MovieChat Forums > You Can't Take It with You (1938) Discussion > I love this movie - it's message still a...

I love this movie - it's message still applies today 77 years later

posted 11 years ago by PretoriaDZ
7 replies | jump to latest

What Grandpa (Lionel Barrymore) is trying to get Mr. Kirby (Edward Arnold) to understand is that the most important thing in life is to be a mensch (that's a yiddish word for being a person of integrity and honor, or, if you will, be a human being.)

Capra may have been corny, but he sure saw the truth about how human beings should treat each other. Take a look at Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. It could be reset in today's world and not change a word of dialogue.

This positively infantile preoccupation with bosoms!Terry-Thomas about US 1963.Hasnt changed much!

[–] srklondie 10 years ago

Hands down, the best comedy ever. But much more than just a comedy, as you so eloquently point out. Mazel tov to Mr. Capra, for knowing how to make America smile for so long.

[–] novastar_6 10 years ago

Indeeeeeeeed, and thank God for the people at Turner Classic Movies who routinely bring this film to TV for all to watch. An Essential, yes it is, very much.

[–] Gilmarien 9 years ago

Indeed it is. I'm posting this in April 2016, having just watched this wonderful movie again on DVD, in the middle of the "Presidential" primary campaign of the abominable Donald Trump. The talk about "deals", and the unscrupulous nature of big business and finance, hasn't changed a bit from 1938 to the present.
The only unrealistic bit is Kirby's reform. Men like that don't change their stripes.

How did it come to this?

[–] galileo57 9 years ago

Oh and Hillary Clinton is the epitome of character? Please. Trump...if you take the wax out of your ears talks of making good deals for the USA. Bring in jobs back to the USA. Getting people off the phones and working with their hands again. Like it was back in the days when America was working through its growing pains. Trump is not Kirby..., Hillary the corrupt sellout and he corrupt Foundation is the Kirby in this day in age. She is selling America to anyone willing to make her wealthier and more powerful.

[–] hodie1 8 years ago

Martin Vanderhof says something early on about how present-day Americans don't talk about Americans like the Founding Fathers and Mark Twain, who didn't run around looking for "-isms" to fix things (or to blame) when things got tough. He seems to have a small-government sensibility, especially in the scene with the IRS agent. I KNOW Hillary doesn't think like that. It remains to be seen how Trump thinks when the rubber hits the road.

[–] herbsuperb 8 years ago

Capra may have been corny, but he sure saw the truth about how human beings should treat each other. Take a look at Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. It could be reset in today's world and not change a word of dialogue.

You said it. I visited Washington DC some 15 years ago. We went up to see the Congress at the Capitol. Watched for a couple hours. I don't recall the purpose, but there was a big vote that day, and final deliberations were ongoing.

About a week after we got back, my Dad and I were watching Mr. Smith, and we both remarked on that very thing. Nothing's really changed. Made me sad.

Just saw YCTIWY for the first time. Good film, with a solid, albeit 'in your face' message. I especially enjoyed Barrymore's performance, and Ann Miller's character was a constant delight. They all were. Certain scenes and dialogue reminded me very much of Dickens, and the principal theme of the film, in my opinion, was very similar to that in Mary Poppins (the film anyway, I'm not familiar with the Poppins books). The notion that everyone, at times, needs to forget about their troubles, and their goals, and their drive, and go fly a kite. Enjoy the small simple pleasures in life, lest they pass you by.

[–] liscarkat (19418) 6 years ago

Capra went way over the corn line in this one. It's infantile and insufferable. All of the "human beings" are simpletons, and all of the sophisticated people are evil. Edward Arnold's character was the only one I could stand in this thing, yet he's made out to be the villain. What a giant load of junk.