Hee-haw! Frank Capra's classic "It's a Wonderful Life" is a holiday viewing staple for many Christmas-celebrating households. Nothing promotes Yuletide cheer like the sound of Jimmy Stewart screaming, "Merry Christmas, you old Building & Loan!" throughout the streets of Bedford Falls.
After all, it's a story in the spirit of the season. James Stewart's idealistic George Bailey is a man for whom helping others comes reflexively, to the point of putting his own ambitions on the back burner. Dreams of seeing the world are constantly delayed as life happens, and one terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day is all it takes to break poor George. His suicidal thoughts are interrupted by a literal guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers), who takes George on a scenic tour of the lives he impacted and teaches him the film's lesson, summed up in the final lines, "No man is a failure who has friends.
After all, it's a story in the spirit of the season. James Stewart's idealistic George Bailey is a man for whom helping others comes reflexively, to the point of putting his own ambitions on the back burner. Dreams of seeing the world are constantly delayed as life happens, and one terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day is all it takes to break poor George. His suicidal thoughts are interrupted by a literal guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers), who takes George on a scenic tour of the lives he impacted and teaches him the film's lesson, summed up in the final lines, "No man is a failure who has friends.
- 12/23/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.