Book Review - A Novel Idea

It’s a Wonderful Life, by M.C. Bolin. New York: Harper Paperbacks, 1996.

In my book reviews, I give my brief thoughts on what I read. Sometimes I will expound on those thoughts, but more often than not, I will just give a brief opinion. I could go into detail about what the book is about, but a lot of people have already done that. You can read their descriptions of the book, plus the official description on Amazon.

My copy of the novelization of the film.

As with many popular films, someone writes a book that tells the same story that we see on the screen. Sometimes, as with The Help, the films are based on the books. In other situations, such as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, the film came first, followed by the book, which is based on the film.

That is the case with It's a Wonderful Life, the book by M.C. Bolin, and released for the film's 50th anniversary.

It is pretty mundane, describing the actions that you see on the screen and the lines that are said in the film. But every once in a while, you get moments of brilliance when Bolin gets into the heads of the characters, and describes their thoughts and emotions.

One example of this occurs during the bank run when George thinks to himself, “What was it his mother had said not so long before about Mary’s having all the answers?” (Bolin 70)

2.5 out of 5

Tribute to Frank Faylen

Source: http://goo.gl/nOOs9j

Frank Faylen says and does some of the more entertaining things in It's a Wonderful Life. It is he who has the wonderful line, "how would you like to...." which gets cut off and allows our imaginations to run wild. He also gives Bert the Cop a kiss at the honeymoon, which earns him a little chastisement.

He was born Dec. 8, 1905, in St. Louis, MO as Francis Charles Ruf.

Through the years, Faylen racked up 219 acting credits, beginning in 1935 in a short titled Double Exposure. His final performance was on an episode of the TV series Quincy M.E.

His credits include such classics as:

• The Many Lives of Dobie Gillis (1959), as Dobie's father, Herbert
• Gone With the Wind (1939)
• The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
• The Lost Weekend (1945)
• Road to Rio (1947)
• Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

He also appeared in many military/war films, but he may be best known as a taxi driver. A quick survey of Internet Movie Database credits Faylen with portraying "Taxi Driver" in the following films:

• Four's a Crowd (1938)
• Saturday's Children (1940)
• No Time for Comedy (1940)
• Footsteps in the Dark (1941)
• The Palm Beach Story (1942)
• Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944)
• The Well-Groomed Bride (1946)
• It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

He is credited as "Driver in Cafe" in They Drive By Night (1940), and even appeared in an unknown role (unknown to me, that is) in a film titled Taxi, Mister (1943).

I'm sure there are more instances in which he portrayed a taxi driver, but they are listed as named characters, not as "taxi driver" on Internet Movie Database.

I almost listed another film in which he played an ambulance driver. It's practically the same thing as a taxi driver. But I decided against it.

Faylen died 30 years ago today, Aug. 2, 1985, in Burbank, CA. He is buried in an unmarked grave at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hill, CA.

Frank Faylen's star on the Walk of Fame, 

on the North side of the 6200 block 

of Hollywood Boulevard.

Source: http://goo.gl/nOOs9j

He would be 109 if he was alive today.

Sources:

Internet Movie Database

Find a Grave

Tribute to Joseph Walker

Source: https://goo.gl/AxKuxJ

Quite possibly one of Frank Capra's favorite cinematographers, Joseph Walker has 145 film credits to his name.

His first film was Back to God's Country, in 1919.

Among Capra films Walker captured are:

• Ladies of Leisure (1930)
• Dirigible (1931)
• The Miracle Woman (1931)
• Platinum Blonde (1931)
• American Madness (1932)
• The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
• Lady for a Day (1933)
• It Happened One Night (1934)

And way too many more to count, including, of course, It's a Wonderful Life.

Walker was nominated for four Oscars, but didn't win any.

He invented the zoom lens, and also helped develop the wireless transmitter.

Here is a bit of interesting trivia for you: Joseph Walker's middle name is Bailey.

His last film was Affair in Trinidad in 1952.

He was born Aug. 22, 1892 in Denver, CO. He died Aug. 1, 1985 in Las Vegas, NV. If he were alive today, he would be 122 years old.

Source:

Internet Movie Database