But, I was overruled and we watched It's A Wonderful Life instead. Which is cool because we watch it every year. We resist the sentiment that it is overplayed. How can it be overplayed? It's only on once a year!
Anyway, my human likes to challenge herself. She calls it Zen cinema. You watch the same film over and over and try to discover it for the first time. Some acting thing. It works for me because my short term memory is, well short.
I'm a dog and while very bright, by nature we live in the moment, literally. BTW if you want to test your dog's memory here's a link. http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/your-dog-genius/145.
ANYWAY....I was mesmerized, not memorized...haha. Not by George Bailey's miraculous transformation or Jimmy Stewart's taunt portrayal. Now, that IS overplayed..."Jimmy Stewart, Jimmy Stewart."
Oh, no! In my little white Maltese opinion, it is the very Westi ish qualities of the one and only Dona Reed that makes this picture one of the best movies of all time.
Donna Reed!
She had multidimensional life experience. The kind you get from growing up on a farm and then leaving it.
Donna Reed was from Iowa. I'm not sure how her journey from small town to big screen unfolded, but she never lost her warmth, or her subtle nod to irreverence.
She was spunky, yet graceful. Simple in upbringing, yet erudite. She was innocent and yet, got around the block ...Oh, the Midwest. Fresh air and decent public education at its best.
I could Wikipedia her now , but why? She has captured my imagination. I want to imagine how Donna Reed came to be.
My human, lets just call her Liz Beth Beth this time, recently heard an expression that pretty much verbalized something she had felt ever since moving to Los Angeles from the rural land: In reference to some types of Angelenos getting career breaks:
They were born on third base...
If you grow up in rural Iowa you weren't born on third base, period. Not even if you are the Governor's kid. Nope, you weren't even born in the batter's box.
I know dogs that are born on third base because I see them at Paw's and Stuff where I get washed. Ya know, they have lovely dispostions. Good breeding. They are comfortable in their kennel. Waiting...knowing they are next.
Me? I bark. I claw. I squeal. I have anxiety when they put me in there. Am I ganna get out? Evidently a characteristic of ill- breeding. I'm not certified, like AKC. I am on the big side too. But, look how patiently I sat for my human.
My human says while Jimmy Stewart may have been the star of Its A Wonderful Life, it was Donna Reed's character and performance that made the story. Donna's unique out of the box quality made this role a classic one of a kind. This part was made for her.
She is sugar and salt. Solid practicum whittling through sardonic wit. Mary was silly, smart, open, honest, goofy, true and fiercely loyal. She saw greatness in the simple humaness of George.
Simply put, She was rather canine.
Look at your dog looking at you, or borrow someone elses to look at if you don't have one, or go to the pound.
We can't stop staring at you. You're enough!
It is a Wonderful Life!
