It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
(Frank Capra, US 1946, 130 min., 35mm)
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2021, this classic holiday film was a box office bust in its initial release. It is only through the film’s enduring message and its millions of fans throughout the world that It’s a Wonderful Life has become a cherished piece of our holiday traditions. Named the most inspirational film of all time by the American Film Institute, the film finds James Stewart and Donna Reed navigating rough times in Bedford Falls (modeled on nearby Seneca Falls, New York) by way of a loving, dedicated relationship and a little heavenly intervention. As Stewart’s and Capra’s first work after their military service, the film takes the postwar malaise often seen in film noir and turns it on its head, constructing a narrative of faith and perseverance.