FBI Considered "It's A Wonderful Life" Communist Propaganda

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Rather old article

I love It's a Wonderful Life because it teaches us that family, friendship, and virtue are the true definitions of wealth.

In 1947, however, the FBI considered this anti-consumerist message as subversive Communist propaganda.

According to Professor John Noakes of Franklin and Marshall College, the FBI thought Life smeared American values such as wealth and free enterprise while glorifying anti-American values such as the triumph of the common man. (See also: Occupy Wall Street, the 99%, and All That)

The FBI specifically detested the way Mr. Potter was portrayed:

The casting of Lionel Barrymore as a "scrooge-type" resulted in the loathsome Mr. Potter becoming the most hated person in the film. According to the official FBI report, "this was a common trick used by the communists.

https://www.wisebread.com/fbi-considered-its-a-wonderful-life-communist-propaganda#memo1

[Aristus]

1. Having just defeated the Nazis in World War II,

the US was in a headlong rush to fill the fascist void...

[Sherman A1]

4. Precisely

there needed to be some bad guy(s) to focus upon.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

7. +1

[EarnestPutz]

2. This was J. Edgar Hoover's FBI, back in the day.

They're going to tear down the FBI building in Washington that is named
after the old bigot and replace it with a new one. We should make sure
that the new building is not named after Hoover. The fact that a building
built during the Nixon administration is falling apart already is a whole different
consideration. Low bid contractors with political connections?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

3. The Robert S. Mueller III Building

[Aristus]

5. I second that!

[EarnestPutz]

10. Your link to the "Two Santa Claus" essay made me happy.

I read it a while back and felt it was spot on. Why people buy into
Republican lies is one of life's great mysteries.

[bitterross]

6. Spoiler. Potter won in the long term.

We live in Potterville.

[bluestarone]

9. He did succeed in stealing (Some would argue)

ALL that money (Not getting charged with anything) like they do today!!

[Archae]

8. Hoover even had Shirley Temple investigated.

For "leftist" connections. (Which never existed.)

They also smeared a woman who was killed by one of their informers in the KKK, and smeared actress Jen Seberg.