It's a Wonderful Life |
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Frank Capra directed this Christmas classic in 1946. The story revolves around George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), a self-sacrificing and genuinely good man. George Bailey has touched numerous lives in his short life. He saved his brother's life, the local druggist's career, single-handedly kept the evil Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) from gaining control of Bedford Falls, and built houses for many members of the community. He never asked for anything in return. When his Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) loses $8,000 belonging to the Bailey Savings and Loan, George's life takes an unexpected twist and he receives a gift from an Angel. Clarence (Henry Travers) shows George what the world would be like if he were never born.
The scene with the librarian takes place in the alternate world. George's wife, Mary, is a librarian in the alternate reality.
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SCREENPLAY: CLOSE UP -- George and Clarence GEORGE: Clarence... CLARENCE: Yes, George? GEORGE: Where's Mary? ... CLARENCE: You're not going to like it, George. GEORGE: (shouting) Where is she? CLARENCE: She's an old maid. She never married. GEORGE: (choking him) Where's Mary? Where is she? CLARENCE: She's... GEORGE: Where is she? CLARENCE: (in self-defense) She's just about to close up the library! ... EXT. LIBRARY -- NIGHT
CLOSE SHOT -- Mary comes out the door, then turns and locks it. CLOSE UP -- George, as he watches her. CLOSE SHOT -- George and Mary, on the sidewalk. GEORGE: Mary! She looks up, surprised, but, not recognizing him, continues on. GEORGE: (cont'd) Mary! Mary starts running away from him, and he follows, desperately. GEORGE: (cont'd) Mary! Mary!
He catches up to her, grabs her by the arms, and keeps a tight grip on her. GEORGE: (cont'd) Mary, it's George! Don't you know me? What's happened to us? MARY: (struggling) I don't know you! Let me go! ..... Basinger, Jeanine, In Collaboration with the Trustees of the Frank Capra Archives. The It's a Wonderful Life Book. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986, 304-307. |
As you can no doubt see from the screenplay excerpt above, Mary (Donna Reed) is a spinster, or "old maid" in the alternate reality. Because George was never there to marry her, she had to find work in the local library.
What is interesting about this scene is the implication that the worse thing that could happen to Mary is that she could become a librarian. She as unattractive, has no warmth, and is terribly efficient and self-satisfied. Clarence even says, George, you're not going to like what happened to her.
But this scene does make an interesting point. If a woman never married or was widowed in the 1940s, what were her options? Ma Bailey (Beulah Bondi), being an older woman with a home, can run a boarding house. She may not be happy about it, but it is socially acceptable. Violet Bick (Gloria Grahame), the local flirt, becomes a dance-hall girl because George isn't there to help her. This is, of course, not socially acceptable, but then, Violet always had the potential to be that kind of girl. But Mary is young with a good reputation. She can't rent boarders, she doesn't have a house. She would never work in a dance-hall or burlesque. Therefore, the socially acceptable option for her is to work in the library.
The scene in this regard is historically accurate. What is offensive is the suggestion that the worse thing that could ever happen to her is that she could become a dried-up spinster working in the library.