In 1982, I was on the verge of doing something very stupid. Before I had the chance though, this movie came on the TV. It was the first time I had seen it and it changed my life. This movie is the main reason I am here today to even write this. I watch it ever year and cry and thank God that he placed this movie before me to show me how wrong I was. I hope you get as much from this movie as I did and do each and every time I watch it. I am going to grab some Kleenex now and watch your reaction.

It's a movie that everyone should see at some point in their life. And it only gets more effective the older one gets.

Jimmy Stewart was suffering from PTSD when he shot It's a Wonderful Life. He had just come back from 20 missions as the colonel of a B-24 bomber squad over Germany during World War II. He begged Capra to not do any extra takes during the last scene at Martini's/Nick's bar because it was too stressful. After knowing about his PTSD, you can't watch this movie without noticing it all over his performance. Out of all the Hollywood actors who went to war, he was the one who saw the most action and he refused to be treated special. He was a true hero. If you want to know about his military career I can recommend the book Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe.

I love how after Uncle Billy starts crying, the squirrel comes over and gives him a hug.

I had the privilege of meeting Jimmy Stewart about a month before his death. Absolutely ancient, but classy as hell. He exited the room by backing out of it, as he considered turning his back on someone as being rude.

The scene in the bar when the camera closes in on Stewart's face as he breaks down, that's seriously one of the finest, most heartbreakingly realistic performances I'd ever seen in films from that era at the time I'd first seen it when I was a teenager. What an incredible piece of cinematic art.

The point where Donna Reed was wearing glasses as an "old maid" made her look even more beautiful than she already was!

11:37 The "crow" was Jimmy the Raven. He was quite the film star in his own right and was insured for the equivalent of thousands of dollars today. In 'The Wizard of Oz' he was the 'crow' that lands, unfazed, on the Scarecrow just before he sings 'If I only had a brain.' Frank Capra cast used him in a movie in 1938 and cast him in all his subsequent films.

I’m 56 years old. I’ve been watching this movie every year for at least 30 years. And I cry my eyes out every single time. Thanks for the xmas morning cry. Fun facts: Ellen Corby, the lady George kisses in the bank run up, played Grandma Walton on The Waltons.

Oh dear, here is the thing .. I am European (Swedish actually) and I only saw this upon recommendation and it is still, despite this, an immensely powerful experience. The mythology is not ours except in the widest sense .. but the moral essence is. It is just gorgeous. Merry Christmas from us. And do take care. Cheers 🍺

I've seen several reactions to this movie and I'm really shocked at the lack of history knowledge. Most had no idea the "run" on the bank was the start of the great depression

I love how many people look at 1947 through the 2021 lens. Donna Reed was absolutely gorgeous so having her become a glasses wearing old maid librarian was all they could do to play out the story arc. Glasses were the epitome of old maid homliness...THEN. Of course it's silly and anachronistic now but that's the way the world was. "Boy's don't make passes at girls who wear glasses" was a common expression back then. If you want to look at at the movie using a 2021 perspective you could say the Mary was the actual hero of the movie.

6:45 I love the way this moment was shot. George is trying to get out and see the world, but then we see him walk into the extreme close-up, his face taking up most of the screen, giving a sudden sense of being stifled or trapped. Great work, along with James Stewart's devastated expression.

One of the greatest movies ever made. Jimmy Stewart = movie legend and national treasure. Love it!

I'm going to make a prediction: centuries from now, this film will be the 20th century's equivalent of Hamlet.

Another tidbit: Virginia Patton, who played Harry’s wife, is the only living adult member of the cast, at 96. She is the niece of General George Patton.

Barrymore family has been an established acting family forever. Lionel (Mr Potter) is Drew’s Grandfather’s brother and his Mother’s Maiden name was Drew. It’s part of the reason Drew started being cast in stuff when she was like 3.

I grew up with this movie. I cant even remember the first time I saw it. What I do know is that with each passing year it becomes more and more relevant. Will always be my favorite

Jimmy Stewart in Hitchcock's “Rear Window” is a movie and cinematography. One of my favorites

A bit of trivia. The Actor who plays Nick the bartender was Sheldon Leonard. He became a television producer and the characters Sheldon and Leonard in Big Bang Theory were named as a tribute to him.

The kid at the dance who opened the retractable dance floor was Carl Switzer, who had played Alfalfa in _Our Gang._ From what I understand, they shot the sequence at Beverley Hills High School, as it had a retractable floor above their pool.

You will notice that no one ever said "pregnant". They weren't allowed to say "pregnant" back in those days. "I Love Lucy" had the same challenge. It was always "stork visit", "expecting", "with child", or "on the nest".

Early colorization was pretty dreadful, but it eventually became good enough that there's at least one decent color Wonderful Life that I've seen. Even when color was/is offered, I watch it black and white because it just looks better that way. The snow, the streets, the entire film feels colder and more wintry in b&W.

I remember back in the 70s and early 80s this movie would be on every channel this time of year.. Just thinking that a company was ready to front George up to 25,000 dollars, that is like 356K today. My mother forced my nephew a few xmas's ago to watch the movie and he was happy he did. My father always will tell the story when he was a young 18 year old US Airman, that he had lunch with General Jimmy Stewart and being so star struck, he never got a chance to ask him about this movie.

haha you just made me yell at the tv for the first time…”Three Hundred THOUSAND!! SAY THOUSAND!!!” 😹🎅🏻

B&W has deliberate control of light and shadow for dramatic effect. The colorized version muddles some of that work, and is also distracting due to not-quite-right colors.

I was in 3rd grade the first time I saw this movie. It was coming on PBS right at my bed time and I saw the stars talking and really wanted to watch but my Mom made me go to bed. Luckily I had a TV in my room. I kept the volume low and got really close to the TV. I loved this movie so much that I started watching anything and everything staring Jimmy Stewart or directed by Frank Carpra. There are 6 movies I watch every year at Christmas time and It's a Wonderful Life tops the list.

ZUZU was a brand of gingerbread cookies and it's adorable that their little redhead is called Zuzu. George even says, "Zuzu, my little gingersnap!"

When I was a kid in the 70s, this was on tv every Christmas. I watched it every year and always had a crush on James Stewart. He's just such an amazing actor. And I loved the friendship he had with Johnny Carson. Carson would always ask after Harvey (another brilliant moviie.) This is one of three movies I watch every Christmas now along with White Christmas and The Bells of St. Mary's.

I remember watching this on TV when I was a kid and I'm in my 60's now. Despite having seen it countless times, it still makes me cry every time I watch it. Thank you for taking the time do do this one! Love your videos!

Fun Fact, like you I was in to movies at a young age. I was channel surfing in the late 1970's and came across this movie by chance in the middle of the night. I was so impressed that I had to tell everybody. Guess what, no one ever heard of it back then! It only became the quintessential Christmas movie a few years later. 😊

The right glasses can enhance. Also: Speaking of Jimmy, "Harvey" is a must.

OMG, I SO fell in love with gorgeous Donna Reed when I watched this as a kid. The HEAT of that first kiss scene is astonishing, especially for the times.

This movie has been a part if my life for, at the least, 35 years or so. It's taken me 45 years to realize what George realizes at the end of the film. The film is timeless because it's true.

Just another reason to love Jimmy Stewart. Great actor, sense of humor& a real class act.

I’m 73 years old. Jimmy Stewart has been my favorite actor since I was a kid. He can & has done it all, classic comedy, screwball comedy, drama, melodrama, westerns, a trio of Hitchcock films, over the course of a career that spanned from the beginnings of talkies in the 30s up until the 80s 👌❣️

Here's an interesting twist, in this film Lionel Barrymore plays the greedy banker and Jimmy Stewart plays the benevolent savior of the town, however they were also in the film You Can't Take It With You in which Barrymore played the benevolent hero of a small neighborhood and Stewart plays the son of the evil banker trying to take over the area.

8:53 It's the start of the Great Depression. After the stock market crash, the banks were closed until the government could figure out how to deal with that collapse. Lots of smaller banks and savings and loan businesses were destroyed.

Such a great reaction! Thank you! My dad, brother and I have watched this every Christmas for over 20 years at our homes. My brother passed away this year. So its a little sadder this year. This movie came out in 1946. The only actors that are still alive are the ones who played his kids in the movie. Its my favorite Christmas movie for sure. Die Hard is #2 lol

The crow is death constantly threatening "The Building and Loan." I think I remember something about that particular well trained crow being a regular in movies at that period of time.

Saturday Night Live did a sketch where the "original ending" was unearthed and Dana Carvey played George Bailey as they parodied the end scene with a twist. George finds out Potter kept the $8000 and he confronted him and basically exacted $8000 in revenge. It's a hilarious sketch. Dana Carvey did such a good Jimmy Stewart impression he was once requested by Stewart on a talk show to do the impression in front of him.

I can't remember how old i was when i first saw this(61 now) but i do know i have seen this every Christmas since...it is one of my all time favs and always makes me cry. As for Jimmy Stewart, what an actor. One of my favs, along with Gary Cooper..just genuine, real. BTW another awesome movie similar to this is Meet John Doe with Gary Cooper...also directed by Frank Capra

What you said earlier I think you're wrong. When you put your glasses on your far from being homely. Actually make you more attractive. I'll Make a deal you don't put yourself down and I'll watch more videos of yours.

Just realized, the lady that only needs $17.50 instead of $20 essentially saves the business. $2 left!

When the woman humbly asks for $17.50, instead of 20 dollars, it ends up being the reason they have two dollars remaining that save the Savings and Loan at the end of the day. I've watched this movie so many times, and didn't pick up on that detail until I watched your edited-down reaction. The colorized version is available to stream on Prime, and while I think 'colorized' versions of old films have largely been decried as sacrilege, the version of Wonderful Life in color works very well.

A movie was filmed in black & white when color was available for two main reasons - first, color was expensive back then, and second, it was done on purpose (i.e. Young Frankenstein) to make use of the Italian word "chiaroscuro", meaning chiaro, “light,” and scuro, “dark” shadow technique (credit to my son for teaching me this). It provided more mystery.

I’m so happy that you were able to bring this back. I’ve missed it. Merry Christmas Shanelle!

I hope you watch "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." It's equally good though it doesn't have the same type of emotions. Stewart's acting is, once again, top notch, and I think you'll also find a theme which we can relate to today.

This is my desert island movie, I never tire of it. I've watched it countless times, as it was constantly on tv in my younger days, then tape, then disc, now streaming. I tear up every single time I have ever seen it. I live near Seneca Falls, NY which is a possible inspiration for Bedford Falls, and they have an annual festival in honor of the film. It's incredibly well acted, directed and filmed. I enjoyed your perspective! To answer the crush question, I admire James Stewart's acting talent, and I'd love to find someone with the qualities of George and Jimmy. Who wouldn't? Merry Christmas!

Hollywood used to have such great leading men: Cary Grant, my personal favorite, in virtually every movie he ever made, the consummate charming love interest, Clark Gable, especially in Gone With The Wind and his westerns, Gregory Peck in his westerns, in Roman Holiday, and especially as the perfect father in To Kill A Mockingbird , Gary Cooper in High Noon, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and Meet John Doe, and Jimmy Stewart, whom as an immigrant I always saw, along with Gary Cooper, as the most "American" of all male film stars, in practically every movie he ever made, but especially in this and Rear Window and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

I had heard of this movie but the first time I saw it was in the 80s. My high school had a new elective course in film. We watched this in class and there was not a dry eye in the classroom.

12:52 "who is she?" Violet. You've known of her character since the beginning of the movie. You've seen her several times. :)

I think a lot of younger people don't get the point of why Mary became an 'Old Maid" because this come from an era where most people still believed in one true love, findng your one true soul mate for all eternity, so if George was never born, their 'souls' could never meet on earth. They could of gone another way in filming/story telling, with Mary married the wrong man, that 'beat her, cheated on her etc etc. but that would of been a lot longer to tell and the movie is already pretty long. :)

This is either my favorite or second favorite Christmas movie of all time!!! Either way it’s a truly timeless classic!!! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!!

It never gets old watching someone new react to this movie!🥲 Merry Christmas 🎄.

Jimmy Stewart was the original Tom Hanks, not to mention he was a genuine war hero, combat veteran, and General in the Air Force, during WW2. And he demanded from his agents that they never mention his service record, not wanting to gain fame from it. They don't make'em like him any more.

It's A Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street are MUST's every year. They are classic films in their own right, not just great holiday films. Later, A Christmas Story would join their ranks.

You should also watch ‘The Bishop’s Wife’. The 1947 version starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. The actors playing Zulu and young George also play characters in this movie.

Directed by the great Frank Capra. Was dismissed as 'Capra-corn' for its sentimentality. It flopped at the box office. It's popularity stem from it going into public domain. TV stations in the 70s needed more Christmas movies and could show it w/o paying for it. It became a classic.

Thanks for the re-post and for sticking with the BW version and watching it as it was intended. Colorized BW are blasphemy! Ha! Jimmy Stewart is the classic good guy underdog. I would also recommend him in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington(1939). It's another Frank Capra film. The Philadelphia Story(1940) is also another good movie with Stewart. He plays opposite Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. Classics! Enjoy! Lastly, if you haven't seen Casablanca yet,.. :O It's my favorite. I never get tired of it. :)

Considering that all of them had just gone through 4 years of world war and Stewart had PTSD from his time as a combat pilot I think they did the best they could. There wasn't a deep bench of talented teenagers just then and even 19 year-olds were pretty mature. This is a favorite movie of mine because I like the cast and the story.

So glad to see you react to this! Merry Christmas! 🎄 I’m in western NY. I’d say Bedford Falls is supposed to be in one of the counties either slightly east or south of the Buffalo/ Niagara area. Lots of Italian and Polish-background people- also a lot of waterfalls that could be the fictitious Bedford Falls. :)

Repost or not, I’ll always take the time to watch a reaction to this magical movie.

When colorization first started it was very wrong and colors were off. Also colorized movies take away the important usage of shadows and mood setting intended by the director.

Ms. Riccio, you are always beautiful, eyeglasses or no. For myself, I was frustrated for years with Jimmy Stewart's character, because he was oblivious to the fact that his frustrations were always the result of his own choices. That is, until I realized that I was guilty of the same thing -- I hadn't taken responsibility for my personal decisions. Sigh.

I wish reactors would react to more classic movies besides just “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Casablanca.” There are so many other beloved, great movies from the 30s-the 60s that would also be easy for modern mainstream audiences to love if they would just give them a chance. I can’t understand how someone can watch one or two movies from the 40s, absolutely love them, and then just think “Welp, that was fun but guess that’s probably all there is worth exploring out of the many thousands of movies that were made prior to the 1980s. Guess I’ll now just go the rest of my life depriving myself of all the magnificent cinematic masterpieces of the span of decades that are for some reason known as the golden age of cinema.”

Shanelle, I love your commentary throughout, but I particularly appreciate the fact that you pause the film first so as not to audibly eclipse the brilliant dialogue.

Keep in mind: Mr. Potter screwed George out of $8,000.00 right before Christmas in 1945, which in 2021 would be like if your bank screwed you out of roughly $118,000.00 earlier this week.

Shanelle, I truly adored your reaction to this movie. It reminded me of my first time watching it in 1976. If you get a chance, please react to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I think you will enjoy it. ;) The colorized version was badly done and the process used was terrible.

I watched this a lot with my dad when I was a kid, and as a kid the movie is boring as shit, but as an adult it is quite profound and moving.

This is a movie I bring up to counter people who say "Die Hard" isn't a Christmas movie. It's as much a Christmas movie as this movie or "Home Alone", in that the only thing that makes them Christmas movies is the timing of the plot and some Christmas music. "Die Hard" took place shortly before Christmas and has Christmas music. Home Alone took place in the days leading up to Christmas and plays Christmas music. "It's a Wonderful Life" spans years, but the finale takes place on Christmas and includes Christmas music. Otherwise there's nothing specifically Christmas about the plots. This movie, I think, set the precedent that the timing can make a movie a Christmas movie. And it is deservedly an enduring Christmas classic.

If I weren't a heterosexual man my perfect guy would be Cary Grant.

Also, I love how that's such a terrible tragedy. Mary is working and broadening her mind everyday, in peaceful solitude and in complete control of her daily schedule!?! "HEAVENS TO GIMBLES NOOOOO!!!"

You didn't mention it in you're recap but I remember hearing that Jimmy Stewart went through PTSD after the war and that was his motivation in the breakdown scene in the bar and at home.

teenagers were invented in the 50's

The colorized version is bad because this is a black and white movie that was designed and shot to look beautiful and atmospheric that way, and colorization is a clumsy bastardization of that artistry. Black and white movies are not coloring books.

Mary is a spinster because she’s in her late 20s, wearing glasses and working as a librarian 🙄 the horror.

"You know what happens when you put glasses on a beautiful woman..." Nope. Still beautiful Shanelle. Not even close to homely.

I read an excellent book on film noir about twenty years ago called Somewhere in the Night that has a whole section on It’s a Wonderful Life. The author’s contention is that the Pottersville section of the film represents George Bailey crossing over into the film noir world where the American Dream is turned upside down, and we enter the American Nightmare. In Pottersville there is only predation and loneliness. Notably, the film was made exactly during the noir period-a time when almost all American films were infected with a sort of spiritual malaise which was perhaps the cumulative result of the depression, the war, the Holocaust, and the atomic bomb all landing on the country in just a few years time.

I was about 12 when I first saw this film on out 19" B&W tv set. I liked it a lot, but the one that same time that caught my attention was 'A Tree Grows In Brooklyn' (69 now) and I keep copies of these close at hand. Good for the soul.

Jimmy the Crow appeared in other Capra films (including my favorite one, You Can’t Take It With You…also starring Jimmy Stewart and my favorite, Jean Arthur). Apparently crows are quite clever.

SNL did a skit years ago where they all went to find Potter, knocked him out of his wheel chair and beat him to death.

I've heard other commentators be confused about the crow. I think Uncle Billy was just a big-hearted animal lover. Hence the little squirrel giving Uncle Billy a hug at a crucial moment.

Yes. I looked up to Jimmy Stewart as what a man should be. I saw him in many different films and became a favorite actor of mine. As a family , we went to Church on Sunday, came home and after lunch we sat and watched the Sunday Matinee on t.v. usually an old war picture or western. One time we watched "The Man who shot Liberty Vallance " my fav Jimmy Stewart film. We would clap at the end of the movies. It was a cherished memory growing up. Jimmy like John Wayne had a distinctive way of talking. Jimmy does seem to studder. That is how it was and i like it. The coloring of this movie was one of the earliest done. It is destracting and not completely done alot of the time. Blahk! Patui! Thank you for your commenting on film production. It makes me appreciate the movie more. Thank you for keeping the context of when the movie was made and that kind of thing. I understand that many times glasses make a lady homely but i think sometimes glasses can make a lady sexy. Maybe because i have worn glasses all my life? So it is a wonderful life in the end. And i am grateful and thankful. Let us celebrate this life and do good!

There is an older SNL skit that gave the alternate ending to this that mostly everyone (secretly or not) wanted to see. They found out Potter stole the money, then a mob of them found him and beat him to death. Lol. Merry Christmas!

One of my favorite movies. The Line I Cry Sooo Hard At Is "To My Big Brother George. The Richest Man In Town." Because of True Riches. 32 almost 33

@ 8:45 A "run" Ernie was speaking of is a "run on the banks", something that happened because of the Great Depression! People would panic and all at once, try to take their deposits out but banks never have enough cash to cover everyone. My grandparents were adults during that time and spoke a lot about it, and the following WWII. In this scene in the movie it's 1932 and you can see that with president Hoover's picture on the wall in George's office. The Depression started when the stock market crashed in Oct 1929 and reverberated even into the timeline in the movie here. @ 11:34 The crow is a pet, like Uncle Billy's squirrel. Crows can be raised very tame and make good pets. Had a great uncle, (who was in WWII in Europe) and he and his wife had a pet crow. I get the feeling you haven't seen "The Shawshank Redemption" as yet. If true, watch it real soon and you'll see what I mean about crows. @ 12:50 That is Violet. She was the one in the dress, the one who George wanted to go barefoot with, and as kids she was the one who wanted George to help her down in the drug store while sitting by young Mary. Like most movies, it takes several careful viewings to catch all the nuance. This was one of Frank Capra's finest movies. Two others of his to note, "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" (1939) (also with Jimmy Stewart) and won four top Academy Awards, and "Meet John Doe" (1941) with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. If you want to try another Jimmy Stewart movie, a comedy-fantasy do "Harvey" (1950). If you haven't seen Shawshank, watch Harvey first so you'll get the little joke about it! ✌😎

Excellent reaction and commentation, really enjoyed it on Christmas day, thank you for the repost.

The one reactor I couldn't imagine not having seen this classic... "It's A Wonderful Life" has been a personal holiday tradition for the past 44 years.

I saw Jimmy Stewart on stage in London, the play 'Harvey' in 1975. The moment he first walked on stage he got a standing ovation.

Shanelle,perfect choise…..FELIZ NAVIDAD…from SPAIN👍🇪🇸🎞👏

I just love how emotional your reviews are! You get so into the movie and just let your feelings come through. Great job!

I think it is impossible to watch that movie without crying when you see the donations from George's friends.

I've been a very fanatical movie fan all my life, and have in the last few days bingeing your reactions learned more about film rules, and camera shots than I learned being a fan in my 54 years. Thanks for sharing your insights! 😊

My husband and I watch this every year - and each time we catch something new - 50 years of watching this and we see the sad politics and the sweetness at the end - that is just amazing.

We can always count on you to have a good cinematic take on films, Shanelle. 😄 I first saw It's a Wonderful Life as a kid back in the '80's (back when the film was still airing dozens of times between Thanksgiving and Christmas, lol), and on _Christmas Eve_ while I was in bed getting ready for Santa. 😄Needless to say, it was a great story and experience, and I've tried to catch it every year around Christmastime since. If you're still looking for some comeuppance for Mr. Potter, here's some trivia for you: There was allegedly a scene in the script near the end of the movie where newly-minted angel Clarence visits Mr. Potter and basically lets Potter know that all his bad deeds are going to come back and bite him, that he's going to die alone with no one to share his wealth, and no one will mourn him. The revelation hits Potter so hard he dies of a heart attack on the spot. The scene was cut from the final film for being too dark for the story's more hopeful tone.

Back to future II is like a homage to this movie. How the “present” is altered horribly due to the death of George. Pottersville is just like Biff controlled Hill Valley.

I grew up when it was in public domain so I’ve seen it about a hundred times. Because of that I saw it for the first time when I was so young, so I can’t remember when I first saw it. Love Capra’s work, most all his work stands up for the little guy. Man was a Genius.

Its A Wonderful Life is not only the greatest Christmas movie ever made, its the greatest Christian movie this side of The Passion. This movie shows us how wonderful a true Christian society can be. And then Its A Wonderful Life shows you the flipside, which we live in Pottersville.

This movie became a running joke in my house... for years, I had never seen the first hour of this movie... every single time I found it on TV, it was ALWAYS at the point when Clarence jumps into the river. I finally got to see the entire thing as an adult... and the ending always makes me want to go cut onions