I've earned some converts. I can't go as far as "disciples." I may lack the natural charisma and leadership presence for disciples. But people are coming around on It's a Wonderful Life.
We went last night. Alec and Val, Laurel and I--and Shane. He saw my post Tuesday and wanted in. Or maybe just wanted out of the house for a night. Whatever his reasons, we were 2 1/2 couples. Might have been three couples if he'd had more time to work up the nerve to ask a certain someone in his class out. Then again, that's a heck of a first date, to triple with a bunch of old people (to them; we're not actually old), so he would have had a nearly impossible sales job on his hands.
What a turnout at the Grand Illusion. I knew they'd been running It's a Wonderful Life every Christmas for a long time, but I didn't realize quite how long. This is their 48th year of doing it. Some of the people there last night seemed like they might have been there for all 48. It's a good thing we got there early, or we'd have never found five seats together.
Watching a movie I haven't seen in years is sort of like re-reading a favorite book. Certain details pop out at me in such a way that I begin to wonder if I noticed them before and forgot them or if this is the first time I picked up on them. Like when George tells that kid to stop annoying people as he steals Mary away from him at Harry's graduation party. There is a lot more humor in this movie than it seems to get credit for, probably because it tugs so hard at the ol' heartstrings in other places.
And, yeah, I cried at the end. Again. Laurel didn't seem to notice. Maybe because she was crying too. (I noticed.)
We went out for kebabs afterward and discussed the movie. Everyone had different favorite parts. And everyone voted to go again next year. I'll just pencil that one in for now, considering tonight was only my sixth date with Laurel. If we do wind up there for the 49th annual showing, we can look back on last night as the start of a nice tradition.
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