The Sequel

So, they're making a sequel to It's a Wonderful Life. The actress who played the kid in the original is going to be an angel this time (I'm not sure whether she's playing a different character or if Zuzu met some unfortunate fate and is returning from the great beyond). Regardless, she's assigned to the grandson of George Bailey, and the twist is that she's making a case against his life. In other words, the world actually would have been better off if he'd never been born.

I'm of two minds about this. On one hand, it's a better premise than simply redoing the original. In fact, when I don't think too hard about it, it seems like a great premise.

The problem is that, when you invert It's a Wonderful Life, you wind up with A Christmas Carol. The angel is demonstrating to the lead that he's lived his life poorly in order to get him to change his ways: sound familiar?

In fact, it's so similar, you'd almost think that It's a Wonderful Life was intentionally written as a variation on A Christmas Carol where, instead of being a horrible person who is shown the negative impact his life has had on those he cares about, the lead is a kind-hearted soul who needs to understand how important he is to his community.

I'll be interested to see how this thing turns out, assuming it actually gets made. It's a far better direction for the filmmakers to take than a remake or a sequel rehashing the same story, but I hope the writers understand they're coming full circle and not breaking new ground.

Comments

  1. Interesting take. I never thought of It's a Wonderful Life as an inside-out Christmas Carol, but it makes perfect sense.

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