George Bailey, played superbly by James Stewart, is a noble man who oozes small town forthrightness. An adventurer at heart, wishing to trek to all parts of the world, he becomes a slave to sacrifice to the family’s business, the Bailey Building and Loan. When he was a young boy, George lost his hearing in one ear after saving his younger brother Harry from frigid ice water. Then, just as he was about to leave Bedford Falls, his father is stricken with a stroke and George is left to tend the piddling family business. Again and again George’s plans and dreams of leaving are thwarted with circumstance after circumstance. Finally, married with four children and no exit ticket in sight, George gives up. He hits bottom after a sudden loss of funds threatens to torpedo the business and send George to jail. Broke and disgraced, in a Christmas Eve outburst where all seems hopeless, he sets out to kill himself by jumping off a bridge. Before George can jump, he sees someone in the water so he does what George always does-he jumps in to save them. An angel sans wings named Clarence (Henry Travers) has been sent down to help George see that he is invaluable to Bedford Falls and George pulls him out of the river. Clarence is there to earn his wings so he transports George back in time for a glimpse of what his community would be if he had not been there to help them.
Without George, Bedford Falls had long since been taken over by the rich and miserly Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). Through all of his sacrifices, George helped many people over the years and through the domino effect had helped even more. Bedford Falls would have been a very different place without George Bailey. In unskilled hands, this moral fable might have been dully preachy. Director Frank Capra’s inventiveness, humor and affection for human beings keep it glowing with life and excitement. Stewart’s warm-hearted playing of what might have been a goody-goody role is a constant delight. Donna Reed as Bailey’s wife Mary is incredible.
In 1946, when It’s a Wonderful Life was released, both Capra and Stewart were home from the war. Capra , an ex-Signal Corps colonel who bossed the making of wartime documentaries was one of Hollywood’s most talented moviemakers. Stewart, who worked his way up without a lot of fanfare from buck private to Air Force colonel (and bomber-wing commander) was home to return to his acting career.
Clarence is George’s guide on a journey that makes you realize how every life has great influence on all it touches. From George and Mary’s breathless first kiss to finding out that bank statements never can tell us how truly rich we are, you will love every minute of It’s a Wonderful Life.
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