[…] Aside from being a director, composer, screenwriter, radio performer, stage actor and an accomplished author, Lionel Barrymore also found spare time to become a prominent screen actor as well. Barrymore’s thespian dexterity grabbed him a Best Actor Academy Award for A Free Soul and a timeless performance, as the filthy rich Christmas Grinch Henry F. Potter in It’s a Wonderful …read more […]

A great character. It would really be interesting to find out if Goodrich / Hackett / Capra wrote or at least discussed his backstory, what make him act in such way. The recession? Poor childhood? Or maybe "Affluenza" Oh, and a very bold and interesting screenwriting choice is the fact that he gets away with it (stealing the money). There's no visible punishment. You could argue that his punishment is to continue to be him and not change like Scrooge did.

Another great post Jason! And he is such a great character, a superb nemesis who oozes evil from his every pore. Our staff Xmas do was a private showing of IAWL in a local "luxury" cinema and his character illicited pantomime style "boos" when on screen a number of times. The defining moment for me? When Uncle Billy loses the $8k and Potter knows exactly where it has come from, he makes no attempt to help, seeing only his own potential gain in other's misfortune. No matter how many times I have seen the film, I still find myself tense and willing Uncle Billy not to hand the envelope over with the newspaper! First time I saw the film? My dad made me watch it one Christmas when I was probably about 8 or 9, telling me it was a great film. I probably didn't appreciate the slow build up and the skillful way that Capra develops George as a character so that we are as devastated as him when he breaks down....but something stuck with me, making me watch it again... and again... and again. And then again last week at the cinema with 30 colleagues, 5 or 6 of whom had never seen the film before, so I hope they remember their first time!