10 Failed Movies That Only Found Their Audience On TV
3. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
A picture practically synonymous with Christmas, Its A Wonderful Life performed so badly on its initial release that it lost $525,000 for RKO, which may in part have something to do with how the picture was perceived by the authorities. In a 1947 internal memorandum titled Communist Infiltration Of The Motion Picture Industry, Frank Capras film is held up as an example of Commie propaganda because of its rather obvious attempts to discredit bankers which is of course a common trick used by communists. In addition, the Bureau felt the movie maligned the upper classes because the people who had money were mean and despicable characters. In a more enlightened era - well, the 1970s - the film became a staple of Christmas TV schedules, much to the bemusement of its director. Its the damnedest thing Ive ever seen, Capra told the Wall Street Journal in 1984. The film has a life of its own now, and I can look at it like I had nothing to do with it.
Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'
