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It's a Wonderful Life Overview:

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) was a Drama - Family Film directed by Frank Capra and produced by Frank Capra.

The film was based on the short story The Greatest Gift written by Philip Van Doren Stern published in Reader's Scope & Good Housekeeping and as a Novel (1943 (magazine) and 1944 (novel)).

SYNOPSIS

Now the essential Hollywood Christmas movie classic, Capra's fable of finding sustenance in the humdrum of everyday life is a surprisingly dark vision for such a holiday icon. After all, this is a portrait of a man, played with great feeling and emotion by Stewart, driven to despair by potential financial ruin and the loss of his youthful dreams. It also features one of the angriest romantic clinches in all of movie history, as Stewart sees his future in Reed's eyes and knows it doesn't include the foreign adventures that have kept him going day to day in his broken-down savings and loan. But all this loss and compromise is balanced by genuine warmth and joy, as Stewart lassoes the moon for Reed, when she welcomes him to their improvised honeymoon suite, when, finally, all is put right by the community Stewart selflessly served - and by an angel named Clarence. More complex than most holiday fare, and maybe that's why it remains in our hearts.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

It's a Wonderful Life was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1990.

Academy Awards 1946 --- Ceremony Number 19 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorJames StewartNominated
Best DirectorFrank CapraNominated
Best Film EditingWilliam HornbeckNominated
Best PictureLiberty FilmsNominated
See More Oscar Winners

It's a Wonderful Life BlogHub Articles:

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE BLOGATHON - A 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: Ward Bond and Frank Faylen as Bert the cop and Ernie the taxi driver

on Dec 11, 2021 From Caftan Woman

Ari, The Classic Movie Muse is hosting the It's a Wonderful Life Blogathon, A 75th Anniversary Celebration. Click HERE to access the tributes to Capra's Classic. Assuming you have lost count of the number of times you have watched the movie, spoilers abound.It's a Wonderful Life is a story of dreams... Read full article

The "It's a Wonderful Life" 75th Anniversary Celebration: It's a Wonderful (and Sexy) Kiss

By FlickChick on Dec 10, 2021 From A Person in the Dark

This is my entry in the “It’s a Wonderful Life Blogathon” hosted by The Classic Movie Muse. Click HERE for more great posts celebrating the 75th anniversary of this classic.I hate to be a wet blanket at this party, but I have a bit of an issue both with George Bailey and James Stew... Read full article

GlamAmor-ous Holidays--Always Remember IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

on Dec 19, 2013 From GlamAmor

Though many point to 1939 as "The Greatest Year in the History of Hollywood," I always remind people to celebrate 1946 as well. For a film noir fan like myself, the quality is virtually unparalleled--Gilda, The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Big Sleep, The Blue Dahlia, The Killers, and Notorious a... Read full article

Who's watching "It's a Wonderful Life"?

By Caftan Woman on Dec 13, 2013 From Caftan Woman

Christmas traditions include stories. It starts with the Gospel of Luke and the first Christmas story. From 1843 we have Dickens' immortal tale of redemption and charity in A Christmas Carol. Over the years many movies have added to our emotional connection to the holiday and none more so than 19... Read full article

Classic Films in Focus: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)

By Jennifer Garlen on Dec 5, 2012 From Virtual Virago

The vast array of memorabilia that has sprung up around It's a Wonderful Life (1946) over the last two decades tends to support the general sense of the holiday staple as the ultimate example of director Frank Capra's corny sentimentality, strengthening that idea we have of the movie being all about... Read full article

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It's a Wonderful Life Quotes:

George Bailey: You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn't, Mr. Potter. In the whole vast configuration of things, I'd say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider! And...
[turning to his aide]
George Bailey: And that goes for you, too!
George Bailey: [to Mary] You look older without your clothes on.
George Bailey: Well, you look about the kind of angel I'd get. Sort of a fallen angel, aren't you? What happened to your wings?
George Bailey: Now, will you do something for me?
Zuzu Bailey: What?
George Bailey: Will you try and get some sleep?
Zuzu Bailey: I'm not sleepy. I want to look at my flower.
George Bailey: I know-I know, but you just go to sleep, and then you can dream about it, and it'll be a whole garden.
Zuzu Bailey: It will?
George Bailey: Uh-huh.
Clarence: [In book inscription] Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends.
See More Quotes from It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life Facts
Pharmacist Gower's son's death at college is attributed to "Influenza" in the telegram that Young George reads, dated May 3, 1919. Around that time, there was the "Spanish Flu" worldwide epidemic that claimed millions of lives.
At $3.7 million, this was a very expensive independent production. In its initial box office run, it only earned $3.3 million.
The gym floor that opens up to reveal a swimming pool was real and was located at Beverly Hills High School in Los Angeles.
According to an interview with Karolyn Grimes, the actress who played Zuzu, the name Zuzu comes from Zu Zu Ginger Snaps. George makes reference to this near the end of the movie when he says to Zu Zu at the top of the stairs, "Zuzu my little Ginger Snap!"
Ginger Rogers was offered the role of Mary, but turned it down.
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