It’s a Wonderful Life is, and always will be, one of the best holiday movies. The strong message of being thankful and living life to the fullest never ceases to inspire. It’s dark and bright, full of passion, despair and joy. It’s a little too sweet sometimes – but it has moments that can surprise you even after you’ve seen it dozens of times, whether it’s Christmas Eve or the Fourth of July.
Far from being the feel-good movie of 1947, this movie is in fact one of Capra’s most relentlessly depressing works. The film’s framing story indeed draws on the backward-looking myth of the small town favored by Hollywood’s not-notably rural filmmakers. It’s so hard to try to retell the story of George Bailey. Wonderful Life makes a valiant and often very successful try at showing something new. But, missing out on the children’s presence entirely and limiting the women to two postures deflates the story and the world in which it exists. Whereas the traditional It’s a Wonderful Life serves as a heart-swelling nod to the value of friendship, Wonderful Life takes you on a quiet journey that reflects the prize of peace within self. 
Sure, it’s overly sentimental—Capra-corn, as it’s often called. But there are some terrific themes in that movie. Dare I even say it? Terrific progressive themes. A musical stage adaptation of the film, titled A Wonderful Life, was written by Sheldon Harnick and Joe Raposo . This version was first performed at the University of Michigan in 1986, but a planned professional production was stalled by legal wrangling with the estate of Philip Van Doren Stern. It was eventually performed in Washington, DC by Arena Stage in 1991, and had revivals in the 21st century, including a staged concert version in New York City in 2005 and several productions by regional theatres.
By the way, also in 1986, Saturday Night Live did a sketch called “The Lost Ending of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” with Dana Carvey portraying George Bailey. It depicts Potter receiving quite the violent confrontation when it’s discovered he has withheld the lost $8,000. It was hilarious!
The film is produced by Liberty Films and originally distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, and released on December 20, 1946. Currently, It’s a Wonderful Life belongs to Paramount Pictures and is co-owned by Republic Pictures.
It seems all the more noble if you think of what motion pictures have become in the 60 years since, most of them designed to be forgotten immediately after viewing, but when an artist has belief in the power of his medium anything is possible. There may be no greater example of this than It’s A Wonderful Life.
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