It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Frances Goodrich (screenplay), Albert Hackett (screenplay)

Stars:

James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore

Top Rated Movies #24 | Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Stewart	...	George Bailey
Donna Reed	...	Mary Hatch
Lionel Barrymore	...	Mr. Potter
Thomas Mitchell	...	Uncle Billy
Henry Travers	...	Clarence
Beulah Bondi	...	Mrs. Bailey
Frank Faylen	...	Ernie
Ward Bond	...	Bert
Gloria Grahame	...	Violet
H.B. Warner	...	Mr. Gower
Frank Albertson	...	Sam Wainwright
Todd Karns	...	Harry Bailey
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Pa Bailey
Mary Treen	...	Cousin Tilly
Virginia Patton	...	Ruth Dakin

Storyline

George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George's modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George's Uncle Billy loses the business's $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage later that night, George realizes that he will be held responsible and sent to jail and the company will collapse, finally allowing Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, their young children, and others he loves will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in a gentle angel named Clarence coming to earth to help George, with the promise of earning his ...

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Plot Keywords:

guardian angel | christmas | small town life | alternate history | second chance | 

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Taglines:

Frank Capra's original 'It's a Wonderful Life'.

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

7 January 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Greatest Gift

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,180,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,130,720

Company Credits

Production Co:

Liberty Films (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min 118 min (DVD edition)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Initially a box-office flop, the film became a cherished holiday tradition in the United States. Due to a clerical error at the NTA's copyright office, the copyright was not renewed when it expired in 1974. It became public domain, meaning anyone who could obtain a print could broadcast it without paying royalties. Local stations aired it dozens of times between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. In the 1990s, after a series of court battles, the NTA's successor, Republic Pictures, re-acquired the rights to the film because they owned the source material ("The Greatest Gift") and the film's score, which were still copyrighted. NBC now broadcasts the film, exclusively, at least twice during the holiday season.

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Goofs

George jumps into the river to save Clarence. As he is rescuing him, Clarence is screaming "help", but his mouth is not moving.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mr. Emil Gower: [voice-over] I owe everything to George Bailey. Help him, dear Father.
Giuseppe Martini: [voice-over] Joseph, Jesus and Mary. Help my friend, Mr. Bailey.
Ma Bailey: [voice-over] Help my son, George, tonight.
Bert: [voice-over] He never thinks about himself, God, that's why he's in trouble.
Ernie Bishop: [voice-over] George is a good guy. Give him a break, God.
Mary: [voice-over] I love him, dear Lord. Watch over him tonight.
Janie Bailey: [voice-over] Please, God, something's the matter with Daddy.
Zuzu Bailey: [voice-over] Please bring Daddy back.

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Crazy Credits

A ringing facsimile of the Liberty Bell (without the crack) forms the backdrop for the studio logo, which is Liberty Films, and the opening credits are in a scrapbook with Christmas decorations. The bell reappears before the end credits, and the end credits have a Christmas card picture as a backdrop.

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Alternate Versions

The film was colorized three times. The first colorized version of the film was produced by Hal Roach Studios (now Sonar Entertainment), the second by Republic Pictures. A third colorization of the film was produced by Legend Films for Paramount, the film's current copyright holder, in 2007.

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Connections

Referenced in Mr. Luke Joins the Service (2019)

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Soundtracks

Auld Lang Syne
(1788) (uncredited)
Words by Robert Burns

User Reviews

IT'S NOT OFFICIALLY CHRISTMAS SEASON UNTIL I WATCH THIS MOVIE

I am so glad Frank Capra had a vision to make "It's A Wonderful Life". I'm glad he chose Jimmy Stewart to play George Bailey. There are some little gems in life that help make life pleasant. It is not officially the Christmas season without watching this little gem. The supporting cast is perfectly matched. Donna Reed is wonderful as well as all the characters of the town. This would be a great movie, even if it were not in a Christmas setting. The holiday flavor makes it even more charming and memorable. A angel trying to get his wings is a little far-fetched, but Capra pulls it off. The impact of living a good life cannot be underestimated. What would life be like for your family if you had never been born? Our actions do speak loudly. In an age of 9-11, we need this movie more than ever. The values of "It's A Wonderful Life" still hold true today. Yes, I'll say it, it's a wonderful movie.