A sentimental masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (1 February 2003)

Post-war America may not have been ready for Capra's delightful
feel-good epic, but the history books will record this seasonal gem
as one of the best movies ever made. James Stewart could do
very little wrong, but this performance is simply compelling as the
small town guy with a worldly outlook. The film tests the strength of
the human spirit, and revels in sentimentality, that is not at all out
of place. Barrymore is excellent as the cold-hearted Potter, oozing
contempt and bitterness. Travers is faultless as the heavenly
scene-stealer Clarence. This is not a film about religion, it is a film
about hope, truth and the depth of the human heart. Expect a stray
tear to blur the sight. A masterpiece.