It's a Wonderful Life

Story:

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) is an American Christmas fantasy drama produced and directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart. This movie, based on Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story The Greatest Gift, tells the story of George Bailey, a benevolent and responsible person living in the small town Bedford Falls. In the course of his life, George continually sacrifices his own goals to take care of his family, his friends, and his community protecting it from the greedy businessman Henry F. Potter. Christmas Eve brings George a lot of trouble that pushes him to ask questions about the value of his life and its significance for other people.

The guardian angel Clarence Odbody saves George from despair by giving him a view of another version of the town Bedford Falls, where he has never been born. George understands how meaningful for other people were his deeds, that even without knowing it he lived for his loved ones. Themes of hope, self-respect, sacrifice, friendship, family, community and good deeds are revealed in the film. Although it was not a big box-office success at first, but later It’s a Wonderful Life became a real Christmas classic and is considered now one of the best movies ever made in America.