The Greatest Gift

It’s a Wonderful Life

WebQuest

Go to http://claytoncountylibrary.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/book-vs-
movie-the-greatest-gift-and-its-a-wonderful-life/ to answer the
following questions:
Read the Book vs. Movie: The Greatest Gift and It’s a Wonderful Life…
o What are the similarities represented in both the book and
the movie? They both show creativity.
o What do people say when comparing the book to the film?
One person stated that, “ films are often criticized for not
living up to the book but, they can stimulate interest in the
book to and sometimes even surpass them.”

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Van_Doren_Stern to answer
the following questions:
 As an author, what genre was Philip Van Doren Stern best
known? He is best known for a short story he wrote in 1943
called “The Greatest Gift”.
 He wrote an anthology of Edgar Allan Poe’s work. What was that
anthology called? It was called “Visitor from the Night of Time” It
was published in 1973.

http://www.cosmolearning.com/videos/its-a-wonderful-life-1946-1110/
Press the pause button on the video or turn off your volume
whihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Van_Doren_Stern le the video
plays.
Answer the following questions:
 When was the movie It’s a Wonderful Life made?
 When did it become a Christmas movie classic? Why?
 Where did the original story of It’s a Wonderful Life come?
 Why is this film titled, It’s a Wonderful Life?
 What other films have copied the plot of It’s a Wonderful Life?
 What is the story of It’s a Wonderful Life based on?
 How many Academy Award nominations did it get and in what
categories?
Go to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/
 Play the Trailer then answer these questions:
 Would you go see this movie after watching the trailer? Why or
why not? No, I don’t like watching black and white movies.
 Scroll to Director: and click onto Frank Capra to answer the
following questions:
o Where was Frank Capra born? Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy.
Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY
Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest
 o How many Oscars did he receive? 3 oscars.
o Click on more in the Awards: category to answer the
following questions:
 How many Golden Globes did he receive? 1 Golden
Globe Award.
 He has a Star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.
What category and where is it located? Motion
Picture. 6614 Hollywood Blvd.
 It’s a Wonderful Life won a Golden Globe Award in
what year? In 1947.
 Go back to Frank Capra main page and click on Mini Biography:
more
 What form of transportation did the Capra family
take from Sicily, Italy to United States? The ship
Germania.
 What did Frank Capra do to pursue the American
Dream? Because “he had a fight on his hands and he
wanted to win.
 He went to the Throop College of Technology. How
much was the annual tuition? His annual tuition was
$250.
 Why was Frank Capra given a cash award of $250?
For the highest grades in school.
 Frank Capra acted in a film prior to directing. What
was the film called? “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”
 How many years did it take for Frank to become the
#1 director in Hollywood? It took him two decades.
 Scroll through his biography to Trivia to answer
these questions…
• While he was raising his four children, where
did they live? Fallbrook, Ca.
• How did he get his first film assignment? By
replying to an ad in the LA newspaper.
• When did he Host the Academy Awards? In
1936 and 1939
• Frank Capra had a political side. What was he
a “staunch opponent” of? Abortion.
• Some of his Personal Quotes to reflect/connect
on… Write two sentences or more on…how do
you think you can use this quote to motivate
you?
o “My advice to young filmmakers is this:
Don’t follow trends. Start them!”
o “A hunch is creativity trying to tell you
Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY
Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest
 something.” For the first quote I think a
good way it could motivate me is by
being a leader and be BOLD. For the
second quote I think to be creative and
stand apart from everyone else’s point-
of-view.
Go back to It’s a Wonderful Life main page
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/
 Click on the Clip at the top of the page and watch the clip to
answer the following questions:
 What does “lasso the moon and pull it down” mean? I think he is
saying he will give her what ever she wants if she ask for it.
 What does the man on the front porch say to George and Mary?
He tells George to kiss Mary.
 Do people sit out on the front porch reading the paper much
anymore? Why or why not? No, because the world has upgraded
since then so it’s different.
 Scroll to Cast to answer the following questions:
o James Stewart
 How many films did he act in playing himself? He
played himself in 108 films.
 What film did he win his Best Actor Oscar in a
Leading Role?
o Donna Reed
 What did she star in when she won her Best Actress
in a Supporting Role Oscar?
 How many films did she do prior to starring in It’s a
Wonderful Life?
o Lionel Barrymore
 What was the name of the film he won an Oscar for
Best Actor in a Leading Role?
 He is the great uncle of what current actress?

 Once you have completed this WebQuest…write a reflection on

what you found most interesting about the book, film,
writer/director, actors, and story.

Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY

Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest