Drawing on universal values of resilience, hope and solidarity, Life is beautiful transcended its initial failure at the box office to establish itself as a cult film. Where was this masterpiece, broadcast Monday December 23 at 8:55 p.m. on Arte, filmed?
Wonderful and timeless Christmas classic, Life is beautiful has been putting stars in the eyes of generations of spectators since its production in 1946 by Frank Capra. The feature film was shot entirely in a studio in California, with one exception. The sets, representing the fictional town of Bedford Falls, were built on a 16,000 m² set at the RKO movie ranch in Encino. This site included 75 buildings, a 275-meter main street, a factory and a residential district, making it one of the largest sets ever created for an American film. Animals, such as dogs, cats and pigeons, inhabited it. Some scenes were also recorded at the RKO studio in Culver City, with several elements having already been used in the western The Rush to the West (1931) de Wesley Ruggles.
Additionally, the iconic dance competition sequence, with the sliding floor opening to reveal a swimming pool, was immortalized at Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, where this system still exists.
Bedford Falls as inspiration?
While Bedford Falls is a fictional creation, it bears striking similarities to Seneca Falls, a small town in upstate New York made up of Victorian homes and a steel bridge. Legend has it that Frank Capra visited Seneca Falls in 1945, where he was touched by the local architecture and stories, including that of Antonio Varacalli, a man who sacrificed his life to save a woman from drowning. This event is said to have inspired the scene where George Bailey dives to save Clarence.
Today, Seneca Falls claims its role as a source of inspiration for Bedford Falls and organizes each year a festival dedicated to the film, the It's a Wonderful Life Festival. The museum of this town also celebrates this link by exhibiting objects linked to the film and its legacy. Frank Capra has never officially confirmed that he was inspired by it, but the locals are convinced of it.
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