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It's a Wonderful Life

Hollywood and English-Language Studio Cinema

It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American film directed by Frank Capra, starring James Stewart as George Bailey, a small-town building and loan officer who, facing financial ruin and contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve, is shown by a guardian angel what his community would have become had he never been born. The film performed only modestly at the box office on its original release and did not become a major cultural fixture until decades later, when a lapse in its copyright renewal led American television stations to broadcast it frequently and without licensing fees each holiday season. It's a Wonderful Life is now widely regarded as one of the most beloved American films and a defining work of Capra's career.

Facts
Release Year
1946 1
Country
United States 1
Classification
Original Language
English 1
Connections

Created By

Frank Capra, Figures
Source It's a Wonderful Life (Wikipedia)

In Medium

Film, Media Forms
Source It's a Wonderful Life (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
  • opening paragraph, Britannica topic page for Its a Wonderful Life
    It’s a Wonderful Life, American dramatic film, released in 1946, that is widely considered one of the most inspirational and beloved movies in American cinema. The film, which was produced and directed by Frank Capra, has become synonymous with Christmas, when it is frequently televised.
  • It's a Wonderful Life, Description, original language
    It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American film directed by Frank Capra, starring James Stewart as George Bailey, a small-town building and loan officer who, facing financial ruin and contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve, is shown by a guardian angel what his community would have become had he never been born.
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It's a Wonderful Life (Wikidata)
Wikidata P166: National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Quote, Wikidata P166: National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Wikidata P166 (award received): National Board of Review: Top Ten Films.
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It's a Wonderful Life (Wikipedia)
  • In Medium: Film, Article lead sentence
    It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra.
  • Created By: Frank Capra, Article lead sentence
    It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra.
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