Great Scene: “It’s a Wonderful Life”
A fine example of subtext is this memorable scene from the Christmas classic It’s A Wonderful Life (1946). It’s Mary and George on the phone together with their ol’ pal George Wainwright. And while they’re talking about business opportunities, what are they really talking about?
INT. SAM’S NEW YORK OFFICE — NIGHT
MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT
Sam is seated at his desk, while a couple of his friends are
nearby, with highballs in their hands.
SAM
(into phone)
Well, George Baileyoffski! Hey, a
fine pal you are. What’re you trying
to do? Steal my girl?
INT. HATCH HALL — NIGHT
MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT — GEORGE AND MARY
GEORGE
(into phone)
What do you mean? Nobody’s trying to
steal your girl. Here… here’s Mary.
SAM’S VOICE
No, wait a minute. Wait a minute. I
want to talk to both of you. Tell
Mary to get on the extension.
GEORGE
(to Mary)
Here. You take it. You tell him.
MARY
Mother’s on the extension.
INT. UPPER HALLWAY — NIGHT
CLOSE SHOT — MRS. HATCH
As she hears this, she hastily hangs up the extension phone
on which she has been listening.
BACK TO SHOT — GEORGE AND MARY
MARY
We can both hear. Come here.
Mary takes the telephone from George and holds it so that of
necessity George’s cheek is almost against hers. He is very
conscious of her proximity.
MARY
(on phone)
We’re listening, Sam.
SAM’S VOICE
I have a big deal coming up that’s
going to make us all rich. George,
you remember that night in Martini’s
bar when you told me you read
someplace about making plastics out
of soybeans?
GEORGE
Huh? Yeah-yeah-yeah… soybeans.
Yeah.
SAM’S VOICE
Well, Dad’s snapped up the idea.
He’s going to build a factory outside
of Rochester. How do you like that?
Mary is watching George interestedly. George is very conscious
of her, close to him.
GEORGE
Rochester? Well, why Rochester?
SAM’S VOICE
Well, why not? Can you think of
anything better?
GEORGE
Oh, I don’t know… why not right
here? You remember that old tool
and machinery works? You tell your
father he can get that for a song.
And all the labor he wants, too.
Half the town was thrown out of work
when they closed down.
SAM’S VOICE
That so? Well, I’ll tell him. Hey,
that sounds great! Oh, baby, I knew
you’d come through. Now, here’s the
point. Mary, Mary, you’re in on this
too. Now listen. Have you got any
money?
GEORGE
Money? Yeah… well, a little.
SAM’S VOICE
Well, now listen. I want you to put
every cent you’ve got into our stock,
you hear? And George, I may have a
job for you; that is, unless you’re
still married to that broken-down
Building and Loan. This is the biggest
thing since radio, and I’m letting
you in on the ground floor. Oh,
Mary… Mary…
MARY
(nervously)
I’m here.
SAM’S VOICE
Would you tell that guy I’m giving
him the chance of a lifetime, you
hear? The chance of a lifetime.
As Mary listens, she turns to look at George, her lips almost
on his lips.
MARY
(whispering)
He says it’s the chance of a lifetime.
George can stand it no longer. He drops the phone with a
crash, grabs Mary by the shoulders and shakes her. Mary begins
to cry.
GEORGE
(fiercely)
Now you listen to me! I don’t want
any plastics! I don’t want any ground
floors, and I don’t want to get
married — ever — to anyone! You
understand that? I want to do what I
want to do. And you’re… and
you’re…
He pulls her to him in a fierce embrace. Two meant for each
other find themselves in tearful ecstasy.
GEORGE
Oh, Mary… Mary…
MARY
George… George… George…
GEORGE
Mary…
CLOSE SHOT
Mrs. Hatch is at the top of the stairs. She practically faints
at what she sees.
Here is the movie version of the scene:
“He says it’s the chance of a lifetime.” One of the most important lines in the movie. Here the text is about Sam Wainwright offering George and Mary a business investment opportunity. The subtext: George has an opportunity to be with Mary.
But there is a callback later when Clarence says this to George: “You’ve been given a great gift, George: A chance to see what the world would be like without you.”
There’s that word again: Chance. George opted to take the chance to be with Mary. Then he’s given a chance to look back on the ramifications of that choice. So in effect, there is not only subtext in this scene, but also a setup to a later payoff.
[Originally posted September 5, 2008]