Directed by Frank Capra and released in 1946, It’s a Wonderful Life has stood the test of time as a beloved Christmas classic. This American dramatic film has been voted the best Christmas movie for years, becoming synonymous with the holiday.
The film’s enduring popularity comes from its heartwarming story, memorable characters, and timeless lessons. Interestingly, in its early years, this movie flopped, but a clerical error a few years after its release failed to renew its copyright. This meant that the film could be shown for free over and over, and that’s how it came to grace our screens on Christmas worldwide.
What if you were not born
At the center of It’s a Wonderful Life is the life story of George Bailey (James Stewart). George is a small town man from Bedford Falls who is contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve because he’s facing financial ruin.
But an angel named Clarence Oddboy (Henry Travers) is sent to save George when his prayers reach heaven. Clarence intervenes and shows George how life would have been without him in this world.
Many things would have gone wrong if George had not been born because his selflessness and kindheartedness had helped his family and community. After his father died, he had given up his dreams and ambitions of traveling the world to keep his family’s savings and loan business afloat.
Why ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is the best Christmas movie of all time
George had ambitious plans when he was young, but as mentioned, things didn’t go as planned. However, even in his disappointment, the love of his life, Mary Hatch (Donna Reed), chooses him over Sam Wainwright (Frank Albertson).
Sam Wainwright is George’s successful friend doing everything George wanted to do in life. So George is envious of Sam because he got to leave Bedford Falls and do “important things.” Meanwhile, we also see George’s brother, Harry, who’s a World War 2 hero.
When George compares himself with those around him, he feels like a failure. He doesn’t have Sam’s money or Harry’s glory. Even worse, a dishonest banker, Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), steals US$8,000 from George’s family savings and loan business. This is the company’s bank deposit and when the bank examiner notices that the deposit is missing, George not only faces financial ruin, but also jail time.
That’s how George finds himself in ruin and despair. Depressed, he gets drunk and heads to a bridge to commit suicide.
Luckily, Angel Clarence appears and shows him the things he’s done for those around him by being alive. He had changed the lives of his wife, children, and neighbors through the “little things” he had done for them. After this revelation, George sees things in a different light — not in the lens of comparison — and it renews his passion for life.
Ultimately, the community comes to his aid to help raise the missing money in his hour of need. So while George thought he was a failure for not leaving Bedford Falls, he was richer since he had made friends helped him when he was down.
Lessons from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
The impact of your life
This movie teaches people that everyone has a significant role in life. You may not view your life as impactful, but your actions may change someone’s life in meaningful ways.
Gratitude
Initially, George didn’t see the little things and wanted to be rich to provide more for his family. But it’s important to appreciate what we have. Gratitude is the window to happiness.
Community and connection
The movie also underscores the value of family and community. It emphasizes the value of sharing and coming together, especially during holidays. One of the main messages of this movie is: “No man’s a failure who has friends.”
Things don’t always go as planned
Throughout this film, we see George making decisions that don’t align with his plans so that he can help his family. Sometimes, things happen in life that change your plans, and it’s important to accept them so that you can overcome them.
Other great Christmas movies
Almost eight decades later, Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life remains a Christmas mainstay. However, there are other Christmas films to help make your Christmas merrier.
They include The Muppet Christmas, Home Alone, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, Polar Express, and Love Actually. Die Hard is also a fabulous Christmas movie, and you can celebrate Bruce Willis by enjoying it amid the sad news of a tragic illness that ended his career.
