It's a Wonderful Life, isn't it Jimmy?

It's that time of year again. When some of us settle down for the annual viewing of It's a Wonderful Life. But is the film as uplifting as we're led to believe?  Here's what I had to say about it in The Northern Line to Shropshire.

The obligatory annual screening of this Jimmy Stewart classic over, eyes wiped and tissues binned, I don't know if it's my imagination, or the passing of my own years, but the film gets blacker every time I watch it. I'm sure I used to cry at the goodness in the film - the rousing speech to stem the bank run; the love, the kindness, the redemption. Now when I watch I just see sacrifice.

Be careful what you wish for; be happy with your lot; angels get their wings but you'll never get to shake the dust of this crummy little town off your feet and see the world; face it, you ain't ever gonna lasso the moon.