This is a classic James Stewart movie. You can just hear George Bailey saying, "How can you ever have too much faith in people?" as his reason for continuing to loan money to his friends and neighbors. In fact, Good Sam is very similar to It's a Wonderful Life, but without the visit of Clarence the angel. It even ends at Christmastime!
With two leads I don't normally like, it's quite something that I liked this movie. It's one of my favorite Ann Sheridan performances. My heart went out to her situation and how she always made the most of it. In fact, there's a scene where something terrible happens and she bursts into uncontrollable laughter! She plays the long-suffering wife of Gary Cooper, a man who takes Good Samaritan to the next level. He's constantly loaning money to people, friends or not, at the expense of his own bank account and family comfort. Ann's been longing for a home of her own, and while she constantly tries to scrimp and save (with the exception of getting a job herself or firing her maid, Louise Beavers) her husband gives their house fund away. The two main troubles are that his patrons never pay him back, and that he genuinely believes he's doing the right thing. He just can't stop. He believes in the goodness of human nature, and neither his wife nor his pastor, Ray Collins, can talk sense into him.
Rent this one if you like the James Stewart Christmas classic. Jimmy would have been better in this movie, but Gary's not that bad. He and Ann have great chemistry together, and you can really feel their partnership in their marriage. Plus, any movie set during the holidays has an extra heartwarming factor to it.
