A classic movie is one that can stand the test of time. So what about It's a Wonderful Life? Well, It's a Wonderful Movie.
George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) is a man with hopes and dreams. He wants to travel the world, go to college and "see what they know," and finally get a job building houses, bridges and buildings. That is, untill his father has a stroke, and passes away.
After this, George is forced to take on his father's savings & loan business or else a greedy old man, Henry Potter (Lionel Barrymore), will take it over and force many citizens of Bedford Falls out on the street.
George doesn't go to college, or travel. But he has a ray of hope: in four years, his brother will come home and take over the family business and then George can finally live his dreams.
This is not to be the case. His brother comes home married, and with another job. A better job. George is screwed once again. But things look up, because George gets married to a girl he has known for a very long time, Mary (Donna Reed).
With $2,000 in hand, they are about to depart on thier honeymoon when trouble strikes. As they are passing George's business, he notices many people gathered around the door. George's customers want their money from his savings & loan, but he doesn't have it... it was given to creditors. To compinsate, he must give money from his honeymoon money to tide them over for a week.
With no honeymoon, george and Mary head to a local motel to have a makeshift honeymoon before they finally buy an old, delapedated, run-down home. In two words: major fixer-uper.
George and Mary have two children at first, and two more soon follow. But then war calls, and Mary volunteers for the red cross and USO. This separates George and Mary for a while, but they both perserveer.
George's brother comes home from the war with the congressional medal of Honor, the highest award a man can get. Yet George gets no recognition, and is still stuck inhis dead-end job.
Then, one day, on the way to the bank to deposit some money to pay company bills, George's Uncle (Thomas Mitchell) looses $8,000 which winds up in the hands of the greedy old man Henry Potter. He knows who the money belongs to, but won't return it.
With things looking terrible for George, he goes on a binge and prays to GOD for help. The he decides to end it all by jumping in a river. But before he can do that, he meets Clarence (Henry Travers), and angel who wants to earn his wings. Clarence can do this if he helps George realise the error of his ways. George is taken to a present where he is going to see what life would be like is he never existed.
A movie that bombed at the theatre but gained tremendous popularity on T.V., It's a Wonderful Life is one of the greatest films ever made. It is funny and light-hearted, but sad.
George Bailey never thought of himself; he always thought of the next man even when it hurt himself. George Bailey is the kind of many who is down-on-his-luck but has what most everyone wants: friends. George has tons of friends! More than most people have nowadays. George also has a family who loves him, and loving mother to boot! (Boy, if we had a man like George today...)
We see the lonely, sad George Bailey who, from day one has had rough breaks: he saves his brother's life but is hurt for life himself; he doesn't get to travel after school because his father dies; he doesn't get to go to college because he must run the family business; he doesn't get to have the job he wanted and he doesn't take the investment opportunity of a lifetime when given the chance, and looses out on millions.
Things just do not go right for Mr. Bailey, but as we see later in the film, things always have a way of turning out right for the right people.
It's a Wonderful Life is a holiday movie that could be watched at anytime of the year and could be enjoyed even in a summer heateave. It is that good. Jimmy Stewart give a remarkable performance as George Bailey, and could have easily won the Oscar for the masterpiece of cinematic history.
Plot: 
Thwe whole movie is beautifully written; it is funny, sad, and just plain delightful.
Visual Effects: 
the snow effect was a nice touch.
Sound:
Above average.
Character Development:
George does a complete 180° turn. First he wants to end it all, but then he wants to go back!
Atmosphere:
Some might call it "cheesy" or stupid, but it's not; you just have to watch it all the way through to see the full impact of It's a Wonderful Life
Realism:
I bet you that a lot of people have felt the same way George did at one time or another.
Warren’s Rating:
Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture:
*The Best Years of Our Lives, (1946);
The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with his Battell at Agincourt in France, (1944); It's a Wonderful Life, (1946); The Razor's Edge, (1946); The Yearling, (1946);
8.86/10 Is the movie worth your time to watch?
11-10-03
