Who was Jimmy Stewart (1908-1997)? Many of his films are regarded as among the greatest of all time, but who was the man behind the silver screen? “Jimmy” is a heartfelt biopic that explores the Hollywood legend’s journey from Academy Award winning actor in “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), to military hero, and back again to his timeless performance as George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946).
While Jimmy (K.J. Apa) finds Oscar-winning success, is surrounded by the post-Depression glam of Hollywood, and enjoys a relationship with Ginger Rogers (Jemma Donovan), his world is thrown into chaos when he receives a World War II draft letter in the mail. Although Louis B. Mayer (Jason Alexander), U.S. Army Colonel Terrill (Rob Riggle), and Jimmy’s father Alexander Stewart (Neal McDonough) all either promise him they make it go away or encourage him to stick with acting, Jimmy enlists anyway since he can’t help but wrestle with the question: Am I hero, or is it all an act?
Most of “Jimmy” covers Jimmy Stewart’s wartime career as a combat pilot through his rise to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Air Forces. It skips the common boot camp scenes depicted in war films, and goes straight into his time commanding the 703rd Bomb Squadron in the 445th Bombardment Group, flying B‑24 Liberators over Europe.
Jimmy’s command is not depicted through rose-colored glasses. He immediately loses 14 men on a mission, and struggles to write the letters to their families. After praying in a church, he discovers encouragement by bumping into Lady Julia Tyndall (Kara Killmer). She is not a historical figure, but a composite of different women from Jimmy’s life and serves as a litmus test of his mental state throughout his World War II career.
After the war, Jimmy has trouble re-entering society. Through encouragement of his father, Frank Capra (Max Casella), and Lionel Barrymore (Christopher McDonald), Jimmy channels his trauma into delivering his timeless performance in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Inclusion of faith
Several recent biopics, like “Tolkien” (2019) and “Unbroken” (2014), downplay their subjects’ well-known faith life, but “Jimmy” does not. It weaves Jimmy Stewart’s Presbyterian faith into the story seamlessly, not in any cheesy or forced ways.
One of the most poignant methods is through his father gifting him a worn book of Psalms that his father depended upon when hardships came to him in the trenches of World War I. Jimmy uses this book after devastating losses of his men, and gifts it after the war to a soldier in a wheelchair.
The inclusion of Jimmy Stewart’s faith gives more credibility to his performance as George Bailey in “It’s A Wonderful Life” at the bar, where the character asks God for help. K.J. Apa’s performance is spot on as he portrays the scene, one historically regarded as a time where Jimmy Stewart did not appear to be acting, but processing his trauma from the war.
The heroic deeds of veterans and everyday people
Towards the end of his time in World War II, Lt. Col. Stewart prepares the men for a mission. They are worn out, stretched thin, and suffering the loss of fellow soldiers. Stewart feels this gloom himself as he is shown to feel deeply the losses of all men under his command, including his former crew who all died before his eyes. When one of the airmen scoffs at the importance of the mission, Jimmy lets him speak. The airmen laments that no one cares if they all live or die. In a surprising response that perks the ears of all the men in the room, Jimmy says he is right.
He goes onto explain how no one will ever fully understand what the men have gone through, and they wouldn’t ask them to risk their lives on these missions if they did. He also asks the men if they think about the everyday laborers who grow corn, build roads, provide milk, or constructed the Empire State Building. The everyday person does not do those things for recognition, but because it is their job. In the same vein, the soldiers are not there because it is easy, but because it is what needs to be done. The men in the room, roused with determination, perform the mission with valor despite the danger.
How true is this sentiment in our current “instant gratification” culture in the United States? We have mastered the self-checkout line and contactless deliveries, but have also removed many person-to-person interactions and any semblance of appreciating the people who make everyday life possible. Life can be so comfortable, we often do not think of electricians, plumbers, construction workers, farmers, oil-riggers, mechanics, or any other laborer until our comforts are disrupted.
One of the major reasons we can live in a sort of blissful ignorance and have so many technological advances in the modern age is because of the freedoms we have been afforded by the men and women who have served in the military. None of us can truly comprehend what happens on the battlefield unless we have been there, and we probably are the better for it.
What’s more, none of us can come close to comprehend what Jesus went through when he suffered his passion and death. The gravity of taking on the weight of our sins, being beaten, ridiculed, and killed in one of the cruelest deaths concocted by His own creation is beyond our understanding. And yet, He did it because it was necessary for our Salvation. Without it, we have no resurrection or access to Heaven.
Where it succeeds
“Jimmy” is a wholesome biopic, and barely crosses the PG-13 line with a little blood show on a few dead soldiers, scenes of war, and some soldiers in the background seen falling out of planes after being shot. Where many war movies choose to explore the gore of war, “Jimmy” explores the shock of war, and is a nice change of pace.
The overall casts’ performances are fantastic, but K.J. Apa shines the brightest as Jimmy Stewart. He embodies Jimmy without his performance becoming a caricature, a feat worth mentioning since impressions of Jimmy Stewart are widely adopted throughout the country and beyond.
The writing is especially superb. There are several touching monologues and interactions in the film with that strike a perfect balance of message and sentiment.
The direction score, wardrobe, and overall cinematography (with one exception) are of note as well. Several moments have the feeling of classic cinema scenes from the 1930s-50s as well as homages to the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” and are earned.
Where it falls short
The one exception to the cinematography fulling succeeding is the background of war scenes and bigger landscapes were clearly computer animated and not integrated in with the overall composition of the scenes shot on set. It didn’t take me out of the movie completely, but was noticeable.
While I also understood the reason of the character of Lady Julia Tyndall and the actress did a great job with the role, the character was too prevalent throughout the film and fails a bit as a love interest since you know he is not going to marry her. The second half of his time depicted in the war drags a bit, and cutting out some of her scenes would have helped with the pace and getting to his time after the war a bit quicker.
Final thoughts
Even with my critiques above, “Jimmy” ends up as a wonderful tribute to an American treasure and veterans.
“It’s a Wonderful Life” has been dear to my heart for a long time. I portrayed Uncle Billy and others in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play in High School, an experience that inspired the movie to become the first one my wife and I saw when we first dated. It has been an annual tradition in our household to watch it during Advent, and I anticipate a new experience while watching it this year because of “Jimmy.” All I can say is, I’m grateful.
