This past week in my Creative Writing class, I was teaching students about climactic events and falling action, and my first thought for excellent examples of these two plot elements was from It's a Wonderful Life. I typically look for movie clips to show that are from books made into movies, but the pure desperation and stunning elation all within moments in the scene when George is begging God to restore his family to him then realizing God answered his prayer is storytelling perfection, so those two clips were what my students got.
Can you believe there were some students who had never seen It's a Wonderful Life? I was dumbfounded yet tried to not show my shock, but the extra perfect thing about having some students who had never seen it was that they could very clearly see why I chose what I did. The poignant delivery of the story lines has much to do with Jimmy Stewart being a gifted actor, but the ability to reach people is in how close to home the moment hits for each person. Everyone has had moments like George, maybe not so extreme, but it is all still very human. And in those moments, we are reminded of how much we need God and Jesus Christ.
As I was showing the end scene when the falling action tumbles down the plot outline with a swiftness, I could not help but get teary eyed at the lesson being taught. Yes, the falling action rushes at us with little time to let it all sink in, but is not that how life can get once we realize there are blessings all around us? I know it can be like that for me. So whether I am watching Christmas movie classics or the B film Christmas cookie cutter movies that are a dime a dozen as far as writing quality goes, you can always count on a rush of falling action into a beautiful, happy, sweet resolution to remind us that in the end everything will be alright because God wins which means we win.
I am grateful for the Christmas movie genre with its simplicity and gentle reminders that joy is the resolution we are looking for, and it all points me to being thankful for God sending us the Christ Child, the reason for the season.
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