Essays Contents
Pottersville
February 14, 2023
"It's a Wonderful Life"... is such a great movie.
There are several stories being told in it.
This is... the most obvious story... George Bailey.
George Bailey worked and saved... for his dream...
to travel the world... and then... to build great cities.
His father, Peter Bailey, had built a small company...
Bailey Brothers Building & Loan...
(his brother, Billy, a simple-minded man... his partner...)
that was competition for Mr. Potter's bank.
Bailey and Potter had clashed for many years
over loans the company had taken out.
Potter did not allow... leniency on repayment.
George saw his father's company as... measley... small time.
He declined his father's offer to take over for him...
the same night Peter died.
When Peter dies... Potter moves to take over the company...
or... send it into receivership... by the bank.
George knows what that means...
it means that Potter will squeeze people out of their homes.
The only way to avoid the eventual devastation of the town
is... for George to run his father's company.
Following is the script of the scene at the Building & Loan
after George's father, Peter Bailey, dies.
The characters:
Chairman=C; George=G; Potter=P; Uncle Billy=B;
men=#1,2,3
from the video
(C) "I think that's all we need you for, George.
I know you're anxious to make a train."
(G) "I have a taxi waiting downstairs."
(C)"I want the board to know that George gave up his trip to Europe
to help straighten things out here, these past few months. Good
luck to you at school, George."
The board acknowledges and agrees.
(C)"Now we come to the real purpose of this meeting...
to appoint a successor to our dear friend, Peter Bailey."
(P)"Mr. Chairman, I'd like to get to MY real purpose."
(#1)"Wait just a minute, now..."
(P)"Wait for what. I claim this institution is not necessary to this
town. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to dissolve this
institution and turn its assets and liabilities over to the receiver."
(B)"Potters a dirty... why I oughta... George did you hear..."
(#1)"It's too soon after Peter Bailey's death to start talking
about chloroforming the Building & Loan."
(#2)"Peter Bailey died three months ago. I second Mr. Potter's motion."
(C)"Very well. In that case, I'll ask the two executive officers to
withdraw, but before you go, I'm sure the whole board wishes
to express its deep sorrow at the passing of Peter Bailey."
(G & B)"Thank you."
(C) "It was his faith and devotion that are responsible for this
organization."
(P)"I'll go further than that... I'll say, that to the public...
Peter Bailey WAS the Building & Loan."
(B)"That's fine, Potter, coming from you... considering that you
probably drove him to his grave."
(P) "Peter Bailey was NOT a businessman. That's what killed him.
Oh, I don't mean any disrespect to him, God rest his soul... he was
a man of high ideals... so-called... but high ideals without common
sense can ruin this town. Now, you take this loan here... Ernie Bishop...
you know, the fellow that sits around all day on his brains in a taxi,
you know it? I happen to know... the bank turned down this loan.
But, he comes HERE and we're building him a house worth five
thousand dollars. Why?"
(G) "Well, I handled that, Mr. Potter. You have all the papers there...
his salary... insurance. I can personally vouch for his character."
(P) "Friend of yours, uh huh."
(G) "Yes."
(P) "You see... you shoot pool with some employee here, you can
come and borrow money... he-he-he. What does that get us? a
discontented lazy rabble, instead of a thrifty working class... and
all because a few starry-eyed dreamers like Peter Bailey stir 'em up
and fill their heads with a lot of impossible ideas. Now, I say..."
(G) "Now, just a minute... just a minute... now hold on, Mr. Potter...
you're right when you say that my father was no businessman.
I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building &
Loan, I'll never know... but neither you, nor anybody else, can say
anything against his character... because his whole life... why...
in the 25 years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never
once thought of himself. Isn't that right, Uncle Billy? He didn't save
enough to send Harry to school, let alone me. But he did help a few
people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter. And what's wrong with that?
Why... you're all businessmen here... doesn't it make them better
citizens... doesn't it make them better customers? You said they...
what did you say just a minute ago... that they have to wait and
save their money before they even thought of a decent home?
Wait? Wait for what? until their children grow up and leave them?
until they're so old and broken down that... you know how long
it takes a working man to save $5000 dollars? Just remember this,
Mr. Potter... that this "rabble" you're talking about... they do most of the
working and paying and living and dying in this community.
Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a
couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so.
People were human beings to him, but to you... a warped frustrated old
man... they're cattle. Well, in my book, he died a much richer man than
you'll ever be."
(P)"I'm not interested in your book.
I'm talking about the Building & Loan."
(G) "I know very well what you're talking about... you're talking about
something you can't get your fingers on and it's gawing you... that's what
you're talking about. I know. Well, I've said too much. I... I... you're the
board here... you do what you want with this thing. There's just one thing
more, though. This town needs this measley one-horse institution if only
to have some place where people can come without crawling to Potter."
(P) "Sentimental hogwash. I want my motion..."
George was the only one who could save the town from Potter...
or... was he.
Notice... the butler.
Potter offers George a fortune to sell out
video
George sees Pottersville... without him there to save it
video
Mr. Potter's butler... always in the picture...
always listening... always watching... always silent...
looks very much like the sheriff... in this movie.
Was this... intentional?
Without a man's tending to the things of the earth
the world can become ugly and violent...
and innocence and beauty...
those things that make life sweet to us...
get lost...
get destroyed.
Freedom... business... relationships...
become dead things... bad versions of things...
unless we thoughtfully take care of GOOD in the world.
When the modern world... gets too modern...
somehow... we become... less human.
We must CHOOSE... to be human.
So... how hard can THAT be?
George was the only one who could save the town from Potter...
or... was he.
Notice... the butler.
Potter offers George a fortune to sell out
video
George sees Pottersville... without him there to save it
video
