One man's life touches so many others, when he's not there it leaves an awfully big hole

Rating: 10/10 (9 November 2002)

There are some little gems in life that help make life pleasant. It is not officially the Christmas season without watching this little gem. The supporting cast is perfectly matched. Donna Reed is wonderful as well as all the characters of the town. This would be a great movie, even if it were not in a Christmas setting. The holiday flavor makes it even more charming and memorable. A angel trying to get his wings is a little far-fetched, but Capra pulls it off. The impact of living a good life cannot be underestimated. What would life be like for your family if you had never been born? The values of "It's A Wonderful Life" still hold true today. Yes, I'll say it, it's a wonderful movie and is one of the few that you can watch again and again and walk away with the same glowing feeling as you did when you first watched it. I challenge anyone to watch this film and not be touched, if you can, you have no heart!
In this film James Stewart acts so naturally you forget he's an actor playing a part, you really believe his story. "It's a Wonderful Life" details the life of George Bailey, a man who put the needs and well being of others before his his whole life. Later in the film he feels he is a failure and is on the verge of suicide. He is taken by his guardian angel in need of his wings, Clarence (Henry Travers), who shows him just how important he has been. You're pulled on a roller coaster of emotions throughout this film. Ultimately, it is perhaps the most emotionally moving film ever made, and it offers insight that everybody can use about what's important in our lives. To phrase a heavily used cliche, this is one of the few movies that gets better with every viewing, and never loses any of its power. And the icing on the cake is where, after George finds that he has his daughter Zuzu's petals in his coat and runs home to his family to find how much they love him, many of his friends come to his aid to help him in replacing the $8000 that went into Mr.Potter's hands before. This part of "It's A Wonderful Life" moves me to tears and can help many people look at their own lives in a new light,especially when one is in despair and feels that their life is worthless. 10/10