#27 It's A Wonderful Life

In Summary

It's A Wonderful Life is one of those classics that you will know all about even if you haven't seen it.

It's the classic tale of a downtrodden man, George Bailey, who reaches his breaking point and wonders whether the world would be a better place had he not been born. Thanks to the powers of an angel yet to get its wings, George is shown exactly that possibility and realises just how valuable his life has been to those around him.

It's A Wonderful Life is soaked in nostalgia. It looks across the life of George Bailey - portrayed as the everyman's everyman by Jimmy Stewart - from his young age to his adult life. It captures a version of smalltown America between the 20's to 50's that is incredibly sentimental - white picket fences, everyone knows everybody's name - although that is threatened by the hardships of the Great Depression and World War Two.

George Bailey is the man with a heart bigger than his back can hold. On the verge of leaving his town to explore the world and go to university, he is struck by tragedy as his father dies and he is left with the responsibility of running the family business. The rest of the story is of George accumulating further responsibilities in aid of family and friends, shelving his own ambitions and leaving him on the edge of financial ruin.

George Bailey is both incredibly unlucky in his life events yet incredible blessed in having a loving family and a network of friends. It's A Wonderful Life is a story of how it is easy not to see the wood for the trees when you are surrounded by the pressure of day-to-day responsibilities.

With one of the most uplifting endings in film history, It's A Wonderful Life is about the value of goodness.

A Memorable Quote

Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

Things You May Not Know

• The set for Bedford Falls took two months to construct and was one of the largest sets ever built for a Hollywood film at the time.
• Prior to It's A Wonderful Life, snow in film was created by painting cornflakes white. However, the sound of the falling cornflakes was so loud that dialogue had to be redubbed. Director, Frank Capra, wanting to record live dialogue for this film which led to the effects team designing a new snow effect from foamite, soap and water.
• The film was a flop at the box office and only really entered the public consciousness after the copyright expired in 1974, which allowed television companies to broadcast it without paying royalties.

One of the Greatest of All Time?
It's A Wonderful Life is a classic for a good reason. With a powerful, emotional story, It's A Wonderful Life remains incredibly relevant and moving to this day.

It is a film that takes its time to delve into its central concept, establishing and fleshing out the life of George Bailey, which can make it feel a little slow. However, Jimmy Stewart's profoundly compassionate performance in the lead role makes it a pleasant experience to simply be in the company of George Bailey.

If you have yet to watch this film, make sure you do.