It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Preview:

Christmas Eve finds George Bailey (James Stewart) deeply troubled, and repeated prayers for his wellbeing from numerous friends and family members reach Heaven. Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers), Angel Second Class, is assigned to save him and earn his wings. Joseph, the head angel, reviews George’s life with Clarence. At the age of 12, George (Bobby Anderson) saved the life of his younger brother Harry (Todd Karns) who had fallen through the ice on a pond, though George lost the hearing in one ear. Later, as an errand boy in a pharmacy, George saved his grief-stricken boss, druggist Mr. Gower (H.B. Warner), from mistakenly filling a child’s prescription with poison.

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George’s dream has been to see the world. Selfless to a fault, he repeatedly sacrifices his dreams for the well-being of others until Harry graduates from high school and can replace him at the Bailey Building and Loan Association, vital to the people of Bedford Falls. On Harry’s graduation night in 1928, George discusses his future with Mary Hatch (Donna Reed), who has had a crush on him since she was a little girl. Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) and Harry break the news to George his father has had a stroke, which proves fatal. Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), a heartless slumlord and majority shareholder in the Building and Loan, tries to persuade the board of directors to stop providing home loans for the working poor. George persuades them to reject Potter’s proposal, but they agree only on the condition that George himself run the Building and Loan. He gives his college money to his brother with the understanding that when Harry returns he will take over the Building and Loan.

Director	Frank Capra
Screen Writer	Frank Capra Frances Goodrich Albert Hackett Jo Swerling
Genre	Fantasy
Release Date	December 20, 1946
Starring	James Stewart Donna Reed Lionel Barrymore Henry Travers
Studio	Liberty Films
Distributed by	RKO Pictures Republic Pictures Paramount Pictures