It's a Wonderful Life
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 drama film directed by Frank Capra, starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore. It drew a wide audience and shaped its genre.
Plot
On Christmas Eve 1945, in Bedford Falls, New York, George Bailey contemplates suicide. The prayers of his family and friends reach Heaven, where guardian angel second class Clarence Odbody is assigned to save George to earn his wings. Clarence is shown flashbacks of George's life, beginning when 12 year-old George rescued his younger brother Harry from drowning in a frozen pond, leaving George deaf in his left ear. George later saves pharmacist Mr. Gower from accidentally poisoning a customer.
Production
Written by Frances Goodrich and Frank Capra, the film was produced by Liberty Films. Dimitri Tiomkin composed the score. Joseph F. Biroc handled the cinematography. The film runs 131 minutes. The crew and editing refined every shot.
Reception
On a budget of $3,180,000, It's a Wonderful Life grossed $9,644,124 worldwide at the box office. A critic consensus praised its screenplay and score.
Legacy
The film's influence spread across the century; its narrative and tone echo in much later cinema.
See also
References
- "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time". topfilms100. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- Ebert, Roger. The Great Movies. Broadway Books.
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