'It's a Wonderful LIfe' at Elmhurst History Museum
The 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life" gets its close-up this season when the Elmhurst History Museum opens its "Hometown Holiday: It's a Wonderful Life in Elmhurst" exhibit on Friday.
The exhibit, which features movie artifacts from Chicago-area resident Richard Goodson's extensive collection, will continue through Jan. 6, 2019.
Goodson has amassed an impressive array of photographs, posters and autographs from the movie's cast and crew.
"He was just enthralled with the movie, and has provided a rich collection of items," museum communications specialist Patrice Roche said.
Historian and author Leslie Goddard of Darien said she has seen the movie at least 25 times. Captivated by its story and ethos, she has looked into why people continue to find it so compelling.
"I've always been interested in where history intersects with popular culture," said Goddard, who holds a Ph.D. in history and a master's degree in museum studies. "I've been doing work on why we get so fascinated with particular movies."
Goddard will present a program titled "It's a Wonderful Life: The Making of a Holiday Classic" on Dec. 2 at the museum, 120 E. Park Ave.
She said she noticed people tend to watch Christmas favorites year after year, especially those produced in the latter half of the 20th century.
"And yet, 'It's a Wonderful Life' is even more popular than any of those," she said. "This is where my history geek comes into it. I started thinking about how did they cast it, how did they come up with the script, how did they do the set design?"
The script was based on a short story fashioned into a sort of Christmas card that its author sent to friends and family.
"It was the raw bones of the movie. It was the story of a guy thinking about suicide at Christmastime," she said.
An agent sent the story idea to Hollywood.
"It was bought by RKO Studios with the intention it would star Cary Grant," Goddard said.
After three screenwriters' unsuccessful attempts to adapt the story for the big screen, director Frank Capra bought the rights for $10,000.
"It was Frank Capra who really knew he wanted Jimmy Stewart (for the role of George Bailey). He knew Jimmy Stewart had the right mix of being really likable, all-American, but he had the acting chops. Jimmy Stewart was a huge part of the process for Frank Capra."
Bailey's nemesis, Mr. Potter, is another memorable character.
"He's like the perfect villain. He's like Scrooge and the Grinch all wrapped together," Goddard said. "Lionel Barrymore was a brilliant bit of casting."
Goddard said the set, created on a studio back lot, was 300 feet long and constructed to reflect the movie's timeline, which began in 1919 and went through 1946.
"It was one of the biggest sets built at the time. They had to update all of the signs and advertisements," she said.
A new kind of fake snow was invented for the movie, she said. Rather than using painted cornflakes, the producers found that a combination of fire suppression chemicals and soap produced more believable and less crunchy-sounding precipitation.
Goddard said the reasons behind the movie's staying power and universal appeal may be rooted in both its themes and in how it was delivered to movie audiences.
"There was a fluke in its viewing history," she said.
In 1974, the studio forgot to renew the copyright, allowing it to go into the public domain where it was screened often.
"It really got embedded in the popular consciousness in a remarkable way," she said. "This is really a heartwarming movie. When you think about it, there's a lot of gloom to it. In the last half-hour, there's this realizing the importance of human love and friendship and family. That transformation is really powerful."
The exhibit will include a selection of etchings from Lee Sturges, an internationally acclaimed Elmhurst artist born in 1865 and whose work is on display at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Smithsonian Institution
"He would do these etchings of a Christmas card every year," Roche said.
Added to the movie memorabilia on display will be pieces borrowed from local residents that reflect Elmhurst life in the 1940s, including an assortment of handmade ornaments that were produced just after World War II in Dresden, Germany, Roche said.
The Elmhurst celebration of the movie classic will include a Dec. 1 Hometown Holiday Block Party at Elmhurst City Centre; a Dec. 7 trivia night at Pints; a Dec. 10 radio play at the Elmhurst Public Library; a Dec. 15 movie screening at the York Theatre; and a family snow globe craft activity at the Elmhurst History Museum, also on Dec. 15.
If you go
What: Hometown Holiday: It's a Wonderful Life in Elmhurst exhibit
Where: Elmhurst History Museum, 120 E. Park Ave.
When: Nov. 16 through Jan. 6, 2019; hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays
Admission: Free
Info: www.elmhursthistory.org and (630) 833-1457