His 1932 film about the 1929 economy crises should be mandatory viewing for all bankers and economists out there. It tells - naturally in a very simplified version - the story of a sincere bank director who refuses to sell out his financially stricken bank to the sharks. His loans are based on trust and not on credit standing and he is eventually rewarded for his stubborn behavior. One might argue that real life is not a Capra movie and any bank clerk giving out loans based on feelings would be immediately fired but one thing is for sure: the main problem we have in the current economical crises is precisely the lack of trust that the common people have against the authorities. This is what the politicians and bank managers need to earn back first before there can be a lasting recovery of the economy. In 1932, Frank Capra's film certainly contributed to it...
Frank Capra came in at the last minute to direct this film but now no one else seems to be imaginable on the director's chair. It would become the first in a series of very successful "Capraesque" films that promote the positive effects of individual acts of courage.
Films rarely can change the world but their influence on the world and its individuals should not be underestimated. After watching a Frank Capra, it is impossible not wanting to become a better person...
8/10
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| Show me the money! |
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