‎It's a Wonderful Life (1946) directed by Frank Capra • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

It's a Wonderful Life

1946 Directed by Frank Capra

It's a wonderful laugh! It's a wonderful love!

George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George's modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George's Uncle Billy loses the business's $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money, hides it from Billy, and George's troubles begin.

James Stewart Donna Reed Lionel Barrymore Thomas Mitchell Henry Travers Beulah Bondi Ward Bond Frank Faylen Gloria Grahame H.B. Warner Frank Albertson Todd Karns Samuel S. Hinds Virginia Patton Mary Treen Charles Williams Sarah Edwards William Edmunds Lillian Randolph Argentina Brunetti Robert J. Anderson Ronnie Ralph Jean Gale Jeanine Ann Roose Danny Mummert Georgie Nokes Sheldon Leonard Frank Hagney Ray Walker Show All…

130 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Aaron ★★★★★ 37

Part of Buddy the Elf, What's Your Favorite Color?

“Is this the ear you can’t hear out of? George Bailey, I’m going to love you till the day I die.”

George Bailey (James Stewart) was loved, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his affection was signed by the policeman, the taxi driver, the barkeep, and all the other citizens of Bedford Falls. Even the bank examiner signed it; and the bank examiner’s name was good for anything he chose to put his hand to. George Bailey was as loved as...well, as an angel.

It is a hoary old cliché to say that Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a sentimental ripoff of…
Review by Jonathan White ★★★★★ 92

'Twas the week before Christmas, when all though the house
Not a creature was stirring; just me and my mouse
The decorating done; all the lights hung with care
I fancied a Yule film, so rose from my chair

The choices were varied; all classics the lot
The pick must be perfect to start the onslaught
The Trouble With Angles; my sweetheart Miss Hayley?
Oh wait just a minute, it must be George Bailey!

I flew down the stairs; DVD disk in tow
And slotted the plate; turned the lights way down low
The screen it did light with the Liberty marquee
My heart all aflutter with pure Christmas glee

We start in the stars where we hear there is…
Review by Dragonknight ★★★★★ 11

Film #26 of Project 40

”Buffalo Gals won’t you come out tonight, come out tonight, come out tonight...”

Seeing the name of Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life on top of American Film Institute’s list of most cheerful movies is not surprising. Hope is the key word in Capra’s movies and here that optimism about life is what lights up the whole thing. This is not a movie that gives you a false or hollow image of hope, decency and happiness. It is so honest, so good-hearted and so sincere in its portrayal that you can genuinely feel all the joy and courage that Capra wants to transfer to his viewers. This is a movie that makes you feel good.…
Review by Hollie Horror ★★★★★ 16

It is almost unheard of for a person to have lived as long as I have and never seen It's a Wonderful Life. Every Christmas Eve the film airs on national television in the United States and somehow I missed it every time. It was not a fluke or accident, I just never had any desire to watch it. I knew all about an angel getting his wings when a bell has been rung, what happens if you were never born, and the romanticism about wanting to give a woman the moon, so much so that I had never really felt the need to watch it.

I am so glad that I have finally decided that I do not, in…
Review by Sam Van Hallgren ★★★★★ 5

Things I noticed this time:

The big one I can't believe I never put together before:
The first defining moment of George Bailey's life is diving in the icy water to save his brother; and Clearance has him do it again to save himself.

How good is Samuel Hinds in his two brief scenes as Pa Bailey?

All the portraits that Potter has of himself hanging in his office and his home.

Love the scene where Potter offers George a job. It's been done plenty of times before and since, I suppose, but having the movie's villain be the single person who is able to articulate and sympathize with George's lifelong frustrations like that is such a brilliant stroke.

When…
Review by DirkH ★★★★★

This film is a testament to the hypnotic powers all great classics possess. Every time I watch this I want to call my mum to tell her I love her, call my mate I haven't seen for far too long to grab a beer and it makes me want to go outside to hand out smiles to everyone I meet.
It turns me into the biggest optimistic sap you'll ever see and I love it for that!

Recent reviews

Review by Adam Frost-Venrick ★★★★

Lovely, beautiful, inspiring and... soppy. Seriously, this is the most sentimental film I've ever seen. I was even in a play adaptation of this back in high school. I thought it then. I think it now. And, it's a lovely movie, and truly a testament to what life's worth, but it shows two things: One is that we've come a long way in understanding depressive anxiety and Two is that we sure do love a sentimental movie.

But don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with this movie other than that. I really don't. It's almost perfect. Almost.
Review by Icha A ★★★★★

When the going gets rough I'll sure remember to go back to this timeless piece.
Review by Doğukan Büyükkorkmaz ★★★½

7/10
Review by Yassine Lachgar ★★★★

What a wonderful picture this is.
Review by Being Harvey ★★★★★

Even an atheist can bend a few beliefs in spirits, angles or otherwise, as Capra, Stewart and co., made a unique classic which for some reason wasn't really noticed for years after.

This story carries as much as you can in an uplifting film. Just look at what it contains -

A love story -
The dream to travel -
Financial stress -
Importance of communities -
Family love -
Living with mental problems -
Spirituality -
Suicide -
Good against Evil -
Religion and beliefs -

Made in 1946, makes it even more remarkable, as this film became popular again in the 1970's as a regular Christmas favourite. It is hard to dislike Capra's best film, yet the cast has aces up is sleeves as even it is aimed to inspire and pull the heart strings, it still has and outstanding performance by Stewart who I feel never got the credit what a serious role he could play.
Review by Paul Malkkkal

A close friend has been calling me out on this blindspot for years, so I finally gave It's A Wonderful Life a watch to appease him and to finally see if all this hype is warranted.

Conclusion: It is.

It's A Wonderful Life is the kind of life-affirming masterpiece that greets you like you're an old friend and leads you out of your narcissism.

At the risk of sounding trite, It's A Wonderful Life is so uplifting it should be prescribed as an anti-depressant.
Review by Rowan Smith ★★★★★

Quite simply the quintessential Christmas movie. It's a Wonderful Life leaves you with that warm fuzzy Christmas spirit, and its positive message, very human story, and fantastic acting all round have helped make this a holiday classic.
Review by Yenny Rocío Báez ★★★★★

Maravillosa.
Maravillosa.
Maravillosa.
Maravillosa.

¡Ma-ra-vi-llo-sa!
Review by Manan Mehta ★★★★½ 2

"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."

A cult classic, inspiring, uplifting film which is still living upto its reputation as of now.

Well, it has probably cemented me as one of those shamelessly cruel guys who didn't even realize it existed apart of actually knowing that it does. One of the granddaddy films of all at IMDb, "It's a Wonderful Life" deserves all the applauds and privilege it is getting because not only it is of the few masterpieces from IMDb, not only because it is a powerful inspirational film but also it is undoubtedly a timeless evergreen which is still seen at dozens…