George bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all and its christmas. This twopack includes two of christmas s alltime classics its a wonderful life 60th anniversary edition and white christmas. Get the scoop on all the new holiday movies with first looks, sneak peeks, and more when you sign up for its a wonderful lifetime movies email updates. Frank capras christmas classic, its a wonderful life, starring james stewart is one of the most iconic films ever made. But its a nice tranquil time spent with loved ones, and part of a life full of wonderful moments to balance out the struggles and hardships. Watch on now tv on tv meanwhile, its a wonderful life is showing on tcm on saturday 22nd december at 4. Capras first production through his newlyformed liberty films, its a wonderful life lost money in its original run, when it was perceived as a. This starts when he returns to his real life, very grateful and very happy. The idea had come from the author philip van doren. How to watch its a wonderful life this christmas on tv. Single shot scenes like the one in which the baileys chat at the dinner table, or.
Why its a wonderful life is not a real christmas movie. From its soft whispered beginning and its kindhearted laughs, to its swelling ending its a wonderful life delivers a powerful, lovely christmastide message. Its a wonderful life is not, in fact, a real christmas movie. Its christmas eve 1944 in the small town of bedford falls, new york. Its a wonderful life is a 1946 american christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by frank capra, based on the short story and booklet the greatest gift, which philip van doren stern wrote in 1939 and published privately in 1943. Its a wonderful life top christmas film of all time, says. Its a wonderful life has become arguably the top christmas classic, in part due to its heavy exposure on tv, and in part because the film is so good it holds up under that heavy exposure very well.
While the beautifully played film scores of its a wonderful life and miracle on 34th street receive top billing, the real star of this recording is richard addinsells reconstructed score of the classic 1951 film a christmas carolor scrooge starring alistair sim. Its a wonderful life film secrets you probably didnt know. Its a wonderful life most popular christmas movie in. Everyone knows the ending when the daughter talks about an angel gaining its wings when a bell rings, so it seemed like this movie came off as something that is happy. A despondent and suicidal mary bailey hatch is praying for guidance on what to do about an incident no fault of her own which threatens her name and the community standing of her longtime family business, the bailey building and loan. But its a wonderful film, where all its emotional highs and lows are important. But munby posits that the subject matter may have just been too dark for a holidayseason audience in 1946. Its a wonderful life edges out the leg lamp and bb gun crowd that adores a christmas story, primarily due to its popularity with everyone over 35. Its a wonderful life is a film about our inherent capacity for goodness as human beings, and its release in the wake of some of the most despicable acts in human history is no coincidence. See more ideas about its a wonderful life, life and christmas movies.
Fourteen percent of people 3564 love seeing how an angel earns his wings, with a whopping 25 percent of the 65plus crowd endorsing the decision. The 1946 classic featuring jimmy stewart topped a poll by cinema goers as their number one feelgood christmas movie. So, if you are looking to see the quintessential christmas film or you just want to revisit the people and their town of bedford falls, theres still a few days before christmas. Apparently seneca falls, a town in upstate new york, holds an its a wonderful life festival every year. The carol burnett show official recommended for you. Its a wonderful life final scenes christmas classic. Yes i know its a wonderful life is the better film since that was a theatrical release but i saw this first as a kid and its remained my fave. The new york times called it too sticky, a figment of simple pollyanna platitudes. Add its a wonderful life to your watchlist to find out when its coming back. There are no tv airings of its a wonderful life in the next 14 days.
The music, the set pieces, all the touches add to a wonderful movie and give you hope that life can indeed also be wonderful. Play its a wonderful life movie soundtrack or choose from 1940s style music like jingle bell swing, big band christmas music or anything by bing crosby or ella fitzgerald. And yes, i will admit that its a wonderful life has a lifeaffirming, feelgood ending and the same kind of message about love and selfsacrifice that many holiday films share. Now perhaps the most beloved american film, its a wonderful life was largely forgotten for years, due to a quirk. The holiday classic to define all holiday classics, its a wonderful life is one of a handful of films worth an annual viewing. Its a wonderful life top christmas film of all time, says radio times survey this article is more than 6 years old frank capras 1946 blackandwhite film starring james stewart as a suicidal.
Most importantly, though, its a wonderful life is not about christmas. As the angels discuss george, we see his life in flashback. The film is primarily a biography of its main character. How its a wonderful life went from box office failure to. The cinematic season once ruled by irving berlin, charles dickens, and its a wonderful life now belongs to a little 1983 sleeper of a movie, a christmas story. The movie is a success because you cant but want bailey to succeed. It claims to have been the inspiration for bedford falls, capra having visited there in 1945. Parents need to know that frank capras bittersweet, heartwarming movie its a wonderful life is a christmas classic. The film is based on a short story by philip van doren stern, a writer and historian who was moved to write after having a dream based on. Its a wonderful life film secrets you probably havent.
Its a wonderful life 1946 is a film cowritten for the screen, produced and directed by frank capra who won the 1947 golden globe for best director for his work on this film, and starring jimmy stewart, donna reed, henry travers, thomas mitchell, beulah bondi, and lionel barrymore. Weighing in at 5 minutes, wonderful life isnt the longest film ever made but it sometimes feels like it. Its a wonderful lifetime is giving us more movies than ever before. See more ideas about its a wonderful life, wonderful life movie and christmas movies. Its not a simple christmas movie, sometimes its not even an easy movie to watch. I wanted to watch something lighthearted, and i heard that this is the christmas movie. Tweens and teens will love it as an engaging story that takes on the human condition in all its complexity. I watched its a wonderful life by frank capra under the pretense that it was based on the christmas holidays. Non subscribers can rent or buy it in the same place. George bailey is the quintessential everyman that america needed at the time, or rather didnt know that it needed. Now tv cinema subscribers can watch its a wonderful life for free at any time. Its a wonderful life started out in a christmas card. Its a wonderful life full christmas movies classic christmas movies christmas movie.
Ive always thought that the reason its a wonderful life has had such enduring popularity is that more than in any other film it shows what can be the value of a. Marlo thomas and cloris leachman have a great chemistry as mary and clara. Its a wonderful life stars james stewart, donna reed, lionel barrymore, thomas mitchell, henry travers, gloria grahame, h. George bailey james stewart wishes everyone a merry christmas in frank capras christmas classic. The wonderful last part of the classic movie its a wonderful life starring jimmy stewart. Its a wonderful life, christmas movie extraordinaire. Seventy years ago, rko radio pictures rushreleased a film for the holiday season. It has a certain sweetness to it that the best christmas films have. Its a wonderful life christmas specials wiki fandom.
Did its a wonderful life originate as a christmas card. The manner in which he does could be classified as corny but, because its so deserved, that doesnt matter. The hot dog vendor from the carol burnett show full sketch duration. Capra who had directed stewart twice before, including on mr smith goes to washington wanted to pitch a film called its a wonderful life. Its a wonderful life stars jimmy stewart as the discouraged businessman george bailey. Most of the film has nothing to do with christmas at all, in fact. Its a wonderful life is a staple of any good christmas binge, and tv guide is here to make sure youre able to watch it before santa pays you a visit. Its a wonderful life originated as a christmas card all this month, ill be doing christmas related movie and tv legends. Its a wonderful life is a 1946 american christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by frank capra, based on the short story and booklet the greatest. To bring back its christmas glow, emma leans on the support of an old love. Merry christmas, you wonderful old building and loan. Its a wonderful life starred james stewart as george. The majority of its a wonderful life isnt even set during christmas.