4th most-quoted character in It's a Wonderful Life (1946): in 8 of its 69 quotes
Most scenes with: George Bailey (6), Billy (2)
Mr. Potter, what makes you such a hard-skulled character? You have no family –– no children. You can't begin to spend all the money you've got.
Potter So I suppose I should give it to miserable failures like you and that idiot brother of yours to spend for me.
He's not a failure! You can't say that about my father!
I'm sure the whole board wishes to express its deep sorrow at the passing of Peter Bailey.
Thank you very much.
It was his faith and devotion that are responsible for this organization.
Potter I'll go further than that. I'll say that to the public Peter Bailey was the Building and Loan.
Oh, that's fine, Potter, coming from you, considering that you probably drove him to his grave.
Potter Peter Bailey was not a business man. That's what killed him. Oh, I don't mean any disrespect to him, God rest his soul. He was a man of high ideals, so called, but ideals without common sense can ruin this town. Now, you take this loan here to Ernie Bishop...You know, that fellow that sits around all day on his brains in his taxi. You know...I happen to know the bank turned down this loan, but he comes here and we're building him a house worth five thousand dollars. Why?
Well, I handled that, Mr. Potter. You have all the papers there. His salary, insurance. I can personally vouch for his character.
Potter A friend of yours?
Yes, sir.
Potter You see, if you shoot pool with some employee here, you can come and borrow money. What does that get us? A discontented, lazy rabble instead of a thrifty, working class. And all because a few starry-eyed dreamers like Peter Bailey stir them up and fill their heads with a lot of impossible ideas. Now, I say...
Just a minute — just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You're right when you say my father was no business man. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I'll never know. But neither you nor anybody else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was...Why, in the twenty-five years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought of himself. Isn't that right, Uncle Billy? He didn't save enough money to send Harry to school, let alone me. But he did help a few people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter. And what's wrong with that? Why...Here, you're all businessmen here. Doesn't it make them better citizens? Doesn't it make them better customers? You...you said...What'd you say just a minute ago?...They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home. Wait! Wait for what? Until their children grow up and leave them? Until they're so old and broken-down that they...Do you know how long it takes a working man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about...they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him, but to you, a warped frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well, in my book he died a much richer man than you'll ever be!
Potter I'm not interested in your book. I'm talking about the Building and Loan.
I know very well what you're talking about. You're talking about something you can't get your fingers on, and it's galling you. That's what you're talking about, I know...Well, I've said too much. I...You're the Board here. You do what you want with this thing. Just one more thing, though. This town needs this measly one-horse institution if only to have some place where people can come without crawling to Potter.
Potter George, there is a rumor around town that you've closed your doors. Is that true? Oh, well, I'm very glad to hear that... George, are you all right? Doyou need any police?
Police? What for?
Potter Well, mobs get pretty ugly sometimes, you know. George, I'm going all out to help in this crisis. I've just guaranteed the bank sufficient funds to meet their needs. They'll close up for a week, and then reopen.
Potter I may lose a fortune, but I'm willing to guarantee your people too. Just tell them to bring their shares over here and I will pay them fifty cents on thedollar.
Aw, you never miss a trick, do you, Potter? Well, you're going to miss this one.
Look, Mr. Potter, it's no skin off my nose. I'm just your little rent collector. But you can't laugh off this Bailey Park any more. Look at it...Fifteen years ago, a half-dozen houses stuck here and there. There's the old cemetery, squirrels, buttercups, daisies. Used to hunt rabbits there myself. Look at it today. Dozens of the prettiest little homes you ever saw. Ninety percent owned by suckers who used to pay rent to you. Your Potter's Field, my dear Mr. Employer, is becoming just that. And are the local yokels making with those David and Goliath wisecracks!
Potter Oh, they are, are they? Even though they know the Baileys haven't made a dime out of it.
You know very well why. The Baileys were all chumps. Every one of these homes is worth twice what it cost the Building and Loan to build. If I were you, Mr. Potter...
Potter Well, you are not me.
As I say, it's no skin off my nose. But one of these days this bright young man is going to be asking George Bailey for a job.
Potter The Bailey family has been a boil on my neck long enough.
Thank you, sir. Quite a cigar, Mr. Potter.
Potter You like it? I'll send you a box.
Well, I... I suppose I'll find out sooner or later, but just what exactly did you want to see me about?
Potter George, now that's just what I like so much about you. George, I'm an old man, and most people hate me. But I don't like them either, so that makes it all even. You know just as well as I do that I run practically everything in this town but the Bailey Building and Loan. You know, also, that for a number of years I've been trying to get control of it... or kill it. But I haven't been able to do it. You have been stopping me. In fact, you have beaten me, George, and as anyone in this county can tell you, that takes some doing. Take during the depression, for instance. You and I were the only ones that kept our heads. You saved the Building and Loan, and I saved all the rest.
Yes. Well, most people say you stole all the rest.
Potter The envious ones say that, George, the suckers. Now, I have stated my side very frankly. Now, let's look at your side. Young man, twenty-seven,twenty-eight... married, making, say... forty a week.
Forty-five!
Potter Forty-five. Forty-five. Out of which, after supporting your mother, and paying your bills, you're able to keep, say, ten, if you skimp. A child or two comes along, and you won't even be able to save the ten. Now, if this young man of twenty-eight was a common, ordinary yokel, I'd say he was doing fine. But George Bailey is not a common, ordinary yokel. He's an intelligent, smart, ambitious young man — who hates his job –– who hates the Building and Loan almost as much as I do. A young man who's been dying to get out on his own ever since he was born. A young man... the smartest one of the crowd, mind you, a young man who has to sit by and watch his friends go places, because he's trapped. Yes, sir, trapped into frittering his life away playing nursemaid to a lot of garlic-eaters. Do I paint a correct picture, or do I exaggerate?
Now what's your point, Mr. Potter?
Potter My point? My point is, I want to hire you.
Hire me?
Potter I want you to manage my affairs, run my properties. George, I'll start you out at twenty thousand dollars a year.
Twenty thou... twenty thousand dollars a year?
Potter You wouldn't mind living in the nicest house in town, buying your wife a lot of fine clothes, a couple of business trips to New York a year, maybe once in a while Europe. You wouldn't mind that, would you, George?
Would I? You're not talking to somebody else around here, are you? You know, this is me, you remember me? George Bailey.
Potter Oh, yes, George Bailey. Whose ship has just come in –– providing he has brains enough to climb aboard.
Well, what about the Building and Loan?
Potter Oh, confound it, man, are you afraid of success? I'm offering you a three year contract at twenty thousand dollars a year, starting today. Is it a deal or isn't it?
Well, Mr. Potter, I... I... I know I ought to jump at the chance, but I... I just... I wonder if it would be possible for you to give me twenty-four hours to think it over?
Potter Sure, sure, sure. You go on home and talk about it to your wife.
I'd like to do that.
Potter In the meantime, I'll draw up the papers.
All right, sir.
Potter Okay, George?
Okay, Mr. Potter. [drops Potter's hand] No... no... no... no, now wait a minute, here! I don't have to talk to anybody! I know right now, and the answer is no!NO! Doggone it!You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn't, Mr. Potter! In the... in thewhole vast configuration of things, I'd say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider. You... [to Potter's assistant] And that goes for you too! [to Potter's secretary] And it goes for you too!
Well, good morning, Mr. Potter. What's the news? Well, well, well, Harry Bailey wins Congressional Medal. That couldn't be one of the Bailey boys? You just can't keep those Baileys down, now, can you, Mr. Potter?
Potter How does slacker George feel about that?
Very jealous, very jealous. He only lost three buttons off his vest. Of course, slacker George would have gotten two of those medals if he had gone.
Potter Bad ear.
Yes. After all, Potter, some people like George had to stay home. Not every heel was in Germany and Japan!
I'm in trouble, Mr. Potter. I need help. Through some sort of an accident my company's short in their accounts. The bank examiner's up there today. I've got to raise eight thousand dollars immediately.
Potter Oh, so that's what the reporters wanted to talk to you about?
The reporters?
Potter Yes. They called me up from your Building and Loan. Oh, there's a man over there from the D.A.'s office, too. He's looking for you.
Please help me, Mr. Potter. Help me, won't you please? Can't you see what it means to my family? I'll pay you any sort of a bonus on the loan... any interest. If you still want the Building and Loan, why I...
Potter George, could it possibly be there's a slight discrepancy in the books?
No, sir. There's nothing wrong with the books. I've just misplaced eight thousand dollars. I can't find it anywhere.
Potter You misplaced eight thousand dollars?
Yes, sir.
Potter Have you notified the police?
No, sir. I didn't want the publicity. Harry's homecoming tomorrow...
Potter They're going to believe that one. What've you been doing, George? Playing the market with the company's money?
No, sir. No, sir. I haven't.
Potter What is it –– a woman, then? You know, it's all over town that you've been giving money to Violet Bick.
What?
Potter Not that it makes any difference to me, but why did you come to me? Why don't you go to Sam Wainwright and ask him for the money?
I can't get hold of him. He's in Europe.
Potter Well, what about all your other friends?
They don't have that kind of money, Mr. Potter. You know that. You're the only one in town that can help me.
Potter I see. I've suddenly become quite important. What kind of security would I have, George? Have you got any stocks?
No, sir.
Potter Bonds? Real estate? Collateral of any kind?
I have some life insurance, a fifteen thousand dollar policy.
Potter Yes... how much is your equity in it?
Five hundred dollars.
Potter Look at you. You used to be so cocky! You were going to go out and conquer the world! You once called me a warped, frustrated old man. What are you but a warped, frustrated young man? A miserable little clerk crawling in here on your hands and knees and begging for help. No securities –– no stocks –– no bonds –– nothing but a miserable little five hundred dollar equity in a life insurance policy. [laughs] You're worth more dead than alive. Why don't you go to the riff-raff you love so much and ask them to let you have eight thousand dollars? You know why? Because they'd run you out of town on a rail...But I'll tell you what I'm going to do for you, George. Since the state examiner is still here, as a stockholder of the Building and Loan, I'm going to swear out a warrant for your arrest. Misappropriation of funds –– manipulation –– malfeasance... [George gets up to leave] All right, George, go ahead. You can't hide in a little town like this.
Hello, Bedford Falls! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas, movie house! Merry Christmas, Emporium! Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan! Hey! Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!
Potter Happy New Year to you — in jail. Go on home — they're waiting for you!
