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The It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book [Hardcover]

Stephen Cox (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)


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Book Description

June 2003
Few motion pictures have enjoyed a renaissance like the 1946 Frank Capra masterpiece It’s a Wonderful Life. Nominated for five Academy Awards, it was dismissed as syrupy Christmas fare and fell into obscurity until television gave it new life. Today it’s an American tradition.

With The It’s a Wonderful Life Memory Book, any fan of the classic film can further appreciate its magic and legacy. The warm reminiscences of the film’s cast are supported by excellent photographs, providing the perfect companion for any fan of the film—or anyone who believes in miracles and angels.

The book features dozens of interviews and rare behind-the-scenes photographs that allow readers to see how the movie was created. Comments from Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart, Bobbie Anderson, Jimmy Hawkins, Karen Grimes, and many more make the story come alive.

More than a dozen brief biographies of the prominent cast members detail how It’s a Wonderful Life affected their lives and careers. "Then" and "now" photographs supplement the career highlights of Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi, Gloria Grahame, Frank Faylen, Ward Bond, and others.

Like George Bailey himself, It’s a Wonderful Life was rescued from oblivion in the late 1970s when it was discovered that the film’s copyright had not been renewed and the motion picture fell into public domain and television stations nationwide began freely airing the film. From film remakes and marvelous merchandise to cast reunions and Saturday Night Live’s hilarious parody, The It’s a Wonderful Life Memory Book explores the adoration of generations of viewers who have fallen under its spell.



Editorial Reviews

Review

"...images we haven't seen...facts no one has printed before...a must-have for anyone who cares about the movie." -- Leonard Maltin, October 2003

From the Author

Rediscover Frank Capra's masterpiece like never before. Stuffed like a Christmas stocking, this handsome new gift-book takes you behind the snowy scenes of the magical movie...and it may just have you believing in angels. A truly American tradition for countless millions, "It's a Wonderful Life" has become as much a part of the holiday season as the man in the red suit himself. Celebrate the holidays with this unique Memory Book. You'll find out what happened to the cast (Didn't you always wonder whatever became of Bobbie Anderson who played "young George Bailey" and Karolyn Grimes who was "Zuzu"?) and feast on rare unpublished photographs, including amazing full color, and recently discovered images depicting snipped scenes from the movie. Even better, you'll uncover Capra's brilliant "lost ending." As Clarence the guardian angel warned George Bailey: "You'll see a lot of strange things from now on." Hee Haw! And Merry Christmas!! Steve Cox

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing (June 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1581823371
  • ISBN-13: 978-1581823370
  • Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,164,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

22 Reviews
5 star:
 (19)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Life in wonderful Bedford Falls, December 31, 2004
This review is from: The It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book (Hardcover)
Yet another IAWL book. As the years go by publishers appreciate the fascination this stunning movie has for the public and continue to issue titles: a scrapbook; trivia; anniversary; movie stills; (and amazingly) a recipe book plus the video (normal and colorised versions) DVD and audio cassettes. Stephen Cox's book is better than most and he has clearly done a lot of background research on the production and especially the cast. Sort of left no stone unturned, either, for instance he includes the 1986 Saturday Night Live sketch where Potter turns out not to be disabled.

Interesting though the book is I wish the publisher's had made a bit more of an effort with the production, the layout is bland, the paper ordinary so that the many photos look grey and washed out, this especially applies to the stills. There is an eight page color insert section with twenty-one images, some of which are not really worth using. The fact that this color section required a better paper than the rest of the book makes my point and I think buyers deserve better with a title that has lots of photos.

I was made aware of all these short-comings when I compared the book with Jeanine Basinger's The It's a Wonderful Life Book (click to the book site to see some inside pages I've uploaded) published in 1986, this really has to be the definitive title about everybody's Christmas classic and well worth searching out. It has plenty of background material about the stars and Frank Capra's direction but the thing I really liked was the inclusion of the complete shooting script over 215 pages (illustrated with ninety-nine stills) and you'll get to read the original Philip Van Doren Stern short story 'The Greatest Gift' the movie was based on. All the photos and stills look super in this book, too.

Both books are a tribute to a glorious heart-warming experience but the Basinger book is as wonderful as the movie.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book!!!!!, January 14, 2005
This review is from: The It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book (Hardcover)
I totally loved this book!- I finished it in one sitting- I was facinated with all of the little tidbits that I wasnt aware of: H.B. Warner being sauced when he filmed the loss of his son scene- I was especially impressed with the very rare colored photos in the mid section of the book. I have read almost every one of this author's books but this one is a special holiday treat!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful but not exceptional, February 22, 2006
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This review is from: The It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book (Hardcover)
There are plenty of surprises in this book. You'll read what director Frank Capra and the players themselves have to say about making "It's a Wonderful Life," and you'll discover some interesting names among those who were almost cast. You'll also learn that some of the film's legends are true, while others are not. For example, while it is true that Carl Switzer (Alfalfa from the "Our Gang" comedies) was the rascal who opened the gym floor exposing the swimming pool beneath, it is NOT true that muppets Bert and Ernie were named as an homage to Bert the cop and Ernie the cab driver -- that's just a coincidence. In spite of the book's rather crowded layout and lackluster production, if you love "It's a Wonderful Life" and/or if you collect IAWL memorabilia, you'll want to have this book.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Wonderful Life, George Bailey, Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart, Bedford Falls, Uncle Billy, Lionel Barrymore, Donna Reed, Karolyn Grimes, New York, Henry Travers, Snow White, Mary Hatch, Beulah Bondi, Jimmy Hawkins, Thomas Mitchell, Liberty Films, Smith Goes, Philip Van Doren Stern, Seneca Falls, Adriana Caselotti, The Greatest Gift, Cary Grant, James Stewart, The Waltons
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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