James Stewart stars in this 1946 classic film directed and produced by Italian American Frank Capra.


On Christmas Eve 1946 George Bailey is about to end his life, large amount of cash has gone missing from the family run company. George crashes the car while driving at night. Standing by a bridge ready to commit suicide, George sees a man jumping in the river. He saves him, the rescued man introduces himself as Clarence, a second class angel sent to Earth to rescue George. If successful Clarence will earn wings, only given to senior angels.

George wishes he was never born. Clarence takes George on a trip, to the past; some of the people have suffered since George wasn't there to help them. His own brother is dead because George wasn't there to rescue him, his wife and mother are living miserable lives, his uncle is an asylum and the town of Bedford Falls is completely different from the way he knows it. Seeing all this George decides to live and Clarence gains his wings

It is a wonderful life had a big budget. Break even point was 6 million US dollars, it failed to match this. It also failed to win any of five Oscar nominations. Subsequently the film has built a reputation and is considered to one of the greatest 100 films ever made also it is staple for Christmas TV in most countries.