Reviewed by: Joe

Directed by: Frank Capra

Produced by: Frank Capra

Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, & Henry Travers

Released: December 25, 1946

Drama 2 hrs. 15 min. George Bailey is a small-town man whose life seems so desperate he contemplates suicide. He had always wanted to leave Bedford Falls to see the world, but circumstances and his own good heart have led him to stay. He sacrficed his education for his brother's, kept the family-run savings and loan afloat, protected the town from the avarice of the greedy banker Mr. Potter, and married his childhood sweetheart. As he prepares to jump from a bridge, his guardian angel intercedes, showing him what life would have become for the residents of Bedford Falls is he had never lived.

Though there are many memorable performances in It’s Wonderful Life, the overall emotional support lies on the performance of only one man, James Stewart. It was once said of director Frank Capra that Stewart was his first and only choice for the role of George Bailey and that shows in his emotionally driven performance in the two hour feature. Jimmy Stewart showcases a wide range of expresses from his frustration when Uncle Billy loses the money, till exasperation when he stands at the bridge contemplating whether to kill himself or not, to his exuberance at discovering he is able to live once again. James Stewart has to be one of the most treasured performers ever to come across the silver screen and no more so then in this film. What makes this feature even more special is the fact that this was the performer’s first feature film since coming back from his service in World War II. Jimmy Stewart should be revered not only for his dedication to his profession but to his country as well.

Overall, It’s a Wonderful Life’s message of necessity and good nature of man kind rings no harder in the minds of movie-goers then it does today. Plenty of classic holiday films have come along over the years including such favorites as The Santa Clause, The Grinch, and the recent smash-hit, Elf, but none of them can ever come close to the staying power of Frank Capra’s crowning achievement. The truth is that the messages expressed in the film go way beyond the holiday season and can be enjoyed during any time of the year with as great of amount of enthusiasm as if the Christmas spirit was all around. Granted the film has been labeled overly-sentimental but if anything that is more a greater compliment then anything else one can say about one the true treasures in cinematic history.