Though small royalties were still owed as it was derived from Stern’s story, TV stations leapt at the chance to air high-quality, low-cost seasonal programming, launching It’s a Wonderful Life to its status as a perennial favorite for holiday viewers by the 1980s.įor the few who may be unfamiliar with the story, It’s a Wonderful Life centers around Stewart’s performance as George Bailey, an ambitious adventurer who grows increasingly frustrated with the toll his constant sacrifices for others take on his personal dreams. Released 75 years ago today, It’s a Wonderful Life has become an enduring Christmas classic… almost by accident! Based on Philip Van Doren Stern’s self-published novella The Greatest Gift, the movie had been relatively well-received at the time of its release, even earning five Academy Award nominations including one for Best Picture, but it would be overshadowed by the epic blockbuster The Best Years of Our Lives that told the story of servicemen returning from World War II.ĭespite being a personal favorite of director Frank Capra and star Jimmy Stewart, It’s a Wonderful Life seemed destined for obscurity as just another “old movie” when a clerical error prevented proper renewal of the copyright. James Stewart as George Bailey, reluctant bankerĬostume Designer: Edward Stevenson Background James Stewart and Donna Reed in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Vitals
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