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It's a Wonderful Life
1946 131 min United States of America PG 12+
★9.0
Drama, Family, Fantasy
Director: Frank Capra
🎭 Based on
«The Greatest Gift»
byPhilip Van Doren Stern
Trailers
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EN
EN
Teaser
Description
George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin.
Budget:
$3.18M
US Gross:
$1.48M
Worldwide:
$9.64M
Starring
James Stewart
Actor
Donna Reed
Actor
Lionel Barrymore
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1947
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1947
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1947
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 1947
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1947
— Best Film Editing
Academy Awards 1947
— Best Director
Key opinion
Frank Capra’s "It’s a Wonderful Life" is widely regarded as an essential, life-affirming classic that excels at capturing universal human emotions and existential value. While the vast majority of viewers celebrate its heartfelt message and enduring cultural status, a minority find its pacing sluggish and its narrative tone overly sentimental or bleak.
| Acting | James Stewart anchors the narrative with a deeply vulnerable performance that effectively captures the transition from hopeful youth to despairing adult. | |
| Theme | The film functions as a profound existential exploration that effectively asserts the value of individual lives and communal interconnectedness. | |
| Acting | Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore provide strong, defining performances that ground the story’s emotional and conflict-driven stakes. | |
| Pacing | The film presents a deeply divided experience regarding narrative momentum, with some finding the build-up to the supernatural climax tedious and slow, while others find the storytelling immersive and necessary. | |
| Emotion | Viewers are polarized over the film’s tonal core; some perceive it as a radiant, festive, and inspiring celebration of life, while others interpret the portrayal of the protagonist's struggle as excessively dark, cynical, or bleak. |