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MOVIE DECISION GUIDE
It's a Wonderful Life
CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Frank Capra. With James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore.
8.3/10
MOVIHERO RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
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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8.3/10
MOVIHERO RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTGeorge 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'…
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RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for It's a Wonderful Life.
MoviHero lists December 20, 1946 as the release date for It's a Wonderful Life. Frank Capra is the listed director. The listed cast includes James Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch, Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter, Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy. A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateDecember 20, 1946
GenresDrama · Family · Fantasy
Runtime2h 11m
DirectorFrank Capra
CastJames Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch, Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter, Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is It's a Wonderful Life right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
It's a Wonderful Life runs 2h 11m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 4/10: a more patient pace.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 6/10. Expect to follow the story rather than use it as background viewing.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 8/10, suggesting a stronger emotional experience. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
CHANGE ONE THING
Like this, but...
These share a listed genre with It's a Wonderful Life. Profile differences are estimates, not a guarantee of the same story or mood.
MOVIE RATING
MoviHero Rating
MoviHero Rating: 8.3/10 from 5,154 votes. Updated Nov 8, 2026.
Rating data supplied by TMDB, shown on a 10-point scale. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from scores submitted here.
MOVIHERO AUDIENCE RATING
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Your movie rating. Your audience score.
CHECK AVAILABILITY
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WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing4/10
Emotional Impact8/10
Mind-Bending5/10
Scary1/10
Violence2/10
Rewatchability7/10
Attention Required6/10
VIEWER REVIEWS
What viewers say about It's a Wonderful Life
Selected viewer reactions, in their own words. These excerpts reflect individual opinions, not an overall verdict.
Viewer reaction
“It's practically an American tradition to watch this film with family at Christmas time each year.”
Viewer reaction
“Oh my goodness, I am not going to spend much time describing this gold standard of Christmas movies.”
Viewer reaction
“Lovely film. 'It’s a Wonderful Life' is enjoyable, hearty and well crafted. It takes longer than I would've predicted to get to 'the event', but…”
More reactions (2)
Viewer reaction
“Every now and again you come across a film that just makes you think....”
Viewer reaction
“I am not one of those snobs that thinks Black and White is always better...”
Selected review excerpts supplied by TMDB. Opinions belong to their original authors.
WORDS THAT STAY WITH YOU
Memorable lines
Reveal a line containing a spoiler
“I'll go further than that. I'll say that to the public Peter Bailey was the Building and Loan.”
A CLOSER LOOK
Stay with the image.
CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
Follow the character.
Reviewed MoviHero character guides connected to this movie.
otherGeorge BaileyGeorge Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), played by James Stewart.Open character guide otherMary HatchMary Hatch in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), played by Donna Reed.Open character guide otherMr. PotterMr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), played by Lionel Barrymore.Open character guide
SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
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MOVIHERO ESTIMATEunti-unti
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MOVIHERO RATINGKiki's Delivery Service
1989·Family · Fantasy · Animation