MovieChat Forums > You Can't Take It with You (1938) Discussion > Does for me what Fight Club failed to do

Does for me what Fight Club failed to do

posted 19 years ago by BennetDarcy
13 replies | jump to latest

Forget financial concerns. Forget capitalism, and consumerism, and working so hard just to make a penny. Do something you want to do-- something that makes you happy. Because, after all, you can't take money with you when you're gone.

Many may fail to realize that it is the point Fight Club tries to make, but the message sort of gets... lost in translation, which is why I do not like the movie. But no confusion here. You Can't Take it With You is an IDEALISTIC (aka my kind of) movie, where the protagonists are lovable, fun, and everything works out alright through simple good nature. There's nothing wrong with liking Fight Club, and there's nothing wrong with not liking this movie. All I'm saying is thank you, Frank Capra, for giving me the message loud and clear! I loved every minute of it.

[–] homerj208 19 years ago

I agree with you. A lot of critics neglect this Capra peice saying it is especially hokey, even for Capra, but I think it is a fine film from a fine filmmaker.

[–] BennetDarcy 19 years ago

Isn't that sad? At least it won the Best Picture Oscar, and there are still people like us who appreciate this movie!

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] timmy_501 16 years ago

Or at least not all of it. It's really mostly about conformity and individualism. If you want it to be strictly anti-capitalist you have a problem since Tyler Durden is not ultimately a very likeable guy. Perhaps this is why you didn't like it?

I think they're both excellent films by the way.

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You Can't Take it With You 8/10

This story is already over

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] novastar_6 16 years ago

And let's face it, who WOULDN'T want to have a family like that? A family where everybody just does what they want and being happy is placed on a higher priority than if you're a captain of industry. You really DON'T see any movies with free thinkers anymore, in the 30s through the 70s the movies had them, You Can't Take it With You, Harvey, Holiday, Harold and Maude, Ginger in the Morning, etc., but they seldom deal with that in movies anymore. Why is that? Are they afraid that it won't make as much money as a run-of-the-mill mediocre idea?

[–] dkeller213 16 years ago

i have a feeling that with the way our economy/society is headed, films like this are going to pop back up. i doubt they will beat transformer 2 at the box office, but they will have some impact on the modern moviegoer. I think we're already getting a small wave of these types with Benjamin Button, and even Milk. Keep an eye out for these types of movies, and hope that maybe even 1 of them can get the messages across that Frank Capra was trying to communicate.

[–] morilee 16 years ago

Just saw this movie! It is so great! I loved every minute of it.

[–] Errington_92 14 years ago

I would say that Fight Club was more about the loss of masculinity in society than focusing on anti - consumerist or capitalist ideals.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] timmy_501 14 years ago

That's another major theme of the work.

Danger's over, Banana Breakfast is saved.

[–] octagonproplex 13 years ago

George Cukor's 1938 gem "Holiday" starring Carey Grant and Kathryn Hepburn is even more akin to later films about social disillusionment such as "The Graduate" and "Fight Club".

Between "You Can't Take It With You" and "Holiday", Hollywood of 1938 was totally ragining against the machine!

Take that "Easy Rider"!

[–] hodie 13 years ago

Wow, Interesting interpretation. Thanks!

"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

[–] lolarites 13 years ago

Fight Club had some elements of shaking off the corporate smell,but let's not forget that it was really about a man who was committing suicide and created a character to help him do that.