phone, "What do you mean, sending her home like that half naked?," was replaced with an alternate take in which he says "What do you mean, sending my kid home from school in the rain?". Bedford Falls is a fictional town in upstate New York, as seen on the death certificate telegram received by Mr. Gower. As usual, Capra got what he wanted (from Shmoop). The car's not by the tree, but the damage is when things are back to normal. It included 75 stores and buildings, a main street, a factory district and a large residential and slum area. Miss Emily blends her beau with Ashley Jr and sometimes loses reality. Bells crop up throughout the film; in the intro music and other background music; Christmas decorations; cash registers; telephones ringing; a bell on Mr Potter's desk; the studio logo; doorbells; The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) is playing at the local cinema, etc. Ellen Corby died on Wednesday, April 14, 1999 at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif. . In an interview, the "It's a Wonderful Life" star admitted her shared bond with the boy. The genesis stemmed from a reneged deal between Frank Capra and Colorization Inc., the producers of this version. Lots of people (Ellen Corby's age) use to smoke back then. Hatch William Edmunds Giuseppe Martini Argentina Brunetti Mrs. Martini Lillian Randolph Annie Robert J. Anderson Little George Ronnie Ralph Little Sam . When George sees the alternate Mary in Pottersville, this comes to pass. Mary has a boy and a girl. Sam makes a fortune in plastics while Harry becomes an engineer at his father-in-law's glass factory. Ellen Corby Biography, Age, Height, Husband, Net Worth, Family The Legacy: Dirigido por Gwen Arner. After the film was finished, it was broadcast coast to coast by CBS and in other parts of the world by the U.S. State Department. James Stewart began laughing, and Mitchell quickly improvised, "I'm alright, I'm okay!" Ellen Hansen was born in Racine, Wisconsin, to immigrant parents from Denmark. Mr. Potter's full name is shown on his office door as Henry F. Potter. She left the show November 10, 1976, owing to a massive stroke she had suffered at home,[1] which impaired her speech and severely limited her mobility and function. James Stewart was nervous about the phone kiss scene because it was his first onscreen kiss since his return to Hollywood after the war. . He was so impressed with Stewart's emotion that he asked him to do it again so he could film it again in close-up. Stella Luchetta, of course, was Ellen Corby's life partner. Her appearance on "The Beverly Hillbilies" was not the only time "The Waltons" actress Ellen Corby appeared in a classic sitcom. For the scene that required Donna Reed to throw a rock through the window of the Granville house, director Frank Capra hired a marksman to shoot it out on cue. Corby and Luchetta met in 1954, kicking off a lasting relationship best described as "a well-known secret.". It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Ellen Corby as Ms. Davis. Henry Travers was considered for Mr. Potter, Peter Bailey and Mr. Gower before being cast as Clarence. Ellen Corby holding her glass of wine at a restaurant on September 16, 1978. Mary married someone else. She played the role of Esther "Grandma" Walton on the CBS television series The Waltons, for which she won three Emmy Awards. 3. This was very unusual for a Hollywood film of the time; the Motion Picture Production Code, popularly known as the Hays Code, after Will H. Hays, then the president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (known as the Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA] from 1945 until September 2019, and The Motion Picture Association [MPA] since 2019), also then known as the Hays Office--the film industry's censor--code required that criminals must always be shown to be either punished or made to repent at the end of every film. Potter and his bodyguard are always dressed the same. Daily Dialogue February 14, 2020 | by Scott Myers | Go - Medium When Bert takes a shot at George, the bullets take out three of the letters in the Pottersville sign ("svi"), but in the novelization it's only two. Although it was not a box-office success, it became immensely popular over time and a Christmas classic. She has even outlived some of the child actors. Also learn how She earned most of Ellen Corby networth? Many people loved it and watched it over and over. The writer of the short story it is based from, Philip Van Doren Stern, was unable to find a publisher. The New York Daily Times offered an editorial in which it declared the film and James Stewart's performance worthy of Oscar consideration. Her final role was in A Walton Easter (1997). Lionel Barrymore won the role because he was a famous Ebenezer Scrooge in radio dramatizations of "A Christmas Carol" at the time, and was a natural choice to play the heartless, miserly Mr. Potter. Her career in Hollywood began in the 1930s and spanned though the 1990s. Kami Cotler, who played the nasal carrot-topped Elizabeth, was also missing. According to an interview with Karolyn Grimes, the name Zuzu comes from Zu Zu Ginger Snaps. She played many uncredited bit parts from the late '20s through the '30s. People James Stewart, Ernie Adams, Ellen Corby, Jimmy the Crow. Thus the first kiss between James Stewart and Donna Reed was shot at the same time as the other end of the phone conversation, with Sam Wainwright (Frank Albertson) on a different set (Wainwright's New York office) at RKO's Pathe studio. Ashley Longworth Jr, that is. This mixture was then pumped at high pressure through a wind machine to create the silent, falling snow. Golden Age Of Hollywood. Sarah Edwards Mrs. J.W. In 1954, Corby met Stella Luchetta, a friend for the rest of her life.[5]. . However, they were gay in real life and were involved in homosexual relationships. Ellen Corby was born Ellen Hansen on June 3, 1911, in Racine, Wisconsin. 1919 was the second year of the 1918 "Spanish Flu Pandemic," which was widely spread on the filthy battlefields of the First World War, claiming millions of lives around the world, including 675,000 lives in the United States between 1918 and 1919.. How much money did Uncle Billy lose in 'It's a Wonderful Life'? Ellen Corby - Wiki, Bio, Trivia, Birthday, Photos - FilmiFeed Juhl said, "I was not present at the naming, but I was always positive [the rumor] was incorrect. Actor Will Geer played her husband in the series from 1972 until his death in 1978, at which time the character of Zebulon Walton was also buried. She flirts with Young George (age 12), then he goes on the pill delivery mission by way of visiting his father for advice and then back to Gower's, who tells his customer the pills "should have been delivered more than an hour ago." But, Capra hadn't expected it, and he had set the camera across the room from Stewart. From 1965 to 1967, she had a recurring role in the NBC television series Please Don't Eat the Daisies, based on an earlier Doris Day film. In fact, a crew member dropped a large tray of props right after Thomas Mitchell went off-screen. | Source: Getty Images, However, one undeniable fact was that the pair had been inseparable. Director Frank Capra often said that this was his favorite of all his films. Although she had bit parts in more than 30 films in the 1930s and 1940s, including Babes in Toyland (1934) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946), her first credited acting role was in RKO's Cornered (1945) in which she played a maid, followed by an uncredited brief speaking role as a kitchen cook in The Locket (1946). The pilot episode of "The Waltons" was actually a 1971 made-for-TV movie called "The Homecoming . The film has two lines of "secret dialog" - spoken quietly through a door. In 1971, Grandma Esther Walton first appeared on the made-for-TV film, "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story.". Despite his many talents, Jim had no memory for details like this. It's a Wonderful Life [DVD] - Amazon.com It got to be so hot that director Frank Capra gave everyone a day off to recuperate. Actress: The Waltons. For her work in The Waltons, she gained three Emmy Awards and three more nominations as Best Supporting Actress. She held that position for the next 12 years and took acting lessons on the side. After that, like I said maybe in the next episode or the one after that, they say Grandma is in the hospital. This was the first and last time that Frank Capra produced, financed, directed and co-wrote one of his films. Prior to the Los Angeles release of the movie, Liberty Films mounted an extensive promotional campaign that included a daily advertisement highlighting one of the film's players, along with comments from reviewers. * BLU-RAY UPDATE 2 of 2 - The October 2016 two-disc 70th Anniversary Platinum edition of "It's A Wonderful Life" Blu-ray is an outright duplicate of the November 2009 two-disc Blu-ray edition of "It's A Wonderful Life" - with the EXACT same extras and features. OK, in the Christmas movie classic "It's a Wonderful Life," the cash carried and lost by Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) is identified as $8,000. When she failed to show up for work, Geer immediately suspected something was wrong as Corby was a true professional who was never late. John Alexander, Irving Bacon, Wally Brown, James Burke, Sam Levene, Barton MacLane, Robert Mitchum and Walter Sande were considered for Bert the Cop. The movie was originally slated for a 1947 release, but when Technicolor was unable to deliver prints in time for RKO's Christmas time 1946 release of Sinbad, the Sailor (1947), Frank Capra's film was rushed into theaters. They started dating in 1948 and Ellen . At that moment, George overhears the following two lines of dialog through the glass pane of the door behind him: POTTER: What's the answer? Henry Fonda, who was James Stewart's close friend, played Lincoln in Young Mr. Lincoln (1939). This outcry would also lead to the creation of the Library of Congress' National Film Registry in 1989. Frank Capra: [Warner] One of the reasons H.B. Henry Travers, who plays Clarence, also stars in The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) as Horace P. Bogardus. However, it was nothing compared to the feeling of emptiness that engulfed her following her mom's demise in 1963. One of the highlights of her career came about in 1948 in I Remember Mama (1948) as Aunt Trina. Byl to Caprv prvn snmek, natoen po druh svtov vlce, kterou trvil jako . Makes me think now of how many of the other Waltons smoke (or have given it up). She recalled her scene in "It's a Wonderful Life" for "The It's a Wonderful Life Trivia Book" by Jimmy Hawkins and Paul . "Capra" means goat in Italian. Frank Capra: [Jimmy the Raven] this bird appeared in all Capra movies after 1938. Clarence's voice is heard in the opening scenes, but he doesn't appear in the flesh until the last 30 minutes of the film, and is on-screen for only 15 minutes. In the decade prior to her beginning her role as Grandma Walton, Corby acted in an episode of "The Andy Griffith Show.". Since the titles were not re-shot, they show a 1947 copyright. Trivia: During the bank run scene, director Frank Capra rehearsed the scene between James Stewart and Ellen Corby several times. Corby appeared as the elderly Mrs. Lesh, the crooked car peddler, on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show. Ellen Corby Autographed Signed Autograph Vintage 3X5 It's A Wonderful Directed By. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Lost Horizon (1937), You Can't Take It with You (1938) and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). During the bank run scene, director Frank Capra rehearsed the scene between James Stewart and Ellen Corby several times. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Although Violet catches Mary's bouquet, she never marries. Her husband, Zebulon Walton, was portrayed by actor Edgar Bergen in the film. The movie character names are purely coincidental.". The jitterbug dance was often frowned upon, e.g., "No Jitterbugging Allowed" signs were not uncommon in "respectable" establishments. . When George picked up "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," he thought Clarence's handwriting was old-fashioned; the novelization's last line is "attaboy Clarence.". Originally from Racine, Wisconsin, Corby was born to immigrant parents from Denmark on June 3, 1911. James Stewart, Ernie Adams, Ellen Corby, and Jimmy the Crow in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Close. Watch It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Full Movie Free Online - Plex Ellen Corby, who starred as the famous grandmother in "The Waltons" and tied the knot with a man, lived a quiet life with her longtime girlfriend Stella Luchetta before she closed her eyes for the last time. Charles Williams Cousin Eustace . The 2016 edition comes with new packaging that describes itself as a "Platinum Edition" - which in my view, is a marketing gimmick to . [3], She remained a regular on The Waltons through the end of the 197879 season, with Esther Walton struggling with her stroke deficits as Corby was in real life. Kathleen Lockhart, Anne Revere, Selena Royle, and Mary Young were considered for Ma Bailey. Sam Wainwirght tells Mary he had offered George to get in at the bottom of plastics, where he made his fortune. "He was a . Although she ventured into the movie scenes in her youth, Corby was already in her sixties when she joined the cast of "The Waltons" as Grandma Esther Walton. [6] She had been practicing the technique for several years before. She demonstrated her rural roots by winning an impromptu bet with Lionel Barrymore when he challenged her to milk a cow on-set. Ellen Corby was born Ellen Hansen on June 3, 1911, in Racine, Wisconsin. James Stewart and Donna Reed reprised their roles in 1947 on radio, first on "The Lux Radio Theatre" and then on "Camel Screen Guild Theatre." An added bonus was Barrymore had worked with Frank Capra before on You Can't Take It with You (1938). It's a Wonderful Life. Amazon Prime Additionally, the actor has made appearances in movies like "7th Heaven," "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," and has been a host of TV shows. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Ms. Davis (uncredited) Beat the Band (1947) as Gertrude's Mother . Walker was released by Capra, the scene was shot and Biroc was promoted to Cinematographer. See Ellen Corby full list of movies and tv shows from their career. Ranked #3 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Fantasy" in June 2008. Her best-known role came as Grandma Esther Walton on the made-for-TV film The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971), which served as the pilot for The Waltons. It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra. | Source: Getty Images. Clarence appears on the bridge, but doesn't dive into the water. At the age of 76, Will died of respiratory arrest following a respiratory ailment on April 22, 1978, at Midway Hospital in Los Angeles. The gym floor that opens in the middle to reveal the swimming pool underneath was filmed at Beverly Hills High School In Beverly Hills, California, USA was real and is still in regular use. Erin and Ashley begin a relationship. Naturally, as the oldest woman on set with a big heart, she became a grandmother figure to everyone, especially all the child actors. Another of my favs-It's A Wonderful Life-Ellen Corby - Pinterest "It's a Wonderful Life . At $3.7 million, this was a very expensive independent production. The Main Street of Bedford Falls, including the Bailey Bros. Savings and Loan and the Bedford Falls Trust & Savings, was located on the RKO Encino Ranch, west of (but not on) the playing fields of what is now Balboa Park in Encino, California. During an interview in 1974, Corby explained her relationship with Walmsley. The fictional town of Bedford Falls in set in upstate New York (as noted on a telegram) and not in New England, as is often misstated. The television company that produced the 80's drama Thirtysomething was called Bedford Falls Production. Captain James Cook (1728-1779) was an English sea captain and world explorer, who explored many previously isolated regions including Oregon, Australia, and Hawaii, where he was killed when a dispute with locals turned violent. That film, It's a Wonderful World, may have influenced the movie-going public to stay away, under the mistaken belief that It's a Wonderful Life was a re-issue of the earlier film.