It's a Wonderful Life
 | 60th Anniversary EditionDirected by Frank Capra Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers Paramount, 1947, DVD Customer Rating: 602 reviews Recommend |
|---|
George Bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all – and it’s Christmas! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback. As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence. Clarence then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn’t been for all of his good deeds over the years. Will Clarence be able to convince George to return to his family and forget suicide?
Now perhaps the most beloved American film, It's a Wonderful Life was largely forgotten for years, due to a copyright quirk. Only in the late 1970s did it find its audience through repeated TV showings. Frank Capra's masterwork deserves its status as a feel-good communal event, but it is also one of the most fascinating films in the American cinema, a multilayered work of Dickensian density. George Bailey (played superbly by James Stewart) grows up in the small town of Bedford Falls, dreaming dreams of adventure and travel, but circumstances conspire to keep him enslaved to his home turf. Frustrated by his life, and haunted by an impending scandal, George prepares to commit suicide on Christmas Eve. A heavenly messenger (Henry Travers) arrives to show him a vision: what the world would have been like if George had never been born. The sequence is a vivid depiction of the American Dream gone bad, and probably the wildest thing Capra ever shot (the director's optimistic vision may have darkened during his experiences making military films in World War II). Capra's triumph is to acknowledge the difficulties and disappointments of life, while affirming — in the teary-eyed final reel — his cherished values of friendship and individual achievement. It's a Wonderful Life was not a big hit on its initial release, and it won no Oscars (Capra and Stewart were nominated); but it continues to weave a special magic. — Robert Horton
Title: It's a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversary Edition)
Sales Rank: 1695 in DVD
Actor: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers
Director: Frank Capra
Studio: Paramount, 2006-10-31, Theatrical Release: 1947-01-07
Format: Black & White, NTSC, Acpect Ratio 1.33:1
Languages: English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 130 minutes
Item Dimensions: 0.2 pounds
Package Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches, 0.1 pounds
- Do they live happily ever after?
- We all know the ending: a victory for the George Bailey family and a defeat for the nefarious Henry F. Potter. But is it a lasting victory? Check out a book that follows the history of Bedford Falls up to the 21st century--Return to Bedford Falls. (Full disclosure: I'm the author of that book!)… More reviews
- Its A Wonderful Life
- I view "Its A Wonderful Life" each summer while vacationing.....It is a good quality film. I also view it in December BUT good movies need to be seen other than just designated seasons!!!!!!… More reviews
- All The Stars In God's Heaven
- It's A Wonderful Life' may be the best movie ever made. My daughter watched it at age 15 at the recommendation of her grandmother (my mom). Mom said, "Honey, your dad always loved this movie, and maybe you'll think it's corny--
care to give it a try?"
Syieta did just that--and she couldn't get enough of it! I'm pleased to know… More reviews
- DVD It's A Wonderful life
- DVD was a pirated copy, audio and visual were poor. Seller pd return postage and provided refund, no questions asked. More reviews
- It's a Wonderful Life
- This movie has been a favorite at Christmas time for years, and this DVD was a joy to watch. More reviews
