Daily Dialogue — December 24, 2019

George Bailey: Look, who are you? Who are you really?
Clarence: I told you, George. I’m your guardian angel.
George Bailey: Yeah, well what else are you? Are you a hypnotist?
Clarence: No, of course not.
George Bailey: Then why am I seeing all these strange things?
Clarence: Don’t you understand, George? It’s because you were never born.
George Bailey: Well, if I was never born… who am I?
Clarence: You’re nobody. You have no identity.
George Bailey: What do you mean no identity? My name is George Bailey!
Clarence: There is no George Bailey.

George searches his pockets for identification, finds none.

Clarence: You have no papers, no cards, no driver’s license, no 4F card, no insurance policy.

George finally searches his watch pocket for the rose petals from Zuzu.

Clarence: They’re not there either.
George Bailey: What?
Clarence: Zuzu’s petals. You’ve been given a great gift, George. A chance to see what the world would be like without you.

— It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), screenplay by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett and Frank Capra, additional scenes by Jo Swerling and Philip Van Doren Stern

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Angel. Today’s suggestion by Paul DeCesare.

Trivia: 42 rings are heard over the course of the film, so if Clarence is right, 42 angels have gotten their wings.

Dialogue On Dialogue: One of the most beloved angel characters in movie history: Clarence Oddbody, Angel 2nd Class.