Dark secrets of It's A Wonderful Life from chemical snow to actors left bleeding
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There are few Christmas movies that warm the heart quite like Frank Capra's It's A Wonderful Life, but for those who worked on the 1946 classic, it was quite a different story. Far from being the heartwarming festive treat enjoyed by generations of film lovers, the reality of shooting on the seemingly idyllic Bedford Falls set was tense, brutal and, at times, even bloody.
A gorgeous tale of finding meaning amid the trials and disappointments of life, the one and only James 'Jimmy' Stewart plays George Bailey, a once ambitious everyman whose youthful dreams have been repeatedly crushed by weighty responsibilities. Driving to despair, George contemplates suicide one fateful Christmas Eve but is fortuitously interrupted by 'second class' guardian angel Clarence Odbody, who helps him realise that 'no man is a failure who has friends'.
If you make it through to the finale with your eyes still dry, then you're made of sterner stuff than most. However, knowing the full story behind the life-affirming movie may change your viewing experience completely... One of the most iconic shots of the movie shows a joyous George rushing through the streets of Bedford Falls on Christmas Eve while flurries of snow swirl all around him. It's a beautiful scene for many reasons, with the heavy snowfall bringing to mind the most idyllic of white Christmases. Those without in-depth knowledge of the industry would never guess they weren't watching a natural blizzard.
Indeed, It's A Wonderful Life proved groundbreaking in the field of snow effects, with the various weather shifts being integral to the plot. Jeremy Arnold, author of Christmas in the Movies, told Entertainment Weekly: "The snow is vital to the storytelling. It conveys not just a joyful Christmas Eve but also the character's rebirth. It tells the audience George is back in the real world. He's back from this alternate reality; the snow starts falling, and we get it right away. And that is a very gentle, cleansing snow.".
