RateItAll: The Opinion Network

I think my number one favorite.
A movie that teaches gratefulness. We don't do that anymore.

Is it really a Christmas movie?
I guess not. Maybe in the same way that "Last Christmas I gave you my heart" is a Christmas song (hate it, by the way)

I watch it several times a year, too.
James Stewart was a great actor.
As about the "second class angel" Clarence, how can you not like him!??

A great family movie. Runs a bit long and it may be tough to get younger people to watch a black and white film now days. One of J. Stewart's best roles / performances.

A magical Christmas tradition.

A classic story of one man's redemption and a lesson to anyone who thinks that his or her life is without value. Jimmy Stewart gives an amazing portrayal as George Baily capturing nearly every human emotion during the course of the film. (Who the hell won the award for best actor that year?!!) He is at his best when he lets his expressions and mannerisms guide his performance. Lional Barrymore is also superb as the malevolent Mr. Potter. A film that should be witnessed by one and all. Thank you, Frank Capra for your vision and warmth.

The perfect Christmas movie. If you have really young kids, I don't think they'd enjoy it, because it is long and in depth, but I love it, and I'm 16.

A great film to watch every Christmas!

Best Christmas movie of all time, hands down. Jimmy Stewart was brilliant!

this movie stands the test of time with human emotion spanning many decades awesome

What's not to like about It's a Wonderful Life?

A good movie, but not really Great. A good standard-fare movie of the time. This is NOT a Christmas movie, despite all the hype around Christmas time. (BTW, it wasn't popular or even known until the mid-80s. That was just AFTER I myself was told about & shown the movie by my parents. Dang if w/in the year my SocialStudies teacher used it, then it started being peddled publicly as a great Xmas movie. Before then, Miracle on 34th St was the universally acknowledged non-Scrooge Christmas champion.) It has a great message and such, but again, is pretty standard regular movie. It is also mostly a biography. It is not a Christmas movie; it just happens the hero goes to his wit's end at Christmas Eve and is saved then. Clarence the angel doesn't even mention Christmas. Most of the movie doesn't have a Christmas feel, exactly because it's a biography which covers any and all aspects of life; it's not even all set in Winter. So I downgrade it maybe partly for the myth that it is a Christmas thing. Good movie, but you can watch it any time.

This is not the best film ever created but gets 5 stars for many other reasons..This movie is a tradition that has always left me with a comforting sense with its' small town goodness. I always sensed those were better times when vitues and family mattered...teaches some very good moral lessons too.

Wonderful acting, great story and a great moral message.Jimmy Stewart is unforgetable!One of my top 10 of all time!

Purely overrated. Some good elements, but the ending is so pathetic. As if everyone in the town would pitch in money for a disliked unpopular person.

Directed by Frank Capra, It's A Wonderful Life (1946) is one of the few, if not the sole dark films that is considered a Christmas movie. For the uninitiated, the story revolves around George Bailey (James Stewart) who finds himself considering suicide, notwithstanding his numerous selfless acts that has helped his family, friends and hometown. His savior is the angel Clarence (Henry Travers) who shows what his town would have been like if he had never been born. Through the process, George discovers that his seemingly inconsequential life was important after all. The core cast includes Donna Reed as George's supporting wife and Lionel Barrymore as the evil Mr. Potter who wants to control the town. Despite the film being recognized by the Academy, the movie was not a commercial success. In fact, It's A Wonderful Life did not become wildly known until the copyright was allowed to lapse, and the movie entered the public domain. After the lapse, the film was shown repeatedly during the holidays. The bottom line is that It's A Wonderful Life is an American classic that illustrates both the American dream and its challenges.

This is a true classic that I have pased on to my children. At 30, 33 and 36 they still watch this show as a tradition of their childhood. My oldest even discusses this in his Literature class he teaches to middleschool.

If there was a rating higher than 5, I would give it. People need to look past the mistaken idea that this is a Christmas movie and see that it is a movie that can be viewed all through the year...and with every viewing you get something new. It just grabs your heart. James Stewart, as far as I am concerned, was the greatest actor Hollywood has produced. He is sheer brilliance in this movie. To watch him fall apart is to see what happens to many people in dire straits. You live it with him. When he realizes just how blessed he is, you share that joy with him too. I think, of all the movies Mr. Stewart did, this is the one that he will be remembered for 100 years from now. And they will still be remarking on the brilliance of the film and the performances. While he is by far the best thing about the movie, that is not to say that the others were less than wonderful. The whole cast was astoundingly fabulous. As you can see, this IS my favorite movie. Mr. Stewart made this film just after he returned from service in WWII. With everything he lived through during the war, it is a mature Jimmy we see. As loved as George Bailey was, Jimmy is even more loved. I just wish the people of that time realized the quality of the film. I am glad they do now.

Maudlin crap. Capra's worst film.

True holiday classic. It does seem a little old fashioned compared to today's films, but that's also part of its charm.

This movie didn't hit me till well into my 30s. It really got to me this last Xmas. When George is ready to off himself, and when he sees life without him, that always brings a tear. Stewart did a hell of a job in this one. Even the love story rang true. I love his transformation from optimist to cynic to optimist again. It really speaks to all of us. Very American, but also a true cinema classic.

BEST HOLIDAY MOVIE EVER!! one of the few movies that gets me choked up at the end!!