It's a Wonderful Life
8.6
“It's a wonderful laugh! It's a wonderful love!”
George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin.
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Cast
117 people
James Stewart
George Bailey
Known for
Rear Window
Vertigo
Donna Reed
Mary Hatch
Known for
From Here to Eternity
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Lionel Barrymore
Mr. Potter
Known for
You Can't Take It with You
Mark of the Vampire
Thomas Mitchell
Uncle Billy
Known for
High Noon
Gone with the Wind
Henry Travers
Clarence
Known for
Shadow of a Doubt
The Invisible Man
Beulah Bondi
Mrs. Bailey
Known for
Make Way for Tomorrow
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Frank Faylen
Ernie
Known for
The Lost Weekend
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Ward Bond
Bert
Known for
The Searchers
Rio Bravo
Gloria Grahame
Violet
Known for
In a Lonely Place
The Big Heat
H.B. Warner
Mr. Gower
Known for
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
The King of Kings
Frank Albertson
Sam Wainwright
Known for
Psycho
Fury
Todd Karns
Harry Bailey
Also in
Invaders from Mars
My Foolish Heart
Frank Capra Director · Frances Goodrich Screenplay Albert Hackett Screenplay
Worldwide gross $9.6M · Budget $3.2M · United States release December 20, 1946
Box office
Budget
$3,180,000
Worldwide gross
$9,644,124
Gross vs. budget
3.0×
Production
Liberty Films
Production
RKO
Studio · Production
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · French
Release dates
Belgium · December 20, 1946
TV
United States · December 20, 1946
Limited theatrical
United States · September 13, 2013
Digital · 4K UHD
United States
December 20, 1946 · Premiere · New York City, New York
January 7, 1947 · Theatrical
October 29, 2019 · Physical · Blu-ray / 4K UHD
Argentina
May 22, 1947
Australia
February 6, 1948 · Theatrical
Brazil
February 14, 1947 · Theatrical
Canada
December 20, 1946 · Theatrical
Finland
December 20, 1946 · Theatrical
France
December 10, 1947 · Theatrical
Germany
December 10, 1947 · Theatrical
Greece
October 29, 2026 · Theatrical · Re-Issue
Hungary
January 19, 1986 · Theatrical
Ireland
June 20, 1947 · Theatrical
Italy
March 11, 1948 · Theatrical
Japan
February 6, 1954 · Theatrical
Lithuania
December 26, 2017 · Limited theatrical
Mexico
April 16, 1947 · Theatrical
Netherlands
June 7, 1951 · Theatrical
December 9, 2004 · Physical · DVD
December 14, 2023 · Theatrical · 4K Restoration
December 12, 2024 · Theatrical · 4K Restoration
Philippines
April 30, 1953 · Theatrical · Davao
Poland
December 20, 1946 · Theatrical
Portugal
November 30, 1947 · Theatrical
Romania
December 20, 1946 · Premiere
Spain
March 27, 1948 · Theatrical
Sweden
August 4, 1947 · Theatrical
December 1, 2004 · Physical · DVD
December 12, 2014 · Physical · Blu-ray
United Kingdom
December 20, 1946 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.