A man receives a rare gift

Rating: 10/10 (25 December 2009)

Frank Capra's sometimes dark post-war film, "It's a Wonderful Life" was released in 1946. It was intended to be released in 1947, but when a Technicolor print of "Sinbad" couldn't be delivered on time, this film was put into release. For that reason, "It's a Wonderful Life" - possibly the most wonderful film ever made - was overshadowed by "The Best Years of Our Lives." But you can't keep a great film down, and as the years have passed, "It's a Wonderful Life" has found its place as an iconic film that means Christmas. It's survived the public domain (due to a clerical error, when the copyright was not renewed in 1974), where it was cut to ribbons and shown so often on television (and why not, networks could show it for nothing) that people were sick of it. Now that it has to be licensed again in order to be shown, the film is shown in its totality and not as often.
This remarkable story of a man who sacrifices his dreams for the betterment of his community and the business his father built resonates today more than ever, when it often seems like no one cares about anything except what's in it for them. James Stewart is perfect as a caring man who swallows disappointment after disappointment and finally is ready to give up, until he is given the gift of seeing what would have happened had he never been born. No man, he learns, is poor who has friends.
I can't think of a better message or anything more inspirational than can be found in this film. George Bailey is all of us, and his story is a reminder that we're all important and, no matter how tough it gets, we need to keep going. One of my favorite movies.