[Prof. Masiello]

It’s a Wonderful Life trivia and questions

Movies often if not always reflect the time when they are made whether through different technology, different props, or different references.

Here are two matters we would have talked about after watching the film:

At one point, forgetful Uncle Billy is shown with strings tied to his fingers. George sees it when his uncle has missed the wedding of George and Mary.

Q: 10 Does anyone know why someone might tie a string on his finger? (No one nowadays does that, but we do other things for the same purpose…)

Later, Mr. Potter says to George Bailey that he could live the high life instead of “playing nursemaid to a bunch of garlic eaters.”

Q: 2) Does anyone know what he meant? (It is essentially an ethnic slur.)

Trivia (which you can Google for pictures and further details): If you remember Alfalfa from the old Little Rascals shorts, Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer has a small role in the school dance sequence where George sees Mary after a long absence. He is a teenager in this film, older than when he was a child star with the stubborn cowlick.

Frank Albertson, the actor who played Sam Wainwright, the businessman rival for Mary’s affections, fond of saying “Hee-Haw,”
had an important supporting role in Psycho as Mr. Cassidy, the rich Texan who flirted with Marion Crane before she stole his $40,000.

Lionel Barrymore, Mr. Potter, was actually wheelchair-bound in his later film career due to hip injuries. In many of his films after his disability, he would only be seen either leaning on a cane or sitting on a horse. His family was something of an acting dynasty back in the 1930s and ’40s (John, Ethel, and Lionel), and he is a distant relative of contemporary actress Drew Barrymore, whose father, John Barrymore, Jr., was a minor star in the ’50s and ’60s.

[Anderson Uribe]

At one point, forgetful Uncle Billy is shown with strings tied to his fingers. George sees it when his uncle has missed the wedding of George and Mary.
Q: 10 Does anyone know why someone might tie a string on his finger? (No one nowadays does that, but we do other things for the same purpose…).

I did notice the strings on Uncle Billy’s fingers. I interpreted this quirk as his way to remember upcoming events. I am sure only a very important event would require a string as a reminder.

Later, Mr. Potter says to George Bailey that he could live the high life instead of “playing nursemaid to a bunch of garlic eaters.”
Q: 2) Does anyone know what he meant? (It is essentially an ethnic slur.)

When I first watched the film, I did not know its deeper meaning. I simply assumed Potter was referring to the people in town as individuals who you would not want to be around, otherwise you would be hit by their bad breath, “poor people” breath.

After a bit of research, I learned it is actually much more interesting. The slur was used against Italians. The film was released in 1946, near the end of World War II when hundreds of thousands of Italians were made “resident aliens” and placed in internment camps. There was biased against them and this showed in the film against the Martini family in Potter’s words. Of course, as the villain of the story, the viewer is influenced to think twice before agreeing with his slur. In addition, there are other aspects of the film that celebrate Italians such as the use of the song “Auld Lang Syne,” which was made popular by Guy Lombardo, who was the son of Italian immigrants.

I am always surprised how much meaning exists in these films and I tend to miss 99% of it!

[Prof. Masiello]

Anderson,

As usual I have to thank you for your thoughtful and thorough responses.

You are absolutely correct about the ethnic group in question, so in today’s parlance we would call Potter a racist.

As for the finger string, yes, it was a rather clumsy way for someone to remind himself he had something to remember.

I for one write on my hand and hope I do not wash it too soon. I generally like to have clean hands!

[,]

At one point, forgetful Uncle Billy is shown with strings tied to his fingers. George sees it when his uncle has missed the wedding of George and Mary.

Q: 10 Does anyone know why someone might tie a string on his finger? (No one nowadays does that, but we do other things for the same purpose…)
1. the string represents his mind and not being absent, and help jog his memory.

Later, Mr. Potter says to George Bailey that he could live the high life instead of “playing nursemaid to a bunch of garlic eaters.”

Q: 2) Does anyone know what he meant? (It is essentially an ethnic slur.)

2. I had no idea that it was a slur but turns out it’s a slur against Italians.

[Virginia Sanchez]

At one point, forgetful Uncle Billy is shown with strings tied to his fingers. George sees it when his uncle has missed the wedding of George and Mary.

Q: 10 Does anyone know why someone might tie a string on his finger? (No one nowadays does that, but we do other things for the same purpose…)

At the beginning of the film, as George Bailey is trying to reach his father for advice, he is interrupted by forgetful Uncle Billie. A woman then tells him a call is coming in from a bank examiner, uncle Billie then looks to his hands to reveal strings attached to his pinkie and index finger. He is surprised and says “I should have called him yesterday.” Judging by his reaction I believe the strings are used to remind him of tasks he has to do.

Later, Mr. Potter says to George Bailey that he could live the high life instead of “playing nursemaid to a bunch of garlic eaters.”

Q: 2) Does anyone know what he meant? (It is essentially an ethnic slur.)

Mr.Potter uses the term “garlic eaters” as an offensive term for Italian Americans. Similar to Anderson Uribe I had not known what the term meant. It was interesting to see how the term relates to the time the film was released. This segment was most likely included because the director of the film, Frank Capra, was an Italian American himself.

[diana]

Here are two matters we would have talked about after watching the film:
At one point, forgetful Uncle Billy is shown with strings tied to his fingers. George sees it when his uncle has missed the wedding of George and Mary.
Q: 10 Does anyone know why someone might tie a string on his finger? (No one nowadays does that, but we do other things for the same purpose…)

There are pieces of string ties around two of the fingers, obviously to remind him of things he has to do.

Later, Mr. Potter says to George Bailey that he could live the high life instead of “playing nursemaid to a bunch of garlic eaters.”
Q: 2) Does anyone know what he meant? (It is essentially an ethnic slur.)
Mr. Potter meant as a reference to the Martini family at the time this was a common anti-Italian slur and it’s been shared by many Americans.

[Christopher Lobato]

Q: 10 Does anyone know why someone might tie a string on his finger? (No one nowadays does that, but we do other things for the same purpose…)

Yes, it is quite ironic that Uncle Billy uses such a technique but still manages to be forgetful of things. I found the use of string tied to a finger to be interesting; it resembles a ring that one would wear on their finger, which is another symbol we use to remind us of our promises and engagements with other people (engagement rings, wedding rings, and so on).

Later, Mr. Potter says to George Bailey that he could live the high life instead of “playing nursemaid to a bunch of garlic eaters.”
Q: 2) Does anyone know what he meant? (It is essentially an ethnic slur.)

Mr. Potter’s use of the phrase “garlic eaters” is discriminatory towards Italians and is an example of Mr. Potter’s distaste for said people. I wonder if any other students noticed, but there is an emphasis on the change in Pottersville, where the bar Martini’s has become Nick’s. The film doesn’t explain this, but it stands out because Nick is now the bar owner. I think this is likely another indication of Mr. Potter’s distaste for Italian Americans. Martini’s full name is Giuseppe Martini, indicating that he’s likely a man of Italian heritage(None of the other characters have Italian names; correct me if I’m wrong). In a world with Bailey, he’s living the American dream where he owns a business, a house, and a family, but in Pottersville, he does not. Since Mr. Potter is now the primary loan provider for everyone, all new sorts of businesses start appearing that are Potter approved, like the bars and clubs(further showing his sliminess). However, it seems like Martini’s was the only one not able to get a loan(because he is not the bar owner). Instead, Nick, the man with an English name, is now the owner of the bar. I think this change likely implies that Mr. Potter was unfair to Italian Americans and therefore ran Martini out of town. As mentioned in a previous post on the discussion board, the director Frank Capra was Italian. He was well aware of how Italians were treated in America and made Mr. Potter the embodiment of discriminatory Americans, concerned about other things like money.

[Jimcya]

Movies often if not always reflect the time when they are made whether through different technology, different props, or different references.

Here are two matters we would have talked about after watching the film:

At one point, forgetful Uncle Billy is shown with strings tied to his fingers. George sees it when his uncle has missed the wedding of George and Mary.

Q: 10 Does anyone know why someone might tie a string on his finger? (No one nowadays does that, but we do other things for the same purpose…)

The act of tying refers to a ritual commitment in this case he uses it as a reminder.

Q: 2) Does anyone know what he meant? (It is essentially an ethnic slur.)
It is like a humiliation, when you say garlic consumers you are expressing yourself in an offensive way as an insult

[Salina Shrestha]

Q: 10 Does anyone know why someone might tie a string on his finger? (No one nowadays does that, but we do other things for the same purpose…)

I think this was to remind George to remember do his tasks and it was like a note written down so he would not forget.

Later, Mr. Potter says to George Bailey that he could live the high life instead of “playing nursemaid to a bunch of garlic eaters.”
Q: 2) Does anyone know what he meant? (It is essentially an ethnic slur.)
He meant that he shouldn’t be helping poor people instead, focus on himself and live life as a wealthy man.