It's A Wonderful Life

2022 - 12 - 24

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Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

Donna Reed's daughter plays guardian angel for 'It's a Wonderful Life' (The Washington Post)

Mary Owen has made it her mission to ensure that small-town theaters can play the beloved Christmas classic.

“There was an exuberance I haven’t felt for a long time,” she said, adding that in addition to the post-pandemic joy of being together in a theater, something more aspirational was going on. 21, “It’s a Wonderful Life” had earned more than $1.4 million and a spot in the week’s top performers. “The small-town theater is being almost treated the same way as a multiplex, and it’s not the same. And the movie had attracted more than 117,000 filmgoers, a reminder that in many towns, suburbs and exurbs, the multiplex is the community theater. Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt insists that the company made an exception to its usual policy of demanding exclusivity, allowing more than 300 independent theaters to show “It’s a Wonderful Life” alongside the multiplexes that compose the bulk of its network (Fathom is owned by the three biggest theater chains in the United States: AMC, Regal and Cinemark). After initially being told she couldn’t play “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Ellen Elliott, executive director of Friends of the Penn, which runs the nonprofit Penn Theatre in Plymouth, Mich., says she discovered that the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham had received an exemption. “I’ve been part of this momentum of showing the movie in small, independent theaters since 2007, and it’s become a tradition,” said Owen, 65, who moved to Iowa in 2020 to help organize her mother’s centennial. “Fathom does this with films all the time — we wanted to book ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ at Thanksgiving, and that had a moratorium, too. Chris Collier, executive director at Renew Theaters, which manages four nonprofit theaters in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, says he received an email from Paramount in August saying the film would be “out of release this holiday season due to the upcoming Fathom event.” He simply took no for an answer and moved on. Potters at every turn in a story that possesses uncanny parallels with “It’s a Wonderful Life,” in which mom-and-pop values manage to overcome profit-driven commercialism. When she heard that her local nonprofit art house, FilmScene, might be barred from showing “It’s a Wonderful Life,” she was incensed. Since 1974, when a copyright lapse sent it into the public domain, the 1946 Frank Capra drama “It’s a Wonderful Life” has been a Christmas classic, largely because it offered free programming for television stations.

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Image courtesy of "Fortnite"

How It's A Wonderful Life's 'furious James Stewart refused to work ... (Fortnite)

However, the shoot was fraught with tension and "insecurity" all the way from the director Frank Capra, down to the writers and the stars. When the film was ...

The latter turned the film down because she thought the role was "too bland." Mary Anne added: "So, there was this insecurity on the set and mum was really not that well known. However, the shoot was fraught with tension and "insecurity" all the way from the director Frank Capra, down to the writers and the stars. Her wholesome girl next door looks and personality had made her very popular with GI's overseas during the war. Goodrich called the director "that horrid man" while her husband referred to him as "a very arrogant son of a bi**h." There was a lot of insecurity on set, because Jimmy Stewart wasn’t sure if he wanted to act any more.

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Image courtesy of "Forbes"

Why 76-Year-Old 'It's A Wonderful Life' Still Resonates Today (Forbes)

The 1946 film tells the story of George Bailey, a man down on his luck who is contemplating suicide. As angels discuss what to do, George's life plays in ...

[Academy Awards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Awards), including [Best Picture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture), and has been recognized by the [American Film Institute](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Film_Institute) as one of the [100 best American films ever made](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_best_American_films_ever_made). It's a Wonderful Life was designated as "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" and added to the [National Film Registry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Film_Registry) of the [Library of Congress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Congress). In one of the most poignant scenes in It’s a Wonderful Life, angel Clarence points out to George Bailey, “Strange, isn’t it? 11 on the [American Film Institute](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Film_Institute)'s [1998 greatest movie list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_greatest_movie_list), No. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he? The 1946 film tells the story of George Bailey, a man down on his luck who is contemplating suicide. 20 on its [2007 greatest movie list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_greatest_movie_list), and No. Rolling back into the present, a Guardian angel, Clarence, shows George how the lives he touched would have been different had he never been born. [The Ed Asner Family Center's 2022 Virtual Table Read of ](https://edasnerfamilycenter.org/wonderful/) [It's a Wonderful Life](https://edasnerfamilycenter.org/wonderful/), are available until January 1st, 2023. Although it underperformed at the box office during its initial release, today, It's a Wonderful Life is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time and among the best Christmas films. While it starts in with a dark dramatic moment, the film shifts to a lighter biography of one man and his interactions with family and friends, culminating in the understanding that, as the film says, “No man is a failure who has friends.” After some legal maneuvering, the rights to It’s a Wonderful Life were regained and in 1994, the studio holding the reigns sold exclusive broadcast rights to

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Image courtesy of "Collider.com"

'It's a Wonderful Life' Cast and Character Guide: Who Stars in Frank ... (Collider.com)

"Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends." George Bailey hugging his family Image via Paramount Pictures.

They both serve as the film's prime source of comic relief, but they also are great examples of the many friends George makes in the film and how treating others with respect and dignity is the key ingredient to having a wonderful life. She wishes George would put that overly cautious pessimism aside, she ultimately proves that opposites do indeed attract when she shows George her true feelings for him, leading to one of many iconic romance scenes in the film when George is so filled with love and confidence that he offers to lasso down the moon and give it to her as a gift. With a moderately sized group of kids to take care of now, George needed a way to provide for the family, and he found that in a Bank & Loan company where he and his Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) are able to provide fair and affordable housing loans to the residents of their hometown Bedford Falls, much to the chagrin of their greedy and cruel business rival, Mr. Years later when Mary and George are married and have their children, Mary is the driving force for both George's rebound from depression and his financial troubles. He comes home to his family and apologizes, but the issue of the missing money is still present. Though he doesn't face any direct repercussions, Potter ultimately loses in the end when the community comes together for George, showing life still goes on even when the schemes of the greedy fail. George's life of painful altruism started all the way back when he was a boy, particularly when he save his brother from drowning in a frozen lake at the cost of George losing hearing in one of his ears. George eventually reaches a breaking point when a sum of $8,000 is misplaced, and he wishes that he had never been born. Stewart, like Capra, was always been intrigued by stories that challenge and explore the American Dream, and he's played a number of characters who represent the everyday man who is beaten down and oppressed by the country's institutions. Though George, being the kind-hearted pessimist he is, doesn't understand how someone as kind and beautiful as Mary could possibly love him, it doesn't take long for George and Mary to get married and start a family of their own, featuring their four children Pete (Larry Simms), Janie (Carol Coombs), Zuzu (Karolyn Grimes), and Tommy (Jimmy Hawkins). Then of course there are those who want the feel-good feeling the season is associated with but also want a story with something more to say. Still, some may prefer a bit more of a bite to their annual celebration of yuletide cheer, there are the many adaptations of Charles Dickens' existential jolly ghost story of A Christmas Carol plus there's always the holiday hostage high jinks of [Die Hard](https://collider.com/die-hard-streaming/) (1988), which yes, is absolutely a Christmas film.

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Image courtesy of "nj.com"

The surprising Jersey roots of 'It's a Wonderful Life' (nj.com)

The classic film got its unlikely start as a Christmas card written by a Rutgers grad. And, yes, the fictional Bedford Falls was inspired by a New Jersey ...

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Image courtesy of "pennlive.com"

How to stream 'It's a Wonderful Life' on Christmas Eve (pennlive.com)

The holiday classic will air on NBC, but for those who have cut the traditional cable cords and are opting for streaming service, the special will air live on ...

Peacock Premium ($5/month) offers more to watch, and Peacock Premium Plus ($10/month) is ad-free. [Philo](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.philo.com%2Flogin%2Fsubscribe), an entertainment streaming service that offers 60+ channels and [ a free trial](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.philo.com%2Flogin%2Fsubscribe). [Peacock](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacocktv.com%2F) is a streaming service with NBCUniversal shows, movies, sports, and news. Both plans let you record TV shows, movies, games and more and watch on unlimited screens. Subscribers can stream on up to three devices simultaneously, create up to 10 profiles and save unlimited live or future shows for up to one year. [Philo’s live TV subscription offers a free trial ](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.philo.com%2Flogin%2Fsubscribe)and costs $25 per month. You can also stream it for free on [FuboTV](https://www.fubo.tv/stream/ent/?irad=356360&irmp=1810047&subID1=advance-pa-ad&subId3=xid:fr1671642629847bab) with [a free trial.](https://www.fubo.tv/stream/ent/?irad=356360&irmp=1810047&subID1=advance-pa-ad&subId3=xid:fr1671642629847gji) [Peacock](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacocktv.com%2F) will also be streaming the holiday classic, and the streaming service is also offering a [ 7-day free trial.](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacocktv.com%2F) As viewers know, “It’s a Wonderful Life” follows the life of George Bailey, a man who has put others in his life before himself, but when an innocent mistake threatens to upend the life he’s built, he begins to wonder if everyone would be better off without him. There to guide him away from such thoughts is his Guardian Angel Clarence who is on a mission of his own — get his wings by proving to George that the world would be worse off without him. NBC will be airing the classic on Christmas Eve at 7 p.m., but there’s more than one way to watch the 1946 Frank Capra holiday movie on television. [Philo (free trial),](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.philo.com%2Flogin%2Fsubscribe) FuboTV (free trial) and Peacock (free trial). [Verizon Fios,](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.verizon.com%2Fhome%2Ffios%2F) [AT&T U-verse,](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.directv.com%2Fatt-uverse-tv%2F) [Comcast Xfinity](https://www.xfinity.com/overview), [Spectrum/Charter](https://www.spectrum.com/), [Optimum/Altice](https://www.optimum.com/alticeone), [DIRECTV](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.directv.com%2F) and [Dish](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dish.com%2Faffiliate%2Fcj-value%2F).

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Image courtesy of "Channel Guide Magazine"

Saturday, Dec. 24: An Angel Gets Its Wings! 'It's a Wonderful Life ... (Channel Guide Magazine)

Frank Capra's beloved, Oscar-winning 1946 holiday classic stars Best Actor Oscar nominee James Stewart as George Bailey.

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It's a Wonderful Life Cast and Character Guide - IMDb (IMDb)

There is certainly no shortage of Christmas movies to watch this holiday season. To list some examples almost feels redundant since most have probably seen ...

[Bing Crosby](/name/nm0001078/)and [Danny Kaye](/name/nm0001414/)'s musical romp in [White Christmas](/title/tt0047673/)(1954) or the hilarity in the big apple seen in [Elf](/title/tt0319343/)(2003)? To list some examples almost feels redundant since most have probably seen them all dozens of times, but we're going to list them anyway. There is certainly no shortage of Christmas movies to watch this holiday season.

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Image courtesy of "WETM - MyTwinTiers.com"

The classic Christmas movie with deep connections to Upstate New ... (WETM - MyTwinTiers.com)

Almost everyone knows the heartwrenching story of George Bailey from Bedford Falls. The 1946 holiday classic "It's a Wonderful Life" is a staple each ...

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Image courtesy of "Charleston Post Courier"

Hicks: 'It's a Wonderful Life' is 75(ish), but still has things to say (Charleston Post Courier)

I grouse along with George Bailey when he regularly gets the short end of the stick, and bore the boys with my analysis of how, if Mr. Potter were around in ...

The way people feel on this day is the way they should feel every day. Unlike Amy — or George Bailey — most people never know how much they change the world and people around them. But there’s a reason it was Capra’s — and Jimmy Stewart’s — favorite among their own films. The city won, and a place close to Muir’s heart was forever buried underwater. Senate, would he have started the Center for Global Strategies? I grouse along with George Bailey when he regularly gets the short end of the stick, and bore the boys with my analysis of how, if Mr.

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Image courtesy of "The Digital Fix"

It's A Wonderful Life star was actually cut filming intense scene (The Digital Fix)

One of the stars of classic Christmas movie It's A Wonderful Life actually suffered a small injury during one of the more dramatic moments.

“He grabbed me and hugged me, and he meant it.” Anderson starred in several drama movies through-out the ’40s and ’50s before switching to behind-the-scenes roles in production during adult life. “My ear was beat up, and my face was red and I was in tears… In a flashback, Robert J Anderson played the young George Bailey to James Stewart’s adult version, and there’s a scene where he gets talking to from a pharmacist, Mr Gower. According to Anderson, H B Warner, who portrays Mr Gower, might have gotten a bit too into the moment. Yes, it gets quite dark, but that’s all in service of a stirring message of why we all matter in life.

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Image courtesy of "Fox News"

'It's a Wonderful Life' star Donna Reed quietly kept WWII letters from ... (Fox News)

Donna Reed, who starred as Mary Hatch Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life," died in 1986 at age 64 from cancer. Her daughter Mary Owen is helping to keep the ...

She never took her power and her success for granted." "When the film started coming back on television in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, [my mother] was so happy," said Owen. "So there was the disappointment that it didn’t, even though it was critically successful. "In 1940, Stewart won the Oscar for ‘The Philadelphia Story,’ so he was at the top of his game," Owen explained. "[My mother] had wealth and success and everything that could have gone to her head and make her disrespect her humble beginnings. When Capra met Reed at the MGM lot, he "knew right away" that the Iowa "farm girl" who originally had plans to become a teacher was perfect for the part. [But growing up in Iowa](https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/us-regions/midwest/iowa), she didn’t really know how to swim. [CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER](https://www.foxnews.com/newsletters) "I feel like WWII had an influence on the making of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’" Owen explained. [the holiday classic](https://www.foxnews.com/category/lifestyle/occasions/holiday), "It’s a Wonderful Life," died in 1986 at age 64. And she responded to them." [During the Vietnam era](https://www.foxnews.com/media/fox-nation-unauthorized-history-vietnam-war-bret-baier), she served as a co-chairwoman of the advocacy group Another Mother for Peace.

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Image courtesy of "OCRegister"

At Christmas, remember it really is a wonderful life (OCRegister)

I watched it for the umpteenth time this week. The movie is a bit hokey, sure. But it's filled with subtlety and nuanced dialogue – such as when Bailey unfairly ...

[improving](https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2016/12/23/14062168/history-global-conditions-charts-life-span-poverty) worldwide – and quite dramatically. [less common](https://towardsdatascience.com/has-global-violence-declined-a-look-at-the-data-5af708f47fba?gi=d1382641de63). Recent [detractors](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a30315437/its-a-wonderful-life-pottersville-better-than-bedford-falls/) even argue that Pottersville “actually looks way more fun” than Bedford Falls. [explained](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a30117820/its-a-wonderful-life-flop-frank-capra/), the studio failed to renew it, which put the movie in the public domain. In their view, the American Dream is over, the world is in a climate crisis and misery is everywhere. [gaze](https://inthesetimes.com/article/its-a-wonderful-life-communist) of the House Un-American Activities Committee. During a single generation, more than a billion people around the world climbed out of extreme poverty, surpassing the goal.” [Christmas movie](https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a34490959/is-die-hard-christmas-movie/) – and a good one, too. My fixation on the movie this year stems from a disturbing development. Released in 1946, the movie was initially a money losing flop. After seeing a world without his family – and watching charming That mistake threatened to destroy the small-town building and loan, cost Bailey his home and even land him in jail.

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