European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse A its a wonderful life did no to exactly Start that Way James Stewart feels the squeeze of Donna Reed and the kids in it s a wonderful life by Steven Herbert los Angeles times when it s a wonderful life was released in december 1946, it was a Box office hop the Way ishtar Howard the Duck and Hudson Hawk would be decades later. On its initial release the film lost $525,000 a the equivalent of about $2.5 million in today s dollars. Despite that it was nominated for five Academy awards including Best picture Best director Frank Capra and Best actor James Stewart for his portrayal of George Bailey. It failed to win any however As Best years of our lives took Home the big oscars. One of the cast members said recently that during the filming of it \ a wonderful life there was no hint of its eventual greatness. A there was nothing to indicate that it would be a classic a said Sheldon Leonard who played Nick the bartender and who went on to become a successful television producer. Quot Capra every so often came up with these incredibly durable films but other than that we were just making another today a and for the past 10 or so years a a it s a wonderful life has become a television Staple scheduled for Christmas eve on an. Seemingly at least one station or Cable network has the film on its schedule each Day Between thanksgiving and Christmas. The reason the film�?Ts.28-Ycar copyright lapsed in 1974 and was not renewed thus permitting stations to show it without having to pay for the rights. Leonard believes what Hurt the film at the Box office in 1946 is responsible for its contemporary Success. A the pendulum is beginning to swing Back a Leonard said in an interview. A Capra was a Brilliant user of sentimentality which the cynics called Corn. A whatever they called it he used it brilliantly partly because of his personal belief that Good would always Triumph Over evil and that people were basically Good. For a while this became corny and out of fashion As viewers became More cynical and sophisticated. Now the values of the film Are evident and More Republic pictures Home video is not daunted by to s Many airings of it s a wonderful life. Believing the video Market for the film remains Strong. Republic shipped 90,000 copies of a 45111-anniversary edition of it s a wonderful life to stores last month. The tape also includes the original trailer and the 24-Minutc Long the making of it s a wonderful life a which includes interviews with Stewart Leonard and Capra who died sept. 3 at 94. A fact Booklet is also in the package. Among the behind the scenes details explained in the making of it s a wonderful life is the truth behind a scene some reviewers denounced us Hollywood fakery and assumed must have been done on a specially constructed set. Early in the film George Bailey and Mary Hatch Donna Reed participate in a Charleston contest. Freddie Mary a disgruntled suitor portrayed by Carl Switzer Best known As Alfalfa from the our gang film series is prodded by a Friend to turn the key that moves the basketball court covering the swimming Pool underneath. George and Mary keep dancing eventually falling into the water. It was filmed at Beverly Hills High school s swim gym built in 1939 As a Federal Public works project. The swim gym remains in use today for physical education swimming classes and As the Home court for the school s basketball swimming volleyball and water Polo ,�?T coat hang in thereby Woody Hochswender the new York times two decades after shambling into american living rooms As a deceptively bumbling Gumshoe Peter Falk celebrated his 20th anniversary last week on Abc. So did his Raincoat. Even though the Sun still shone in Southern California it. Columbo wore the same awful battered Khaki Raincoat. What can you say about a detective who does no to carry a gun has no first name and has a dog named dog All detectives have to have raincoats because they go to places like the Blue Parrot and the kit Kat and need to drop a matchbook in their pocket that will be retrieved later. But Columbo looks like he slept in his. And he never has a Light. A do you have a match a is one of his trademark lines As he pats the pockets of a baggy Gray or Tan suit. One might venture that Columbo s Lack of style indeed his stubborn obliviousness to it has plenty to do with the original Appeal and longevity of the show. Several of american televisions most popular shows from the honeymooners to Roseanne have contained the implicit message that it is of to be a bit of a Slob. Columbo carries on this grand tradition. Quot say is that Cashmere Quot he asks ingeniously fingering the suspects Lapel. The style questions Are a disarming device As Well As a continuing status Delineator for Mill ions of Couch potatoes who know that the bad Guys Are invariably fat cats. Columbos creators Richard Levinson and William link originally wanted Bing Crosby for the role but he was t available. The series debut on sept. 15,1971, was written by Steven Bochco and was directed by none other than Steven Spielberg. After a seven year run on Abc and then an occasional special Columbo landed at Abc last two seasons ago As a regular part of its mystery movie series. Of just one More thing. Something a been bothering us. Whose idea was that Coal anyway according to a spokeswoman for the show the famous Raincoat was purchased in Manhattan by Falk himself who misread the original script which called for an overcoat. Falk also wore his own suits ties and shoes in the Early episodes proving himself a highly Cost effective 22, 1991 sunday a
