One of the all time great Christmas movies is It’s A Wonderful Life starring the legendary James Stewart. It’s a Wonderful Life premiered at the Globe Theater in New York on December 20, 1946, with mixed to poor reviews.  However, the writers at Time Magazine were some of the few who saw the greatness of the story as they were quoted as saying it was really a pretty good movie.

The American Film Institute now considers It’s A Wonderful Life one of the best American films ever made, yet it was considered a flop at the time of its release. No doubt the critics of the time had a hand to play in the show’s poor box office success, considering the film didn’t make back what it cost Liberty Films, the studio that owned the rights to the movie at the time, to produce it.

Despite its lagging sales It’s A Wonderful Life did manage to pick up seven Academy Award nominations including one for James Stewart for best actor and another for Frank Capra for best picture, although the movie failed to win any of its nominations.

From such a dismal start, the film has gone on to win the hearts of millions of people around the world and most prominently during the holiday season.

The plot is perhaps the ultimate tool for uplifting spirits, even the meanest “Holiday Grinches” would have to walk away with a huge feeling of inspiration, hope and thankfulness for what God has already provided us all after watching the conclusion of It’s A Wonderful Life.

Sometimes through all of our debts and family issues we just need a movie to jolt us a bit and have us just stop and look around at what a wonderful life we really already have… This show definitely will do that for you – Unless you really are “meaner” than the meanest “Holiday-Grinch,” that is.

The plot of the movie is about a man named George Bailey who is contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve. His desperate prayers are thankfully heard by his guardian angel named Clarence,played by Henry Travers, who is sent down to George to help him in this most desperate hour. Through a series of flashbacks we are introduced to the people that George has touched over his life and how much of a difference he has been to them. It is the perfect wake up call for those of use who might have the Christmas season blues and the over-marketing of the holidays that too often can take away what the season is all about.  This is about Christ, if you missed it.

Happy Holidays!