Its a wonderful life...unless you're an old maid.

I saw "Its a Wonderful Life" this afternoon at IFC. The New York Times recently made a big stink about how that movie was especially poignant right now in our economic situation (I think they used the description "its a Pitiful Life" - very uplifting). Anyways, although there is a dark side of George Bailey's life in that his hopes and dreams of traveling the world are squashed by having to stick it to the Man, the last scene in the movie gets me every time; "Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."

I did happen to notice in today's showing something about the film I never picked up on before. When George is granted the ability to see what life would have been like if he had never been born, he frets over how different things are and wants to see Mary, his wife. His guardian angel, Clarence, says ok, "But you won't like it, she works at the library and is an old maid!!!" We soon see Mary, who in "real life" is beautiful, but now has been turned into a smart, but sad looking librarian. Wow. My cynical self thought, come on Frank Capra, give us single ladies a break here. But then my romantic side had the thought, is there just one person out there for all of us? What if something happens to my person? Will I end up an old maid librarian?? If I do, at least I hope I will have a nice little cap like Mary. And no cats.


here is the wonderful last scene...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k_Vsmqf6X8&feature=related