Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews
Written on Dec 25, 2012
The Greatest Gift is best know as the inspiration for Frank Capra's beloved It's A Wonderful Life. This short story was a surprise to me not only because of how enchanting it is, putting life in perspective, but also because of the differences between this and it's adapted movie. First off, there is no Uncle Billy or Mr. Potter, George Bailey is not even George Baily, he is George Pratt. It made me realize how much Frank Capra added to It's A Wonderful Life, although how could you make a two hour movie out of a 36 page short story? Some liberties have to be taken. Philip Van Doren Stern's The Greatest Gift is a must read for the Christmas season and should stand next to Dickens' A Christmas Carol