Lack of good storyline.

Great Film overall

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed. It's a Wonderful Life falls way to emotional flat, boring and way too long and it's for no damn reason the best Christmas movie of all time cause that title goes to Home Alone which this film can never compete with ever. The acting was mediocre, the story was awful and the ending way to over the top and just very very cheesy and definitely not a masterpiece as everyone seems to calling it for some reason...

Review Date 2/19/2018PLEASE BEWARE OF SOME REVIEWERS THAT ONLY HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. I HAVE OVER 400 REVIEWS OF "CHRISTMAS RELATED FILMS & SPECIALS" WHEN ITS A POSITIVE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE NO AGENDA! I REVIEW MOVIES & SPECIALS AS A WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN! I HAVE DISCOVERED MANY GEMS IN MY QUEST TO SEE AS MANY " C H R I S T M A S " MOVIES AS I CAN.Now Someone keeps reporting my reviews. I guess they are jealous because I do tell the truth. I want to point out that I never make snide remarks about actors weight or real life sexual orientation. If there acting is terrible or limited "I talk about that". If a story is bad "I will mention that" So why am I being "picked on"? IMDB? When one of my reviews gets deleted IMDB will not even tell me what someone found offensive. Well on to this review."It's a Wonderful Life" was first seen in 1946. In the 1970's the copyright of the film was thought to have lapsed. So for "Around 20 Years" the film was seen almost everyday on any given television channel during December. It was this exposure that made America fall in love with the film. While thought to be in public domain the film was "Colorized" for the first time around 1985. In the 1990's the films copyright was somehow reinstated and re-colorized. Paramount now holds the copyright and they had Legacy films do a new colorized version of the film. The latest can bee seen in the current Paramount Home Video Dvd or Blu-Ray editions. Now I am not for colorizing films. Even if they are done well I still prefer seeing the film in its intended version. Now "It's a Wonderful Life" loses something in color. Since it has a "fantasy vibe" to it at times the color just ruins the emotions. I think the colorization should have had an "oversatution" in the part where George Bailey has an alternate reality of "Bedford Falls". What we get is not a shift in tone that the Black and White film seems to capture all so easily.Now this film is a true classic and should be seen by all every holiday season. You don't have to celebrate Christmas in order to enjoy the film. In this film George Bailey is a man who always dreamed of leaving Bedford Falls but for some reason he never can. One night out of years of fighting MR Potter George finds himself at the end of his rope and is about to jump off a bridge. An angel saves him and tries to convince how he does have "A Wonderful Life". Jimmy Stewart and the entire cast give Star Studded Performances. Keep in mind this film is still being copied in some form or another in 2-3 Hallmark films every year. IF your going to steel ... steel from the best. See the Original Black and White Version B/W 10 Stars Color 4 Stars

During the decade of the 1980's It's a Wonderful Life was aired constantly on television during the month of December. I really wasn't interested in the film but the power of repetitiveness and boredom or lack of an alternate shows made me take notice as I gave this movie a viewing. The movie starts with angels, (not shown) focus on the life of George Bailey (James Stewart). The angels or heavenly brethren discuss the self sacrifice George goes through his entire life starting in childhood from saving his brother Harry from falling through the ice to catching his distraught, drunken Pharmacist boss Mr. Gower (H.B. Warner) from filling a lethal prescription. Onward George attends Harry's (Todd Karns) Senior prom and meeting his future wife Mary (Donna Reed). On the way home George learns that his Father died and he has to sort out his Father's business affairs with his savings and loan. George saved up to see the world but the irascible Old Man Potter (Lionel Barrymore) wants to dissolve the savings and loan to avoid future competition. The board of director's vote to keep the savings and loan on one condition. George Bailey runs the operations with the help of his absent minded Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell). Another sacrifice as the world tour is quashed. George also gives his college tuition to his younger brother Harry in hopes of Harry taking over in four years. Four years later Harry has a better offer to work for his future Father-In-Law as he introduces his fiance to the Bailey's. George agrees to stay on and run the savings and loan. George and Mary wed and plan a huge world Honeymoon trip but the stock market crashes and there's a run on the bank. The Baileys dole out their wedding money to their customers with a whole two dollars left over. Another sacrifice. As time goes on George builds up his business and developed' Bailey Park affordable housing. An alternative for residence of Bedford Falls who currently live in the slum rentals provide by Old Man Potter. Potter attempts to lure George to work for him for an annual salary of $20,000 but George tells Potter bristling with anger to forget it. Meanwhile World War II is in full swing as Younger Brother Harry joins the Air Force and is decorated the Medal Of Honor for saving a Transport of troops from a Kamikaze fighter plane. The story is printed in the local paper on Christmas eve as Uncle Billy brags to Old Man Potter in the bank as he makes out a deposit slip for $8000.00. Absent minded Uncle Billy drops the money in Potter's lap as he goes off to the teller's window without the cash. Meanwhile back at the savings and loan the Bank examiner shows up to check their books. When Uncle Billy tells George he lost the deposit. George goes into panic mode with rage and despair. George comes home to his family in a disturbed manner. Then George runs off and our story takes a dark turn as George tries to kill himself but is intercepted by angel Named Clarence (Henry Travers). George wishes he was never born and Clarence grants that wish. What George witnesses is a lesson in the human spirit wondering how one human life can affect,touch another. In an interview with James Stewart toward the end of his illustrious life remembers being apprehensive in continuing his acting career at the conclusion of his part in World War II as he was highly Decorated for numerous flight missions over Europe. Director Frank Capra and co-star Lionel Barrymore wanted the down to earth prowess of Stewart for the role of George Bailey in this film. Jimmy didn't disappoint despite lack luster receipts at the box office this movie improved with age and is a classic film for the holidays. This was also Donna Reed's film debut as a leading lady. Honorable mention for some cameos in the picture. Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as Mary's original escort. Frank Faylen as Ernie the cabbie. Ward Bond as Bert the cop. Gloria Grahame as the flirtatious Violet . Sheldon Leonard as Nick. Beulah Bondi who usually plays James Stewart's Mom in numerous pictures as Mother Bailey.

I always enjoyed watching this with my Mom & Dad really good I taped it so we could watched it any time.