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It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
8.7
An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed. Director:Frank Capra |
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130 min - 
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Top 250 #30
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Nominated for 5 Oscars.
Another
5 wins
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| James Stewart | ... | ||
| Donna Reed | ... | ||
| Lionel Barrymore | ... | ||
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Thomas Mitchell | ... | |
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Henry Travers | ... | |
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Beulah Bondi | ... | |
| Frank Faylen | ... | ||
| Ward Bond | ... | ||
| Gloria Grahame | ... | ||
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H.B. Warner | ... | |
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Frank Albertson | ... | |
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Todd Karns | ... | |
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Samuel S. Hinds | ... | |
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Mary Treen | ... | |
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Virginia Patton | ... | |
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Storyline
George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George's modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George's Uncle Billy loses the business's $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage later that night, George realizes that he will be held responsible and sent to jail and the company will collapse, finally allowing Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, their young children, and others he loves will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in a gentle angel named Clarence coming to earth to help George... Written by alfiehitchie
Plot Summary | Plot SynopsisTaglines:
Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! How could it be anything else? See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
(USA) See more »Also Known As:
Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life See more »Box Office
Budget:
$3,180,000 (estimated)Gross:
£682,222 (UK) (26 December 2010)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
| Spain: (25 fps) (DVD edition)Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Mr. Emil Gower: I owe everything to George Bailey. Help him, dear Father.
Giuseppe Martini: Joseph, Jesus and Mary. Help my friend, Mr. Bailey.
Ma Bailey: Help my son, George, tonight.
Ernie Bishop: He never thinks about himself, God, that's why he's in trouble.
Bert: George is a good guy. Give him a break, God.
Mary: I love him, dear Lord. Watch over him tonight.
Janie Bailey: Please, God, something's the matter with Daddy.
Zuzu Bailey: Please bring Daddy back.
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(1943) (uncredited)
Written by Irving Berlin
Played as background when war starts See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The film has two lines of "secret dialog" - spoken quietly through a door. (They can be heard when amplifying the volume, and are also explicitly depicted in the closed-captioning.) The lines occur at the end of the scene set in Bailey's private office with Bailey and his son George, and Potter and his goon present. After George raves to Potter that "you can't say that about my father", he is ushered out of the room by his father, then George is shown standing outside the office door. At that moment, George overhears the following two lines of dialog through the glass pane of the door behind him: POTTER: What's the answer? BAILEY: Potter, you just humiliated me in front of my son. See more »Goofs
Continuity: After Clarence disappears while being wrestled by Bert the Cop, you can see the shadow of Ernie the Cabdriver, shaking his finger. However, when the camera shows Ernie, he has both hands on the tree, and then he begins to shake his finger. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Mr. Emil Gower: I owe everything to George Bailey. Help him, dear Father.
Giuseppe Martini: Joseph, Jesus and Mary. Help my friend, Mr. Bailey.
Ma Bailey: Help my son, George, tonight.
Ernie Bishop: He never thinks about himself, God, that's why he's in trouble.
Bert: George is a good guy. Give him a break, God.
Mary: I love him, dear Lord. Watch over him tonight.
Janie Bailey: Please, God, something's the matter with Daddy.
Zuzu Bailey: Please bring Daddy back.
See more »
Soundtracks
"This Is the Army, Mr. Jones"(1943) (uncredited)
Written by Irving Berlin
Played as background when war starts See more »
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