Review of You Can't Take It with You (1938) by Matt K — 14 Aug 2009

Sap. Unadularated sap, and not in the best way. Very similar to It's a Wonderful Life but I think what makes this movie not nearly as good is the lack of the reality of the situation. Yes, yes, that's a lovely thought be a "free spirit" but not all of us have a well-off grnadpa to mooch off of to get to live that way.

Also, during the scene where the Grandpa says he doesn't pay taxes I wanted to scream at him. What do taxes pay for? Schools, roads, public works that are keeping people in jobs. Hey you know when the fire department showed up to save your house from going up in flames???? INCOME TAXES THAT PAY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT!

I think this is the movie here Capra turned around for me. I love his early works- which were all slightly subversive and about having sympathy for the culturally unsympathetic characters that stick in your craw afterward. This is the start of the over-sentimental Capra that most people think of when they think of him. Now, that's not to say I HATED the movie. Bright spots are for sure Jimmy Stewart who is young, funny, affable, and sweet. Jean Arthur is also quite sweet and natural in her role. If the movie had just been about those two I might have liked it a lot better.

But oh no, we get bashed over the head with a fairy tale "free spirit money is super evil" moral that sounds all well and good on the surface but lacks any real introspective in trying to find any happy medium between being happy and having friends but still having responsibility.