This is one of those films that are absolutely perfect and timeless.
Comment
09/10/02
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
94
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:52
Fresh:49
Rotten:3
Average Rating:8.6/10
Consensus: The holiday classic to define all holiday classics, It's a Wonderful Life is one of a handful of films worth an annual viewing.
Theatrical Release:14-12-2007
Synopsis: A good but slightly ineffectual man tries to off himself after an error that really wasn't his fault. In Christmas Carol fashion, his crusty-but-lovable guardian angel shows up to give him a tour... [More]
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell
Director: Frank Capra
Reviews for It's a Wonderful Life
There are hokey moments galore and the ten minutes preceding the final five are almost too corny but nothing can diminish the overall effect of this heartwarming tribute to an ordinary man.
08/17/02
That the picture will be one of the important exhibition ventures of 1947 is assured. With the Capra and cast names, it can't miss such an exalted niche.
06/05/02
Top CriticDespite any nay saying that I might work up, I enjoy watching the film. It has an uncanny ability to silence cynics like myself.
03/05/02
a truly classic, timeless film, one of the few that quite simply never grows old
02/27/01
This heartwarming fantasy, one of the most popular films ever made, begins as angels discuss George Bailey (James Stewart), a small-town resident so beset with problems that he contemplates a Christmastime suicide.
01/01/00
Top CriticThis great American fable is buoyed by its unwavering faith in the wealth of the human spirit.
01/01/00
Combine the characters, the story, the message, and the acting, and it's easy to see why It's a Wonderful Life isn't just a holiday favorite, but a great movie by almost any standards.
01/01/00
It isn't a terrible film by any means, and it's easy to see why people revere it.
01/01/00
What is remarkable about It's a Wonderful Life is how well it holds up over the years; it's one of those ageless movies, like Casablanca or The Third Man, that improves with age.
01/01/00
Top CriticAlthough sometimes bordering on the maudlin, it remains a beautifully uplifting story and a sweet little comedy as well.
01/01/00
It's A Wonderful Life (1946), originally made for Liberty Films, is one of the most popular and heartwarming films ever made by director Frank Capra,
01/01/00
Latest News for It's a Wonderful Life
June 10, 2008:
Bob Anderson: 1933-2008 
Bob Anderson, the actor who played the younger version of George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, has succumbed to cancer at the age of 75. More...
June 22, 2007:
AFI Announces Top 100 Movies of All Time ... Again
Ten years ago the AFI gave us a list of the Top 100 American Films Ever Made -- and when that was done they churned out 15 other lists every few years. And then last night they... More...
December 22, 2006:
RT's Top Christmas Classics -- Christmas Countdown, Day Five
Welcome to the last day of RT's Five Days of Christmas Countdown, where we serve up a different list each day of the best holiday flicks around. Today, we've got the crème de la... More...
December 15, 2005:
Critical Consensus: A Sly "Family Stone," A Towering "Kong"
This week at the movies, we have a giant ape {"King Kong"} and some yuletide dramedy ("The Family Stone"). Will the critics go bananas for these flicks? More...
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