It’s a Wonderful Life, American dramatic film, released in 1946, that is widely considered one of the most inspirational and beloved movies in American cinema. The film, which was produced and directed by Frank Capra, has become synonymous with Christmas, when it is frequently televised.
scene from It's a Wonderful Life
James Stewart and Donna Reed in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), directed by Frank Capra.
The film opens on Christmas Eve as George Bailey (played by James Stewart) is contemplating suicide. Prayers for George are heard in heaven, and Clarence Oddbody (Henry Travers), a second-class angel who has yet to earn his wings, is tasked with saving him. First, however, he is shown highlights of George’s life in the small town of Bedford Falls. Through a number of acts beginning in childhood, George is revealed as selfless and kindhearted. After the death of his father, George sets aside his dreams of traveling the world in order to run his family’s savings and loan business. His decision earns the enmity of greedy banker Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), who is determined to close the business.
James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life.
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Al Pacino as Tony Montana in Scarface (1983), directed by Brian De Palma
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As the years pass, George marries Mary (Donna Reed) and has children. One Christmas Eve, Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) unknowingly gives the company’s bank deposit to the ever-scheming Mr. Potter, who secretly keeps the money. The bank examiner quickly discovers that the deposit is missing, and George faces financial disaster and arrest. Distraught, he gets drunk and heads to a bridge in order to kill himself. At this point Clarence appears and shows George what life would be like for his loved ones and neighbours had he never lived. The experience renews George’s passion for life, and his trials and hardships in turn spark an outpouring of love and benevolence in the small community. After returning home, he is visited by family and friends, who donate money to cover the missing deposit—proving that George is “the richest man in town.” As they sing “Auld Lang Syne,” a bell on the Christmas tree rings, indicating that Clarence has earned his wings.
Made in the immediate aftermath of World War II, Capra’s film initially failed to connect with audiences that were used to his prewar movies known for their snappy dialogue and light comedic touches. Postwar moviegoers were in the mood for joviality, so despite being a critical success, the film was a box-office disappointment. It was only after It’s a Wonderful Life temporarily fell out of copyright and was broadcast routinely on television at Christmastime that the film built a widespread following. George Bailey, Mr. Potter, and Clarence are among the most well-known characters in film history, and names and dialogue from the film have become common references in popular culture.
James Stewart, in full James Maitland Stewart, byname Jimmy Stewart, (born May 20, 1908, Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died July 2, 1997, Beverly Hills, California), major American motion-picture star who was known for his portrayals of diffident but morally resolute characters.
Stewart graduated from Princeton University in 1932 with a degree in architecture. He then became part of the University Players, a summer stock company in Falmouth, Massachusetts. There he met Henry Fonda, and the two became lifelong friends. During the years 1932–33, Stewart appeared in several unsuccessful Broadway plays—starting with Carrie Nation—though he was usually singled out for praise by New York critics. These positive reviews led to a motion-picture contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1934; after a couple of uncredited bit parts, he made his film debut in The Murder Man (1935) with Spencer Tracy.
At first, Stewart’s slow, halting line delivery (perhaps his most readily identifiable trademark) and angular features made him difficult to typecast. His unpretentious engaging manner, however, led to quick acceptance by the moviegoing public. Stewart was loaned to Columbia for two Frank Capra films that proved pivotal in his career: You Can’t Take It with You (1938) and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), the latter of which brought him his first Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of a shy idealistic young senator fighting corruption in Congress. He won an Oscar the following year for another film classic, The Philadelphia Story (1940).
James Stewart and Jean Arthur in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).
James Stewart and Jean Arthur in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).
© 1939 Columbia Pictures Corporation; photograph from a private collection
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
James Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), directed by Frank Capra.
© 1939 Columbia Pictures Corporation; photograph from a private collection
scene from The Philadelphia Story
scene from The Philadelphia Story
(From left) James Stewart, Cary Grant, and Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (1940).
© 1940 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.; photograph from a private collection
Sensing America’s eventual involvement in the war in Europe, Stewart enlisted in the U.S. Army in March 1941. An avid pilot in civilian life, he was assigned to the Air Corps and logged more than 1,800 hours of flight time in some 20 bomber missions. Before he returned to civilian life in 1945, he had risen to the rank of colonel and had received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and the Croix de Guerre. He remained in the reserves until 1968 and was promoted to brigadier general in 1959.
His first film after the war was Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), and his performance as George Bailey, an honest banker beset by personal and financial woes, earned Stewart his third Oscar nomination. Though the film generated mediocre box office at the time of its release, it has since become one of the most beloved films of all time, largely because of its numerous television showings since the 1970s. In 1999 it ranked 11th on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest movies of all time.
As he approached age 40, it was clear that Stewart could no longer maintain the “naive young innocent” persona he had established in his prewar films. His collaborations with directors Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Mann helped toughen his image and broaden his appeal. Of Stewart’s Hitchcock films, the experimental Rope (1948) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) are well regarded, and Rear Window (1954) and Vertigo (1958) rank as masterpieces. For Hitchcock, Stewart embodied an American Everyman, albeit one whose private quirks and obsessions threatened a tragic outcome. The films Stewart made for Mann proved the actor capable of rugged western roles, especially in the classics Winchester ’73 (1950) and The Man from Laramie (1955). Stewart and Mann collaborated on eight films, including six westerns and the sentimental biopic The Glenn Miller Story (1954), which was one of Stewart’s most popular movies.
Rear Window
Grace Kelly and James Stewart in Rear Window (1954), directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
© 1954 Paramount Pictures Corporation
scene from Vertigo
scene from Vertigo
James Stewart and Kim Novak in Vertigo (1958), directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Archive Photos—Moviepix/Getty Images
During the late 1940s Stewart was among several actors who enjoyed success on Broadway as the ingratiating inebriate Elwood P. Dowd—whose best friend is an invisible six-foot rabbit—in Mary Chase’s Harvey. It became one of the actor’s signature roles when the play was adapted for the screen in 1950, garnering another Oscar nomination for Stewart. He repeated the role in the show’s 1970 Broadway revival and in a 1972 television movie. Stewart’s other well-regarded films included The Stratton Story (1949), The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), The Spirit of St. Louis (1957), Anatomy of a Murder (1959; Academy Award nomination), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), and The Flight of the Phoenix (1965).
From left, Charles Drake, Peggy Dow, Josephine Hull, and James Stewart in the film Harvey (1950).
From left, Charles Drake, Peggy Dow, Josephine Hull, and James Stewart in the film Harvey (1950).
© 1950 Universal International Pictures; photograph from a private collection
James Stewart, John Ford, and John Wayne
James Stewart, John Ford, and John Wayne
(From left) James Stewart, John Ford, and John Wayne on the set of the motion picture The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
© 1962 Paramount Pictures Corporation; all rights reserved
Stewart found good roles difficult to come by as he aged, but he remained one of America’s favourite actors thanks to his many appearances on talk shows, in commercials, and in two short-lived television series, The Jimmy Stewart Show (1971–72) and Hawkins (1973–74). He was also memorable in a supporting role in the John Wayne western The Shootist (1976). His final acting assignment was to provide the voice of the character Wylie Burp in the animated feature An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991). In 1985 Stewart was awarded both an honorary Academy Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
