History Funny / ItsAWonderfulLife

* The scene in the AlternateUniverse Nick's: "Get me, I'm givin' out wings!"

** The build-up is, during this crisis, everybody is trying to ask for relatively high numbers for their loan, some needing to be haggled to only take what will hold them over. Comically, this woman and her frugal $17.50 were unexpectedly inexpensive. Also doubles as heartwarming, as her humble &17.50 must've been like a breath of fresh air.

** Most newlywed husbands who knew "Mrs. so-and-so" as their mothers' title alone can relate to what it's like when their newly-wed wives start sharing their surname.

** If you listen ''very'' carefully during the phone conversation, Sam has a brief aside argument with someone on his end who thinks it should be ''chili'' beans to make plastic rather than soy beans. He then nearly says chili beans himself when he resumes his conversation with George

-->'''Violet:''' Help me down.
-->'''George:''' Help ya ''down''?

-->'''Violet:''' I like him.
-->'''Mary:''' You like ''every'' boy.
-->'''Violet:''' What's wrong with that?

-->'''George''': Why don't you pull up a chair, Annie? You'll be able to hear everything that way.
-->'''Annie''': I would if I thought there'd be anything worth listening to.

--> '''George:''' This is a very interesting ''situation''!
--> '''Mary:''' Please get me my robe...?
--> '''George:''' ''Hmm''.... Man doesn't get ''into'' a situation like this every ''day''...
--> '''Mary:''' I'd ''like'' to have my ''robe''...?
--> '''George:''' ...Not in Bedford ''Falls'', anyway....
--> '''Mary:''' OUCH!--Oh...!
--> '''George:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Gesundheit.]]
--> '''Mary:''' George ''Bailey''--?!
--> '''George:''' Warrants a little ''thought'' here....
--> '''Mary:''' Give me my ''robe''...?
--> '''George:''' I mean, I've ''read'' about things like this, but I never...
--> '''Mary:''' SHAME on you!--I'm gonna tell your ''mother'' on you...!
--> '''George:''' Oh, my mother's way up in the corner, there....
--> '''Mary:''' I'll--I'LL CALL THE POLICE!
--> '''George:''' Oh, they're way downtown--they'd be on ''my'' side, too.
--> '''Mary:''' Then--then--THEN I'M ''GOING TO '''SCREAM'''!!!''
--> '''George:''' Maybe I could sell tickets!

-->'''Uncle Billy:''' Where's my hat?
-->''(George takes the hat off Billy's head and hands it to him)''
-->'''Uncle Billy:''' Oh, thank you, George. ''(confused)'' Which one is mine?
-->'''George:''' The middle one.

-->'''Ma Bailey:''' First Harry, now George. Annie, we're just two old maids now.
-->'''Annie:''' You speak for ''yourself'', Mrs. B.

-->'''Tilly:''' George, there's a call for you.
-->'''George:''' Look, will you get my wife on the phone? She's probably over at her mother's.
-->'''Tilly:''' ''Mrs.'' Bailey is on the phone!
-->'''George:''' I don't want ''Mrs.'' Bailey, I want my wife!... ''Mrs.'' Bailey! ''(muttering)'' That's all, that's my wife...

-->'''Joseph:''' Now, you're probably already guessed that George never leaves Bedford Falls.
-->'''Clarence:''' No!

-->'''George:''' Harry, you should see what they're cooking up in town for you... Oh, are they? ''(to Eustace)'' The Navy's going to fly Mother home this afternoon.
-->'''Eustace:''' On a plane?
-->'''George:''' ''(gives him a withering look)''

-->'''Clarence:''' ''(to George)'' Clarence Oddbody, AS-2.
-->'''George:''' What's that, AS-2?
-->'''Clarence:''' Angel, Second Class.
--> ''(Bridge warden falls out of his chair in shock and disbelief, then backs slowly out of the shack)''

--> '''Nick''': All right, that does it. Out you two pixies go, out the door or through the winda!

--->'''Clarence:''' Why? Don't they believe in angels?
--->'''George:''' Uh... (eyes Nick's [[DeathGlare glowering face]]) [[BlatantLies ...yeah, they believe in them...]]

--->'''Commissioner:''' Mr. Bailey, I have some papers here...
--->'''George:''' ''(happily)'' I'll bet it's a warrant for my arrest. Isn't it wonderful? I'm going to jail!

** [[Series/SesameStreet Bert and Ernie?]]

* As young adults, Violet's beauty is considered captivating. When she stops to say hello to George, all of the men stare at her as she walks away...including one guy who is almost hit by a car crossing the street because he was too busy sneaking a peek.

** [[NamesTheSame Bert]] [[JustFriends and]] [[Series/SesameStreet Ernie?]]

* Every time the wooden ball on the staircase falls off. You'd think in fifteen years of marriage George would get around to fixing it, but I guess not. Upon returning home during his HeroicBSOD, there's a moment where the wooden balls pops off in his hands ''once again''. The way he clutches it, you'd think he was on the verge of throwing it across all of Bedford Falls with all his pent-up fury and hatred. ...then decides against it.

* Every time the wooden ball on the staircase falls off. You'd think in fifteen years of marriage George would get around to fixing it, but I guess not. And then at the very end it turns Heartwarming when George actually kisses the thing, he's so happy that he has his life back.

--->'''Clarence: Then why should they be surprised when they see one.

--->'''George:''' Uh... (eyes Nick's [[DeathGlare glowering face]]) [[BlatantLies...yeah, they believe in them...]]

* "Ah, youth is wasted on the wrong people!"

*** Earlier in the same scene, when Harry tries to kiss her:

-->'''George:''' ''(shouting)'' Forgot my hat!

-->'''Mary:''' Mother's on the extension, we can...\\

** Then, after Uncle Billy has drunkenly staggered offscreen singing "My Wild Irish Rose", a loud crashing sound is heard followed by him bellowing "I'm all right! ''I'm aaaallll right!''", prompting visible laughter from George. (Actually, a stagehand had accidentally knocked over some props, and a quick-thinking Thomas Mitchell [[ThrowItIn ad-libbed his line]] to imply that he'd just crashed into some trash cans in his stupor. George's laughter is Jimmy Stewart {{corpsing}} for real.)

** Then, after Uncle Billy has drunkenly staggered offscreen singing "My Wild Irish Rose", a loud crashing sound is heard followed by him bellowing "I'm all right! ''I'm aaaallll right!''", prompting visible laughter from George. (Actually, a stagehand had accidentally knocked over some prompts, and a quick-thinking Thomas Mitchell [[ThrowItIn ad-libbed his line]] to imply that he'd just crashed into some trash cans in his stupor. George's laughter is Jimmy Stewart {{corpsing}} for real.)

** Then, after Uncle Billy drunkenly staggers offscreen singing "My Wild Irish Rose", a loud crashing sound is heard followed by him bellowing "I'm all right! I'm aaaallll right!", prompting visible laughter from George. (Actually, a stagehand had accidentally knocked over some prompts, and a quick-thinking Thomas Mitchell [[ThrowItIn ad-libbed his line]] to imply that he'd just crashed into some trash cans in his stupor. George's laughter is Jimmy Stewart {{corpsing}} for real.)

* Uncle Billy is a little worse for wear:
-->'''Uncle Billy:''' Where's my hat? ''(George takes the hat of Billy's head and hands it to him)'' Oh, thank you, George. Which one is mine?

* Uncle Billy has staggered offscreen "drunk" and at the same time a stagehand knocks over a table of props. He ad-libbed the line [[ThrowItIn "I'm all right! I'm aaaallll right!"]] to imply that he just crashed into some trash cans in his stupor.

* During the bank run scene, a lady asks George for the precise sum of $17.50, which befuddles George before he gives her a grateful kiss. This was not scripted. Frank Capra encouraged Ellen Corby to improvise a random number. James Stewart's reaction is genuine and was left in.

** Most newly-wed husbands who knew "Mrs. so-and-so" as their mothers' title alone can relate to what it's like when their newly-wed wives start sharing their surname.

* During the bank run scene, a lady asks George for the precise sum of $17.50, which befuddles George before giving her a grateful kiss. This was not scripted. Frank Capra encouraged Ellen Corby to improvise a random number. James Stewart's reaction is genuine and was left in.
* Uncle Billy is a little worse for wear:
-->'''Uncle Billy:''' Where's my hat? ''(George takes the hat of Billy's head and hands it to him))'' Oh, thank you, George. Which one is mine?
-->'''George:''' The middle one.

* It's not meant to be funny, but (up until his [[MoodWhiplash destroying the models]] bit) the scene where George comes home and [[DeadpanSnraker terrorizes]] his family is filled with one sobering-slash-[[CrossingTheLineTwice hilarious]] moment after another. But the crown jewel has to be when he goes off on Zuzu's teacher, all the while Mary's trying to wrestle the phone away from him.
-->'''George:''' Hello. Hello, Mrs. Welch? This is George Bailey. I'm Zuzu's father. Say, what kind of a teacher are you, anyway? What do you mean sending her home like that, half naked? Do you realize she'll probably end up with pneumonia on account of you? Is this the sort of thing we pay taxes for to have teachers like you? Stupid, silly, careless people who send our kids home without any clothes on? You know, maybe my kids aren't the best-dressed kids. And maybe they don't have any decent clothes... That stupid... Hello? Who is this? Oh, Mr. Welch? Okay, that's fine, Mr. Welch. Gives me a chance to tell you what I really think of your wife.

-->'''Clarence:''' How am I doing, Joseph? ''({{beat}})'' Thanks. ''(beat)'' No, I ''didn't'' have a drink!