Overall, I like it, but it’s overrated. I’m conscious of the fact that George is too much of a doormat, that the original story has far more depth, and that it was self-plagiarism by Capra.
Like I said, I’ve only seen it in bits and pieces, but Potterville looked to be a more vibrant and interesting community with a hopping nightlife than the bland town George helped build.
It bothers me that they portray Bailey’s Savings & Loan as unprofitable.
It’s still a type of bank. They pay interest on saving accounts. Then earn profit from investments on home mortgages.
That can be done without using predatory practices with shoddy workmanship like Potter.
From Wikipedia
Under George, the company establishes Bailey Park, a housing development surpassing Potter’s overpriced slums.
That sounds like a profitable investment for the S&L. They weren’t getting rich because George occasionally let customers fall behind on mortgage payments.
I think he could take Mary on a vacation once in awhile.
I know it’s just a movie and that requires conflict and drama.
But, George was a 2nd generation S&L banker. They shouldn’t be closing at 5pm with only $2 in the vault.
I enjoy the movie a lot, but I can’t help getting a bit miffed at Harry Bailey. Although it’s truly an accident, his fall into the frozen pond leads to George’s partial deafness. This, of course, keeps George out of the military. After George is basically emotionally blackmailed into skipping his college plans to serve as Secretary of the B&L, Harry skips off to college with all the money saved for George’s education. When expected to return to Bedford Falls from college to take over from George at the B&L, he shows up with a surprise wife and plans to go somewhere else to take a job. Eventually, in the final scenes when everybody is collecting cash for George and Sam Wainwright wires a big monetary advance, Harry just sort of shows up a bit early for the planned “Harry Bailey Day.” He does fly through dangerous weather to get there, but he basically just walks in empty-handed. The more I think about it, the less I like him.
So many dopers say this, and seriously? Night life as the standard?? You think prostitution, drunken behavior, crooked and/or inept cops, a vice-based economy (note the large pawn shop to feed the addiction habits of Potter’s rabble working class and “garlic eaters” (I also note that said garlic eater Martini no longer owns his bar. Where’s he in the new paradise of Pottersville?) ) is better than Bedford Falls?. How about increased domestic violence, robbery, assault? Bert the cop spends his time writing tickets abd doing vice raids. Ernie the taxi driver doesn’t seem to happy in Pottersville’s new reality, seeing his wife left him and took the kids.
I bet no one locks their door in Bedford Falls.
Yes there’s a library. How many people you think go there? How about Ma Bailey’s boarding house, which is probably full of lowlifes, and she won’t even take boarders unless they were recommended? She lives in fear of Potters People.
Oh indeed! True, it’s not his fault he fell through the ice. I blame early 20th century medicine for George losing his hearing. But everything after? You bet. His dirty footprints are all over ol’ Doormat George.
Plus, filmmaking-wise, does Ruth Dakin-Bailey ever have another scene in the film? She shows up to metaphorically shit on George, and disappears.
But on a positive note: my favorite scene is when Sam Wainright wires “up to $25K” just because he heard George was in trouble. No questions asked.That’s like $400K today. Brings. a tear to my eye everytime.
Probably because the brown folk are kept in check. Seriously Bedford Falls looks like every MAGA’s wet dream. Cities are scary and jazz is evil.
Jesus fuck, where do you get this? Basically you’re saying brown folk are responsible for crime and vice. Way to go! Such a MAGA argument against the film!
The diabolus ex machina.
Well, we don’t see any black people in the movie… but then again, I don’t think that it’s ever stated where Bedford Falls is. Presumably somewhere in the north, since they get snow in the winter. And for a northern small town in the early 20th century, it’s plausible that there might be a very small African-American population.
Now, when a southern community like Mayberry or Hazzard has no African-Americans, that’s when you need to start asking questions.
We do actually, I’ve only seen it in pieces and the one scene that stands out is a black woman giving money to the family and she says something like “I’ve been saving this money in case I ever got a divorce!” But in this really cringy racist voice.
Viewers aren’t happy with Prime’s abridged version of Wonderful Life.
I watched the colorized version and it’s full length. I bought it a few years ago. It’s safe in my library.
I can’t believe anything but AI would edit out the climax of a film. 22 minutes is a huge cut in a 130 min film.
How the hell do you leave that part out? It’s like leaving out the bit in Oz—kind of critical to the story.
I do. Her name is Annie, and she works for Mrs Bailey in the Boarding House. She thinks all children should be girls, because boys are trouble, drinking gin and whatnot. She’s a great character, for her few scenes. Better than diabolous ex machina (hehe) Ruth.
HUSBAND!
That’s Annie, again. One could ask where she is going to find a (black) husband in Bedford Falls, but that’s another movie.
Bedford Falls is supposed to be upstate New York*, close enough to The City to visit but not close enough to be corrupted by their wanton ways. 
*Which is why I laugh at their air raid blackouts!
Like I said, it’s a MAGA wet dream, the only people of color are happy and docile. It’s an aggressively white movie, and then people freak out when it’s mentioned.
Now I want to see the movie about HARRY not being born.
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George keeps his hearing!
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George never goes to the dance, never dances with Mary, never falls in the pool, and takes a couple more years to finally wake up to the sexy librarian in Mary. (or maybe he marries Violet!) Either way, Zuzu isn’t born by 1945.
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Which means Mr Welch’s wife never gets irrationally balled out by George, and he still gets to go to Martini’s.
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I don’t know about those poor souls on the transport, they probably still all die.
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Ruth Dakin marries Sam Wainright.
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George still is “emotionally blackmailed” into running the B&L, but his resentment is less because he’s not mad at his non-existant brother and bratty kids, and he has a somewhat happier existence.
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Since Harry didn’t win the MOH, Uncle Billy never reads about it in the paper and gloats to Potter, therefore never loses $8000 and George is never in trouble and never commits suicide.
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Clarence still never gets his wings!
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Since Harry wasn’t able to do research, a major military advancement (part of ICBM guidance) is delayed years, and Russia invaded eastern Europe in 1951. WWIII breaks out and everyone dies.
“Attaboy, Clarence!”
This is how:
https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/26/media/its-a-wonderful-life-abridged-version
(Copyright vs Public Domain issue.)
But if you can’t show that part for arcane legal reasons, why show any of it? Showing the movie without that part will just get your customers mad at you.
Well, credit Unions are non-profits. It seems to operate as a non-profit org.
He was a pilot in the Navy and just won the Congressional medal of Honor, and being just IIRC a Lieutenant , he wasnt making much money. Not to mention the prestige of a CMH winner is gonna help.
Yeah, I agree. Might be fun to visit, but not to live there.
More or less Seneca Falls NY, and not many minorities there now. Mind you, the Irish and the Italians were looked down upon back then, and they seem to be accepted in Bedford Falls.