The Chicago Tribune article then broke down "A Christmas Story" (CS) and "It's a Wonderful Life" (WL) into a comparison in seven categories.
HERO--
WL-- George Bailey, a small-town everyman who thinks of everybody.
CS-- Ralphie Parker, a small-town 9-year-old boy who thinks of himself.
WINNER: "It's a Wonderful Life"
My Comment (MC) No contest here. George was trying to do right, but the loss of the money by his uncle made him question his life. Ralphie was just being selfish.
HUMOR HIGHLIGHTS--
WL-- The dance at the gym where the floor opens and George and Mary fall in the pool followed by most everyone else.
CS-- The flagpole incident, the leg lamp, the Bumpus dogs, the visit to Santa.
WINNER: "A Christmas Story"
MC-- I agree. By a landslide. CS was just one funny thing after another. "Ohhhh Fudge." But I always like the looks on the face of the bridge tender when he was listening to Clarence.
FANTASY SEQUENCES--
WL-- Clarence shows George what would have happened had he never been born.
CS-- Teacher rhapsodizes over essay; Ralphie saves family from Black Bart; Ralphie gets soap poisoning.
WINNER: "It's a Wonderful Life."
MC-- I agree. That part where New Bedford Falls became Potterstown was something else.
More to Come. --Cooter
2 comments:
Ralphie was just being a nine year old kid, an age synonymous with selfishness.
As Christmas is really about the kids for most, this is a moot point.
I'm just sayin'
I agree.
The basic stories were way too different to determine a hero by simply matching them.
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