Capra is perfect in this moment. We've heard for the last half hour that the most important thing for George is getting out of Bedford Falls, and now comes the punch to the gut. Capra lets the scene hang on George's face as the realization sinks in. All the frenetic pacing of the earlier scenes suddenly stops and the effect is devastating. George hangs his head slightly and makes the decision to stay in town. George offers himself some hope as he figures he'll be able to leave once his younger brother gets back from college. He won't be able to go to Europe, but at least he'll get out of town eventually.

A few years go by, and once again, the energy of the train station scene corresponds with George's expectations of getting out of town, since his brother's coming home from college. Once his brother gets off that train, George is free to go to college and get on with his life. Harry gets off the train and George is happy. Harry's unexpected wife gets off the train and George is happy. Harry's wife tells George about the job her father's offered Harry, and George is not so happy. Upon hearing the news, the scene comes to a dead stop as the camera focuses on George. We can see the wheels start turning in George's mind as he starts wrestling with the dilemna of fulfilling his own dreams against letting his brother get the chance to have a good life of his own. Unlike the previous Decision Scene, Capra let's this dilemma play out so we can see George really thinking this one over. That same evening, his mom pushes Mary on him, but George knows that if he hooks up with Mary, he'll never leave Bedford Falls; since Mary stated earlier her dream to settle down and raise a family. His mom points him towards Mary's house and George goes the other way.

George bumps into Violet in the center of town, and let's forth a bunch of nonsense about climbing Mt. Bedford and feeling the grass between your toes, and all sorts of things that a guy who's looking for adventure would probably say. Violet kicks him to the curb for all his crazy talk and George eventually winds up at Mary's house. Through the whole scene, he's obviously irritated, but not necessarily with Mary. He knows that by settling down with Mary, his dream would be completely and utterly dead. In the same scene in Mary's house, Mary carefully places a picture of George Roping the Moon in a prominent location- a nice bit of irony considering George is the one being roped in. Before the scene ends, he makes his last protest about not wanting to get married or having kids before kissing Mary and sealing his fate. Dream Over. Turn in your empty suitcase for a briefcase.