If you’re looking for an inspirational way to enjoy the Christmas holiday season, look no further.
Why not attend a special screening of “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the State College area? Always included on lists of the all-time best Christmas movies, the 1946 classic will be shown at 6 p.m. Monday in Boalsburg’s Calvary Harvest Fields church.
And get this. Not only is Monday’s screening free of charge, but it will be highlighted by the appearance of a very special guest. Karolyn Grimes, the only major cast member from the film who is still alive, will sign autographs and answer questions from emcee Jonathan Weibel and from audience members.
Grimes played “Zuzu,” the youngest child of Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed’s characters, George and Mary Bailey. Today, at age 85, she happily serves as an ambassador for the black-and-white classic, talking about her opportunity to work with Stewart and others.
As most movie lovers will recall, a banker named George Bailey (played by Stewart) has sacrificed many of his own dreams to help others. But through no fault of his own, George’s bank is approaching financial ruin on Christmas Eve and he contemplates suicide. The prayers of Bailey’s family help bring intervention from a guardian angel (“angel second class”) named Clarence who helps George see the difference he can still make in his community. Encouraged by his look at an alternative future, George turns away from his suicidal thoughts, returns home and discovers that townspeople have contributed enough money to rescue his business.
The closing scene is climaxed by an unforgettable line from little Zuzu. When a bell on the Christmas tree rings, the little girl sweetly says that “every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” And then George’s assembled friends and family members joyfully sing “Auld Lang Syne.”
‘ONCE IN A LIFETIME’
Weibel, himself a huge fan of the Frank Capra production, can hardly contain his excitement over the impending event. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a top-20 movie of all time with one of its stars,” he told me. “I just think this is super-cool.”
And he’s doing everything in his power to make the gathering even more memorable. “When people walk in,” said Weibel, “they’re going to get oversized movie candy. And we’re going to have an ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ photo booth. And autographs by Karolyn. And, by the way, we’re auctioning off the seat next to her so that someone can sit beside her during the movie. Her husband will sit on her other side.”
Of course, it’s somewhat unusual for an iconic Hollywood movie to be shown in a church, but anyone who knows Weibel will say that Monday’s screening is a natural outgrowth of his interests. After all, he’s a multi-faceted entertainer who does singing/songwriting and stand-up comedy. And yet he’s also a serious follower of Jesus—a pastor, in fact—who somehow can’t ignore the importance of laughter. (A frequent airline passenger, Weibel has facetiously illustrated his lifestyle by saying, “If I want to talk to someone on the plane, I’ll say I’m a stand-up comic; if I don’t want to talk to them, I’ll say I’m a Baptist evangelist.”)
And the selection of the film also has “Jonathan Weibel” written all over it. He and his wife, Suzy, have enjoyed the flick for decades. “This has been our movie for 37 years, ever since we were engaged,” said the native of Bellevue, Ohio. “We’ve watched the movie every year, and we’ve loved it. We try to only watch it once a year to make it special.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
Weibel first got to know Karolyn Grimes through several interviews he did with her on The Front Yard Mission Podcast. Then, nearly a year after they met via the airwaves, it occurred to him that Karolyn might be able to give a boost to the organization that he leads, also called “Front Yard Mission.” He wanted to host a fundraising event for this ministry that helps folks demonstrate hospitality and Christian love within their neighborhoods.
And, said Weibel, the content of the film fits his cause perfectly. “People who have never seen the movie are amazed by it. They’re very moved by it. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is the film that most closely matches the heart of Front Yard Mission. I feel like it’s the best movie on what it looks like to be a community.”
It wasn’t easy, however, to secure a commitment from the former child star who now lives near Seattle. But the persistent Weibel didn’t give up, and in fact, he said, “I’m dogged, so I dogged her.”
HAPPY MEMORIES
Grimes’ own attachment to the production and to her on-screen father, Jimmy Stewart, helped make it easier for Weibel to recruit her services. Although she acted in 16 movies as a little girl (including “Blue Skies” with Bing Crosby and Fried Astaire, “The Bishop’s Wife” with Cary Grant, and “Rio Grande” with John Wayne), her favorite is “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
When I talked with Karolyn recently by phone she told me that the Jimmy Stewart of the screen was the same warm-hearted person who held her in his arms and encouraged her on the set. “He was very sweet and kind,” she said.
Noting that Stewart did not yet have any of his own children when she worked with him, Grimes said he treated her like a daughter. “During the (rose) petal scene I messed up a line, and he said, ‘That’s all right, Karolyn. You’ll get it right the next time.’ And I did.”
BLESSING FROM BLUNDER
Despite earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, “It’s a Wonderful Life” failed at the box office. But in 1974, a clerical error caused the film’s copyright to expire. Suddenly in the public domain, it was widely broadcast without licensing or royalty fees, winning fans and capturing hearts.
Although Karolyn was among those who lost out on potential royalties, she told me that even 50-plus years later she still views the situation as a blessing.
“I think it was a gift to our people and to our civilization,” she said. “We needed to see that movie. It’s become such a Christmas classic, but a lot of people watch it year-round because they’re depressed and they want to get a lift. And so they sit down and watch that movie and they feel better. I think it’s medicine for our society, and I think it was meant to be. That’s why the copyright wasn’t renewed.”
Karolyn herself is no stranger to heartbreak, having become an orphan at age 15, years later going through a divorce and then still later losing her second husband to death. But each year—especially prior to Christmas—her own heart is warmed by the responses of people to “It’s a Wonderful Life.” “I’m just a lucky little girl to have been in that movie and to have it be a part of my life today.”
Meanwhile, another adventure is now unfolding for Karolyn Grimes. She has already finished the filming of a new movie, “Jimmy,” which tells the story of Jimmy Stewart’s life, including his heroic service during World War II. Already a private pilot when the war began, Stewart enlisted in the Army Air Corps and flew 20-some bombing missions. Part of the film takes place in Stewart’s hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Grimes plays the wife of that community’s mayor.
The new movie will arrive in theatres next November, according to Grimes. Looking back, she realizes that the filming of “It’s a Wonderful Life” was helpful to the legendary actor’s recovery from the trauma of war.
“He was scarred, shall we say, from what he saw and what all happened,” she said. “So this movie (‘Jimmy’) is going to portray what he really did go through. We’re going to see how he survived and how ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ helped Jim go back into the society and to his life.”
