It Truly Is A Wonderful Life

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2012)

In 1946, America, and the rest of the world for that matter, had just witnessed and won the most destructive war in mankind's history. They were trying to rebuild their lives from this and the Great Depression as well and as such, Hollywood got into the act by producing a number of movies that instilled hope in their audiences. Perhaps the greatest of these movies is Frank Capra's timeless film "Its A Wonderful Life" staring the late, great James Stewart as everyday man George Bailey in small town America, Bedford Falls. George has spent his entire life in Bedford Falls, longing to see the outside world but never able to get past the confines of the small savings and loans that he is in charge of. Then, one Christmas Eve, George's Uncle, Billy (played by the memorable character actor Thomas Mitchell) makes a terrible mistake that could ruin them both forever and George begins to think that everything would be better without him. It just so happens that heaven hears his and others' prays and sends an angel named Clarence (played by the understated but talented Henry Travers) to show him how wrong he is. In a Scrooge like role, we also have the great Lionel Barrymore in an excellent performance of Henry Potter, "the richest and meanest man in town" and in her most famous role, Donna Reed as George's loving and devoted wife. This is a movie that will make you laugh, maybe make you cry, and leave you with a sense that no matter how bad things get, there is always hope. "Its A Wonderful Life" is by far the greatest Christmas movie that has ever been produced and for that matter, will ever have been produced due to the time that it was made in and its message of how we all affect our fellow man, often times without even realizing it. So, I urge you to watch this movie and take in its message of hope and also, remember, no man is a failure as long as he has friends. 10 out of 10.