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<FONT FACE="Verdana"><B>This week at the Kenworthy-<BR>
<BR>
<FONT COLOR="#800000">Prichard Art Gallery presents<BR>
</FONT>a FREE lecture with<BR>
Pok Chi Lau<BR>
Thursday, December 9<BR>
7:30 PM<BR>
</B><BR>
<FONT COLOR="#800000"><H2>It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)<BR>
</H2></FONT><B>Friday, December 10<BR>
7:00 PM<BR>
Saturday & Sunday, December 11 & 12<BR>
4:15 & 7:00 PM<BR>
</B>$5/adults $2/child 12 or younger<BR>
KFS passes accepted for Sunday movies<BR>
<B>(See Review below)<BR>
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Next week at the Kenworthy-<BR>
</B><BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Tahoma"><B>I Heart Huckabees (R)<BR>
</B>Dec 17 at 7:00 PM<BR>
Dec 18 – 19 at 4:30 & 7:00 PM<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Verdana"><BR>
<B>Regular Movie prices</B>: $5 adults, $2 children 12 and younger. <BR>
KFS passes accepted for Sunday movies<BR>
<BR>
508 S. Main Street, Moscow, Idaho<BR>
For more information, call 208-882-4127.<BR>
<B>* * *<BR>
This week’s review-<BR>
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</B><FONT COLOR="#800000"><H2>IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)<BR>
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Director and Producer: Frank Capra<BR>
Writers: Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra<BR>
Stars: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi, Gloria Grahame, Henry Travers, Thomas Mitchell, Ward Bond, HB Warner, and Sheldon Leonard<BR>
Length: 2 hours, 12 minutes<BR>
This film is not rated, but is suitable for all ages.<BR>
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<U>It's A Wonderful Life</U> was Frank Capra’s first film made for his new production company, <I>Liberty Films</I>, after returning from service in World War II. <BR>
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The film's screenplay was based on "The Greatest Gift," an original short story first written on a Christmas card by Philip Van Doren Stern. Uncredited for their work on the script were Dorothy Parker, Dalton Trumbo, and Clifford Odets.<BR>
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<U>It's A Wonderful Life</U> is the tale of a savings-and-loan manager who struggles against the worlds greediest banker (Lionel Barrymore) and his own self-doubting nature. George Bailey (James Stewart) realizes his life is wonderful and truly rich, even in its humdrum and bleak nature, only after suffering many hardships, including compromised dreams of youth to leave the town and seek fame and fortune and the threat of financial ruin which leads to attempted suicide. He is given a lesson on the importance of any one person’s life by an endearing angel-in-training (no wings yet) named Clarence (Henry Travers). George is shown what Bedford Falls (now renamed Pottersville after the town's evil banker) would be like without him. It's this nightmare view of the world that brings George Bailey back from self-destruction. He returns to the world that he left with renewed faith and confidence in life. George discovers that he really is the “richest man in town,” not because of money, but because of the love of family and friends. Oh yes, and Clarence earns his wings.<BR>
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The picture earned five Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (James Stewart in his first film in almost six years), Best Director (Capra), Best Sound Recording and Best Film Editing, but won no Oscars. It was eclipsed by William Wyler's <U>The Best Years of Our Lives.</U> (another “classic” film)<BR>
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<B><I><U>As reviewed by Almar Haflidason writing for BBC Films<BR>
</U></I></B><BR>
"It's a Wonderful Life" needs another five star review like it needs more charismatic actors. So this is aimed at anyone who suspects that it's a movie that will drench them in saccharine sentimentality. <BR>
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True, that great optimist of film-making, Mr. Frank Capra, directed it. But there's never anything easy about making a film where the central character is seriously considering suicide, and then having to offer hope to boot. <BR>
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The suicidal character in question is George Bailey (James Stewart), a good man who considers himself cheated out of the life he could have had. As one might hope in such a situation, an angel (Henry Travers) is hurriedly dispatched from heaven to intervene. Sporting the name of Clarence, this elderly chap offers George the opportunity to see what life would have been like had he not lived. <BR>
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As it turns out, the world would have been a poorer place without him. But this is not just a succession of examples proving what a fine man George is. There's never any hiding the fact that he grows increasingly frustrated by being stuck in the little town of Bedford Falls. As his opportunities fade, his bitterness and resentment grows. <BR>
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There's little room for sugary sweet answers to a near plausible life of decency that appears to end in failure. "It's a Wonderful Life" achieves a fine balancing act between pathos and feel-good that is delivered by an outstanding cast. Even the minor parts are populated by some of the finest character actors and it produces a movie of timeless quality and relevance. <BR>
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<B><U>“It’s A Wonderful Life” Trivia<BR>
</U></B><BR>
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. It covered four acres of RKO's Encino Ranch. It included 75 stores and buildings, main street, factory district and a large residential and slum area. The Main Street was 300 yards long, three whole city blocks!<BR>
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Ironically, after the initial flop of the film at the box office, its popularity grew after its copyright expired due to a clerical error and it was shown repeatedly on American television (especially at Christmas) without any royalties going to Capra!<BR>
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<I>Film reviews researched and edited by Peter A. Haggart, who showed this film each winter for over 30 years to his film classes at the U of Idaho. He considers it a true classic American film.<BR>
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</B></FONT>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>
PAMELA PALMER, <B>Volunteer<BR>
</B>Mailto:ppalmer@moscow.com<BR>
Film and Events Committee <BR>
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre<BR>
<BR>
http://www.kenworthy.org<BR>
To speak with a KPAC staff member, <BR>
call (208) 882-4127<BR>
Mailto:kpac@moscow.com<BR>
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