It's a Wonderful Life
“It's a wonderful laugh! It's a wonderful love!”
Frank CapraCast
James Stewart 
Donna Reed 
Lionel Barrymore
Credits
Written by: 
Frances Goodrich
Plot
On Christmas Eve, George Bailey, a small-town businessman who has given up his dreams to run the family savings and loan, faces ruin and wishes he had never been born. An angel, Clarence, shows him what the town of Bedford Falls would have been like without him. Frank Capra's 1946 film, with James Stewart, was not a success at first and became a Christmas classic through television. Its mix of darkness and warmth gives the story its force, and it is among the most loved American films.
Sinekatalog’s take
Capra's Christmas fable is darker than its reputation: a good man pushed to despair is shown what his life has meant. Sentimental, yes, but earned, thanks to James Stewart's raw performance.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.
Ratings
IMDb: 8.6 / 10 (561,404 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.
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