It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

★ 8.3 2h 11m 4,853 votes IMDb
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George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin.

It's a Wonderful Life

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Cast

James Stewart
James Stewart as George Bailey Died 1997 · Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA James Maitland "Jimmy" Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered...
Donna Reed
Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Died 1986 · Denison, Iowa, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Donna Reed (born Donna Belle Mullenger; January 27, 1921 – January 14, 1986) was an American film and television actress and producer. Her career spanned more th...
Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter Died 1954 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor fo...
Thomas Mitchell
Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy Died 1962 · Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Thomas Mitchell (July 11, 1892 – December 17, 1962) was an American actor, playwright and screenwriter. Among his most famous roles in a long career are those of...
Henry Travers
Henry Travers as Clarence Died 1965 · Prudhoe, Northumberland, England, UK British-born Henry Travers was a veteran of the English stage before emigrating to the U.S. in 1917. He gained more stage experience there on Broadway working with the Theatre Guild, and began his l...
Beulah Bondi
Beulah Bondi as Mrs. Bailey Died 1981 · Valparaiso, Indiana, USA Beulah Bondi (born Beulah Bondy; May 3, 1889 - January 11, 1981) was an American stage, screen, and television actress. She was twice nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. For a guest...

Audience Reviews

barrymost 10/10 Aug 18, 2019
It's practically an American tradition to watch this film with family at Christmas time each year. I just saw it for the first time myself a couple weeks before last Christmas, and I loved it. It's an uplifting, inspiring, dramatic, and at times laugh-out-loud funny story, with a cast that probably couldn't be improved upon if you tried. And, of course, it's directed by the superb Frank Capra, whose work I greatly admire. James Stewart gives a raw, totally honest performance, as the unforgettable George Bailey, who on Christmas Eve is shown exactly why the world, or at least Bedford Falls, can't do without him. And, there is my favorite line in the whole movie, out of so many memorable quotes, delivered perfectly by Lionel Barrymore, as the evil Mr. Potter: "And a happy new year to you. In jail!"
Peter McGinn 9/10 Dec 24, 2020
Oh my goodness, I am not going to spend much time describing this gold standard of Christmas movies. If you have seen it, you know what it is. If you haven’t seen it, stop reading this and watch it now. It is funny, tense, sentimental, romantic and downright Capra-esque.

I have liked Jimmy Stewart in everything I have seen him in. Was he that good, or did the camera just plain love him, like I heard said once about Steve McQueen. But it doesn’t stop there. If you notice the ensemble cast, you see represented some of the finest character actors out there. Between them it’s seems like we have seen one of them in every great classic movie.

I don’t watch this every year any more - there is just too much to see out there this time of year. But I watch it every two or three years and besides, if I have some time to spare, I can practically review every scene in order in my mind. It is part of my Christmas consciousness. Wait, are you still reading this?
r96sk 8/10 Dec 26, 2020
Lovely film.

<em>'It’s a Wonderful Life'</em> is enjoyable, hearty and well crafted. It takes longer than I would've predicted to get to 'the event', but it's very much worth seeing the journey that comes before - as we see the arc of James Stewart's George. It all crescendos with an ending that you can't help but smile at.

Stewart is excellent in the lead role, you really do see every single emotion that his character goes through. He is, by far, the standout performer, but there are of course good performances from the likes of Donna Reed (Mary), Lionel Barrymore (Henry) and Henry Travers (Clarence).

I did notice a few weird cuts in there, not that I hold that against it or did it affect my enjoyment - it's just noticeable. I see, via other reviewers, that there's a colour version - Channel 4 showed the black-and-white version over here in the UK. I can't say I felt the need for colour, which is always a good sign.

Wholesome. Not that it, evidently given the average rating, needs to be said by someone like me, but: I'd certainly recommend this.
CinemaSerf 8/10 Jul 07, 2022
Every now and again you come across a film that just makes you think.... This is one of those. Recently upconverted to 4K and back on a big screen, it's quite simply a joy to watch. Jimmy Stewart is "George" - a man who has spent his adult life tirelessly trying to help those less fortunate to make their own way in life - and his savings and loan enterprise is the lifeline for many of them. When that all goes pear-shaped though, he feels a degree of despair that leads him to wish he had never been born. Enter the wonderful Henry Travers as "Clarence" - the visiting angel who grants his wish and demonstrates just how life would have looked had he, indeed, never been around. Lionel Barrymore is superb as his domineering competitor "Mr. Potter" who wants his name on everything in "Pottertown" that he doesn't already own. Donna Reed also shines as his wife, especially towards the end of this Capra masterpiece that uses shadow and the wintry weather to elicit a lovely sense of Christmas, but also of our innate need for warmth and security. It is sentimental, but not in a cloying fashion and the star works his magic, with a wonderful accompaniment from Dimitri Tiomkin, for over two hours that simply flies by. Well worth the restoration - not just of the film, but of our own faith in the human spirit - and watch, too!
GenerationofSwine 10/10 Dec 25, 2023
I am not one of those snobs that thinks Black and White is always better... but don't watch the colored version of it, there is something about it that just doesn't look right. Maybe it's because the colors are off, maybe because I'm not as used to it, but something doesn't sit right with it.

Anyway, still the best Christmas movie ever made. It's still about redemption. It's still heartwarming and family friendly and... perfect...

... perfect save some of the hard cuts. I don't know why people don't mention those. They are pretty glaring, they are pretty horrible.

But... it's still just about the best Christmas movie ever made.

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