I think George didn't realise he'd had a guardian angel with him almost his whole life in the form of his chilldhood sweetheart and when he married her he didn't know how lucky he was. She was always there for him, bought the dilapidated house as a surprise and then worked hard to make it a cosy home. She gave up her honeymoon in an instant to help George out as well as the people who needed money to keep them going for a week. On top of all that she gave him four wonderful kids whilst running the home on a shoestring. She's guaranteed to an Angel First Class, no doubt about it. :)

I'll be 72 in a couple of weeks, and I must say, it truly touches my heart to see young people such as yourself discovering and being moved by these classic films for the first time. These films represent America when it was at its height, during The Greatest Generation. While I wasn't part of that generation, my father was, and he taught me timeless values of personal honor, integrity, duty, compassion, sacrifice, and love of country. George Baily embodied these values (scorned today as oft as not). Kudos to you Madison for being able to feel them in a world circling the drain of narcissism, selfishness, and "influencers" (whatever the hell that means). I enjoy your reviews - especially of classic films. God Bless!!

Not a lot of people comment on what a smashing, hit-out-of-the-park job the actors did in playing their alternative selves in the what-if sequence. Mary, Ma Bailey, Ernie, Nick, Violet were all so remarkably different in tone, affect, demeanor, etc. that they might as well have been different people. Mary and Ma Bailey in particular were almost impossible to recognize.

That ending makes me tear up Every. Single. Time. "Every man on that transport died! Harry wasn't there to save them because you weren't there to save Harry!" What a simple & perfect way to say we are ALL tiny pebbles thrown into a lake. Even though all we see is the brief, TINY splash we make, and it might feel irrelevant at times, we send unseen ripples ever outward that can have an impact in ways we will never know. EVERY life is precious. Merry Christmas.

Best Christmas movie. Causes me to tear up every time

That scene when George is sitting at the bar at his wit's end, desperately asking God for help . . . I was at that point at one time in my life. The circumstances leading up to it weren't the same, but the intensity of my desperation perfectly matched George's desperation.

History of the movie reflects George Baily's life as well. People loved it in '46 but not a box office success and only Capra received an Academy Award. Over the years, it became less remembered until the copyright lapsed in the 70's (an angel 2nd class?). In the public domain it appeared as an annual staple over Christmas. So many people have since fallen in love with a black and white classic and George Baily. One could say "It's A Wonderful Life" is the richest movie in town. Your smile at the very end was perfect.

It's a Wonderful Life is my top Christmas movie, but A Christmas Carol (1951) starring Alastair Sim is a close second!

Jimmy Stewart movies are great. The one he did called "The man who shot Liberty Valance" is a really good western movie

As many other people, this is my favorite Christmas movie and one of my all time favorites! I cry every single time. It lifts my spirits.

A holiday classic that, like George Bailey, was given a second chance and was blessed with a Christmas miracle. We in turn, have something that is timeless. You presented a wonderful reaction/review. Thank you. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

I think my favorite part is when the man who demanded all his money from his account at the savings and loan was there at the end dropping in money as well. that part always hits me for some reason.

A classic that does not feel dated in the slightest. I've picked up new details in every rewatch. I'd recommend watching the color version too.

If you liked this film and in particular James Stewarts performance then I highly recommend Harvey, made in 1950 he plays an eccentric drunk who's best friend is a giant rabbit/pooka called Harvey that no one else can see. Like It's a Wonderful Life, Harvey plays with you perception of what is real and what is fantasy as well as displaying a wide range of emotions and feelings helped in no small part by Stewarts amazing performance.

I think one of the best movies ever made, Christmas or otherwise. It is a must watch at our house every year as it is for so many. The story never gets old and is as pertinent today as it will be a hundred years from now. Loved your reaction Madison, it seems everyone that sees this for the first time says the same thing, "I can't believe I've never watched this before it is so good."

So much of this is relevant to the Greatest Generation folks who survived the Great Depression, fought World War II and then helped rebuild America and the world.

Their house wasn’t previously an hotel. She was just being funny when she said “The Waldorf Hotel”. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The movie gets me every time… Have you seen: “Miracle on 34th Street” “White Christmas” “The Bishop’s Wife” All holiday classics 😊

I had a friend who is a psychiatrist tell me this movie can be used to detect a sociopathic personality 90% of the time. A person with no empathy will not get choked up. tear up or cry at the end of the movie.

It’s not Christmas without this movie. This year I’ve watched it 10 times with reactors like you. Like new again. Thank you. My father used the gesture that George used after shaking hands with potter for the rest of his life when he found something distasteful or sneaky. That’s how he’d tell you. Love that memory. 💙

17:04 I don't think it was ever an actual hotel. The line "the Waldorf hotel, huh?" was meant somewhat sarcastically to play it up as a romantic spot for their honeymoon. Not that it was ever actually a hotel. It was just a beautiful old house Mary always had a soft spot for.

Super reaction. A timeless Christmas classic, and emotional movie full of hope.

Truly a variation on Dickens that is an excellent reminder of how we so often forget the impact we all have on each other by appreciating the seemingly simple everyday acts of kindness, charity and love for each other. This and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" are my all time favorite Christmas movies. Thank you for sharing 🙏

The studio let the copyright expire, so TV networks could show "It's A Wonderful Life" without paying royalties for years. As a result it was shown a ton of times every Christmas and became more well known and loved than ever may have been possible otherwise. The copyright was finally renewed, but I've seen this movie countless times - and it still gets me. I agree with you. Best ever. If you like Jimmy Stewart, "Harvey" next.

Beautiful reaction! You will probably cry every Christmas watching this movie. Been crying for decades watching the ending.

It's such a good movie. It's so heart breaking and heart warming all at once.

And for those who don't know.. Jimmy Stewart said doing this movie helped alleviate him from severe ptsd. Stewart was a war hero. He was a bomber pilot in the early stage of ww2 and made all 20 mandatory runs. At the time a bombing crew was the most dangerous job in u.s. military history. Nearly 50% of planes were shot down on their runs.. 50% death rate. So if you made your 20 missions you served your service and could be discharged if wanted.. even if all 20 were in one month. He saw countless hundreds of friends and service members shot down beside him and felt near suicide after the war. He later said this script seemed to be a gift from God. As if it were written to help heal him

We’re on the same page as far as Jimmy Stewart goes, Madison, my all time favorite actor, & one with a thankfully long and varied, high quality laden film life 🥳

-- Donna Reed, pride of Dennison, Iowa, who won the Oscar for best supporting actress for From Here to Eternity. -- Bert and Ernie? -- "Well (money) comes in handy down here bub." i've used this line over the years raising four children. -- There's a bike shop in my town called Zuzu's Pedals. -- My one quibble with this movie is that apparently the worst thing that can happen to a woman is to be an "old maid" librairan. -- Not to get theological, but I like that they tap into the belief that there is a God and he responds to prayer. -- I appreciate your reaction. I started tearing up almost from the start watching you react. This truly is one of my all time favorites. Back in the '80s it wasn't as well known and we had friends over to our house to watch it together. Now it's a regular classic.

You’re so right about pegging George as a life long hero, not just in/for “the” moment❣️

“ Best Christmas movie ever “ no arguments from me it’s a Christmas tradition in our house and always will be , so glad you enjoyed it as much as me and my family do , would love to see your reaction to another favourite of mine , the 1951 movie Scrooge , great reaction 🇬🇧👍

Many of us watch this every year because it's so uplifting and reminds us of what actually matters. ❤

Thank you for noticing the brilliant job Frank Capra did in contrasting the BIGGER THAN LIFE heroism of Harry Bailey in being awarded the Congressional Metal of Honour and the every-day heroism of Harry Bailey in thousands of barely noticeable acts of kindness and courage. Capra is telling us again and again just how to make America Great Again. Just act every day the way Harry Bailey acted. Care about your neighbours and lend a helping hand with an attitude of kindness! That is when America is truly Great!

It’s such a clever movie it makes you realise just the smallest things that you don’t know or care about can touch another person in such a special way. This movie is absolute magic a true masterpiece

I would like to add for anyone who has never seen this movie in its entirety (that most reactors skip over) that when George and Mary are talking on the phone with Sam it’s George who talks Sam into starting the factory in Bedford Falls. If I remember the movie correctly there was an old abandoned factory that had went out of business years ago. It would be cheaper for Sam to buy that old building and fix it up for his factory. After providing training for them (which was something business did back then) Sam would be able to provide jobs for most of the unemployed people in Bedford Falls. As this was done at George’s suggestion it shows another way he helped people.

Watching it again this year, some thoughts: Imagine writing this script and then the challenge of finding the actors and art/design to make it work. Way more difficult than it may seem. A movie about suicide. Suicide confronted within the first 10 minutes of the film. Child actors, a playful film with a tongue-in-cheek angel. The odds of the film working seem close to zero, if you had never seen the finished film we take for granted. Lastly, so many multi-layered details are done at near perfection. The background extras, many of them almost have a documentary quality. It seems an extraordinary attention to subtle details went in to small elements, even set design. The skull on Potter's desk seems just to be morbid, but later takes on a sinister prophetic quality when Potter tells George, "You're worth more dead than alive..."

It's A Wonderful Life and Casablanca are the Two Greatest Movies of All Times! I Love This Movie, and teared up and laughed along with you, Madison. 80 years later, and It's A Wonderful Life is still the Most Watched Christmas Movie. :)

In another review of this movie someone said that Mary was the actual hero of the movie. She was the one who put her pride in her pocket and rallied all his friends to give him money to keep him out of trouble.

Not sure if anyone mentioned, the young man that opened the gym floor with the pool underneath was actor, Carl Switzer. He was Alfalfa from the "Our Gang" and "Little Rascals" shorts. He was tragically killed over a money dispute, still a young man.

27:50 George said in the beginning" he wanted to travel and do great things"...... but, he didnt have to leave town to accomplish this. George never realized before that he- and he ALONE - kept Potter in check, which prevented the town from turning to vice and misery ... just by taking up his fathers mission,- becoming his successor, he prevented this from happening.Not to mention he saved his brother- a future war hero's life,and prevented a child from dying by a distraught pharmacist.

Not only is Its A Wonderful Life the greatest Christmas, not only is it one of the best movies ever produced, but George Bailey is one of the greatest, most relatable and complex characters ever put on film. This movie wouldnt be so great and powerful if we didnt spend so much of it getting to know George. I think Its A Wonderful Life is also a great Christian film. Thats probably why the antichrist organization known as Hollywood trashes this movie so much.

"It's like déjà vu, all over again."

I had three posts from channels in my notifications that are re-uploads but before I noticed that I was seriously having deja vu freakout! I kept flipping down the posts thinking, "I swear I watched this already... and this... and this!" ;-)

Speaking of heroes, I read that the writers/producers of this movie made it mostly for those who were in the service in WW II, and came back with the feeling that their moment of greatness and chance at heroism had past. Most in the service who returned, did not serve on the front lines, they did jobs that supported those who were at the front. They felt emptied by the experience, compared to the headline heroes. This movie was made to show them that they can make a difference in the lives of their communities, A great movie, based on the play "Mr Roberts" should be on your watch list. It tells the story of those who were doing the un-glamorous job of supporting those on the front. Thanks for the insight and reaction, loved it!

I need to recommend another James Stewart movie called "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". Another excellent movie and performance. Not a Christmas movie but it's another one directed by Frank Capra. I'm trying to remember the year. I think it was made in 1937 or '39. Worth the watch. James Stewart was one of the best actors in American film. I'm sure you'll appreciate it as well. Your analysis of this movie was perfect. I think the quality of story and acting shows how a movie should be made. Interactions with each actor is very important to not come off as contrived. Very much in harmony with fellow actors throughout. Have a very Happy New Year!! 🙂

Great reaction for a great movie. Has been a family favorite and tradition for generations. If you like James Stewart as you say, you should check out these classics: Anatomy of a Murder Winchester 73 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Man Who knew Too Much

The kid that said 'hey' and opened the floor is Alfalfa. And the lady wanting money is Ellen Corby, Grandma Esther Walton.

In real life for Jimmy it was clerking in his dad's hardware store in Indiana, Pa., Princeton, Hollywood (AA, Best Actor, The Philadelphia Story), war service (he rose from private in the Army Air Corps to eventual brigadier general), and the movies again.

Lionel Barrymore (Drew's great uncle) did play Ebenezer Scrooge, repeatedly, over the years in performances of "A Christmas Carol".

Thank you for showing this movie. There is another Christmas movie which I appreciate very much but not so well known : The Bishop’s Wife directed by Henry Koster (1943) starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven and other stars ; and also, of course The Shop Around the Corner, the classic Ernst Lubitch’s gem, also starring Jimmy Stewart.

Agreed, Madison- the BEST Christmas film ever. Merry Christmas and God Bless.

Madison - Heartfelt reaction. I first saw it when I was in my early 30's and could not believe I did not see it earlier. It embodies what the Christmas spirit is all about. Now I make sure my grandchildren see it.

There's more than a couple of places in this movie that gets me to tear up, but one that really comes to mind is when he and Clarence get thrown out of the bar and George begins to wonder if maybe what Clarence is telling him is true and he reaches into his watch pocket and then Clarence tells him that they're not there. "What's not there?" "Juju's petals."....What a punch in the gut! Your daughter doesn't even exist! Your whole family, all your loved ones, gone!

I heard that the Sesame Street Muppet characters Ernie and Bert is supposedly named after the cab driver and cop.

If you want a nice romance with Jimmy Stewart, watch "Bell, Book, and Candle." It is funny and romantic. Not many people know about the movie. But any Jimmy Stewart movie will be great.

I agree; best ever!! Great reaction. You watched intently, no interruptions. One of my favorite reactions to it.

The Christmas bow in your hair is absolutely stunning, Madison! Is George picketing at Mary's picket fence? It's a miracle! Clarence's hat remained on his head after jumping into the river! Must agree with you: BCME!

Stewart's stock-in-trade was benign rage; no one did it better.

Lots of people don't know this but when Mr Gower slaps young George in the pharmacy, the blood you see trickling from George's ear is real. H.B. Warner (Mr Gower) was a Method actor so to get into character he drank a whole bottle of whiskey and was quite drunk at filming. He hit young George ( Bobby Anderson) hard enough to bloody his ear and make him cry during his performance. To H.B's credit, he immediately recognized what had happened and his hug and tears at the end of the scene were genuine. Bobby Anderson said H. B. was actually a very nice person.

Fun fact....at the party scene where drunk Uncle Billy crashes into a row of garbage cans off camera....that was actually a stage hand who dropped a whole bunch of cannisters right during filming that scene. The poor man thought he was going to be fired but the director thought it made the scene s much funnier he gave the guy a bonus.

5:02 - "I don't like coconuts either." That's what I said, until I was on vacation and actually had some FRESH coconut. Was SOOO good!

I needed a pickmeup today so I rewatched this. It's A Wonderful Life is one of very, very few perfect movies. What a masterpiece.

Throughtout his life, Sam is a friend to George from the time they were kids. While he has, and uses, what seems to be quirky humor, most of us have known someone like that at one time or another in our circle of friends. The whole 'Hee Haw' phrase Sam Wainwright uses refers to turn of the century (1900s) 'funny pages' (comic strip) characters they'd know. Sam also uses the phrase, “See you in the funny pages (papers)”. The newspapers from the early 1900s through the end of the century and somewaht today, had a section, usually near the back, where they printed cartoons and comic strips to cheer folks up so they would buy the paper again the next day. On Sundays, many newspapers even had a whole special section devoted to just comic strips, often printed in color. Both this section and the daily comics page(s) were known as “the funny pages,” “See you in the funny papers” is a jocular farewell that dates, as far as anyone has been able to determine, to the early years of the 20th century (1900s). “See you” was a common casual farewell in the US at least by the late 1890s, although it may be somewhat older. “See you in the funny papers” almost certainly dates back to the early 1920s because the term “funny papers/pages/sheet” itself apparently didn’t appear in print until roughly that time. A glossary of humor published in 1926 included “See you in the funny sheet,” and William Faulkner also used the phrase in his 1929 novel 'The Sound and the Fury'. One reason that “See you in the funny papers” sounds so dated to us today is because “funny papers/pages/sheets” was eventually largely replaced by the term “comics” for that part of the newspaper, a process that probably began in the 1940s and was complete by the 1960s. The term means “I will see you (or your likeness) when I read the funny papers, as you are a bit of a cartoon-y (acting or looking) character”. It was a very common slang farewell by people born in the 1900s-1930 ish era.The interesting thing about “See you in the funny papers” is that originally it may not have been a very friendly thing to say. Saying “See you in the newspaper” or “See you in jail” when parting, for example, carried the sardonic implication that the person being addressed would next be heard of for committing a crime or attaining some other newsworthy notoriety. Similarly, the original intent of “See you in the funny papers” was probably to imply that the speaker considered the person either so ridiculous or so odd in appearance as to belong in a comic strip (thus making the saying roughly equivalent to “Say hi to the Katzenjammer Kids for me”). By the 1940s, however, “See you in the funny papers” had become so common that it lost whatever hostile edge it had and became a good-natured humorous farewell. Sam, since childhood, using a signature comic book gesture of flapping one of both of his hands with his thumbs in his ears mimicking a braying donkey with big ears while shouting "Hee-haw!", which his friends imitate in response. (Sam keeps his unique calling card in his adult years.)

The only minor criticism I have about this WONDERFUL movie is that , although human beings will 'be like angels' in Heaven , angels are infact separate beings in their own right.

Our niece, Charlotte, died at the age of 21 years. Her maternal uncle was routed through Charlotte, NC. He bought a bell with Charlotte printed on it. It was placed in her casket she could get her wings right away. We continue that practice, every relative gets a wing bell in the casket. The actor who played Mr. Gower was drunk during the ear slapping scene. He actually drew blood from the poor your actor. Donna Reed played baseball in high school. She hit a window in the old house in the first take. A stage hand knocked over something as Uncle Billy walked off stage, Uncle Billy, without missing a beat, improvised, I’m all right, I’m all right. The proposal scene, Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed skipped 2 pages of dialogue. When that was pointed out, Frank Kapra said, with acting like that who needs dialogue? Mr. Potter was played by Lionel Barrymore who was Drew Barrymore’s great great uncle. Her great grandfather was John Barrymore, he starred in a silent movie, Mr. Jeckle and Mr. Hide. The movie was shot in July and the actors were very hot in winter clothes in the hot weather. Zuzu was a brand of ginger snaps, the company paid for the product placement. I first thought you did not cry, but I heard the sniffle.

“Remember, *NO* man is a failure who has friends”

Marlo Thomas did a remake that was also pretty good "It Happened One Christmas"

One of my favorites! Thank you!

The gold standard for Christmas movies. Most iconic of all time

"White Christmas" is also a good Christmas movie.

Best smile ever… you really captured the wonder of 5his film

The greatest accident for film is It's a Wonderful Life bombed and it's copyright got screwed up so it ended up in public domain. This played for YEARS on multiple stations at Christmas. It became a tradition because it was cheap programming and not a hard movie to love.

Thank You for reacting to this Classic. It truly is The Best Christmas Movie Ever. Hope you watch it every year around this time.

I love your reaction, and understanding of this movie. We watch this every Thanksgiving weekend to start the holiday season off with a thankful heart, and realizing we do indeed have a wonderful life. You are so right, we can all be quiet Heros. We never know what an impact we make in the lives of others. ❤

As many times as I have watched this, I didn't even think about the little musical chimes that played when Clarence disappeared while Burt tried to handcuff him. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, how I wonder where you are! Such a nice little detail! Surprisingly, this movie was flop when it was first released.

The March of the Wooden Soldiers aka Babes in Toyland was one of my go-to Christmas movies growing up.

I love this movie. Only one thing I'd change about it. If I'd been the screenwriter, I would've had the alternate version of Bedford Falls be called "Pottersfield." The pun is just irresistible to me, with the graveyard association. That would've been perfect.

Best Christmas Movie. My #1 all-time fave movie of any genre.

That swimming pool dance floor is real and still in use

Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street were named after Bert and Ernie the policeman and taxi driver in this film. Great video btw.

Happy holidays, Madison 🥰

Great reaction and LOVED your closing comments!

Quiet heroism. Lovely phrase.

Agreed, Madison, agreed. The G.O.A.T.

Gloria Grahame plays blonde Violet Bick. She went on to major stardom, on the big screen and on TV.

After 20 years this movie still makes me cry, I love it.

Great reaction and besides it being a wonderful story, one could discuss how beautifully cinematic director Frank Capra films it because it starts out in the style of a 1930s romantic dram/com, but once George was never born becomes a 1940s film noir and I think Frank Capra was very aware of this himself having traversed those time periods with his films and knowing how the dark effects WWII had on the American populace and underneath it all was telling a story about those effects, but wanting not to make it explicit but as a Christmas fable in modern times.

Loved your reaction to this old film! One of my personal Christmas favs...❤

Its the greatest Christmas movie of ALL TIME.

Beautiful review. When this came out after WW2, it didn't do well at the box office. Stewart had been a pilot during the war, and in the aftermath of that war people just weren't interested in something that seemed like fluff. If I recall, he did it for the work, since he'd already started his movie career a handful of years before the war. He enlisted after Pearl Harbor. Over the years though, it became a classic. For at least a couple of decades it was shown every year on TV on every channel. When cable came around, it was shown even more. Now they stopped all the showings and limited it to one basic channel a year. I hope they change that so more can catch it. Again, thanks for this one.

Great reaction! Merry Christmas!

Fortunately had James Stewart in the lead, can’t think of another actor who could have pulled it off as well‼️

Frank Capra is a target for critics as being overly-sentimental. But he's effective. It Happened One Night (AA, Best Picture) Mr. Smith Goes To Washington A Hole In The Head and Why We Fight

The Waldorf is a famous posh hotel in the City. The hotel thing is a jorke counterpointing posh with a fixer upper..At least Scrooge saw the light, Potter never did...And don't forget that quiet hero Mary...

the guy who opens the pool was Carl "Alfalfa" Sweitzer of Little Rascal fame

really get wrapped up in reactions to this movie at the end. How something like a film can affect us so much.

Mary throws a rock, makes a wish, and Georges father dies. That's messed up. That being said, it IS the best Christmas movie ever made, and I've seen it well over 100 times.

I'm a huge Jimmy Stewart fan. Here are some other Stewart films you might want to consider viewing: You Can't Take It With You Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Dial North side 777 Rope Vertigo Rear Window The Man Who Knew Too Much

Best movie ever!

It's a shame the younger generation doesn't appreciate this movie.