Starring : Nicholas Cage & Bridget Fonda
Watch on : Netflix
It’s like a ritual that the James Stewart 1946 classic ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is screened every Christmas in US for its yuletide spirit of benevolence and generosity, maybe just to remind people that human qualities of charity and sharing has to exist for the world to be a better place. Almost in the same genre is this film, fairy tale like in its story telling !
It’s an American romantic comedy–drama film starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. with a plot inspired by a real-life news story. Simplistic as it sounds, a New York Police Department officer (Nicholas Cage) who is short on cash and unable to tip his waitress (Bridget Fonda), half-jokingly offers to share his winnings if he happens to win the State lottery. The incredible happens – he wins 4 million dollars on his lottery ticket and being an honest cop with a pure conscience as big a his heart, he decides to keep his promise !
As a person the policeman Charlie, is kind and generous who loves his job and enjoys a strong rapport with the neighborhood where he lives but his wife Muriel is quite the opposite. She also works in a hairdressing salon but unlike Charlie, she is greedy and selfish and materialistic and constantly complains about their situation in life. Sparks fly when they win but she discovers Charlie intends to share half winnings with a waitress !
The basic premise of the film revolves around the character of Charlie who in a world of deceit and selfishness, is a person who shines like a beacon of generosity, kindness and spirit of charity who loves to make people happy by sharing his newly acquired wealth. In one scene, he says “I’m only keeping my promise’ to which the waitress says : You’re doing what no one else would do’ ! Too good to be true – but ‘ It Could Happen To You’ !
As cinema buffs we know most of Nicholas Cage’s movies that have achieved financial success were in the action/adventure genre. These include The Rock, Con Air, Face/Off, and Gone in 60 Seconds, with Cage as a retired car thief. In this film he is the anti-thesis of those violent characters & symbolizes virtues like being noble, gentle, kind & humble. For the uninitiated, winsome Bridget Fonda is grand-daughter of veteran Henry Fonda. Also viewers will be delighted to see cameos from late Ranjt Mullick and Red Buttons !
A trivia is that the film was remade in Hindi as ‘Bade Dilwala’ (1999) with Suneil Shetty.
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