Plot It's a Wonderful Life

donna reed mary bailey , james stewart george bailey

on christmas eve 1945, in bedford falls, new york, george bailey suicidal. prayers him reach heaven, clarence odbody, angel 2nd class, assigned save george in order earn angel wings. prepare, clarence shown flashbacks of george s life. first in 1919, when 12-year-old george saves younger brother harry, falls through ice on frozen pond, drowning; george loses hearing in 1 ear result. while working after school @ local drug store, george sees employer, mr. gower, distraught on son s death flu, has accidentally added poison child s prescription drug, , intervenes stop causing harm.

on harry s graduation night in 1928, george talks mary hatch, has had crush on him age. interrupted news of father s death. george postpones travel plans in order sort out family business, bailey brothers building , loan, longtime competitor henry f. potter, local banker , richest man in town. potter wishes dissolve building , loan take on business. george convinces board of directors vote against potter. agree, on condition george runs business, along absent-minded uncle billy. george , mary married. on way honeymoon, witness run on bank , use honeymoon savings lend financial support @ building , loan until bank reopens.

over time george establishes bailey park, housing development small houses financed loans bailey building , loan, allows people own own homes rather pay rent live in potter s overpriced slums. potter, frustrated @ losing control of housing market, attempts lure george becoming assistant; george momentarily tempted, rejects offer.

during world war ii, george ineligible service because of bad ear. harry becomes navy pilot , shoots down kamikaze plane have bombed amphibious transport; awarded medal of honor. on christmas eve morning 1945, town prepares hero s welcome harry. uncle billy goes potter s bank deposit $8,000 building , loan. (the $8,000 worth on $100,000 in 2017 dollars.) teases potter, taking newspaper , bragging harry being on front page; banker angrily grabs newspaper, inside of billy has unintentionally tucked envelope containing money. upon seeing money, potter realizes potential scandal lead building , loan s downfall. potter hides money, knowing loss cause severe financial problems building , loan. when uncle billy cannot find money, , george frantically search it. when bank examiner arrives review records, george berates uncle endangering building , loan, goes home , takes out frustration on family. apologizes wife , children, leaves.

george guardian angel clarence

george desperately appeals potter loan. when george offers life insurance policy collateral, potter says george worth more dead alive , phones police have him arrested. george gets drunk @ local bar , involved in fight before leaves , goes nearby bridge, thinking of suicide. film s narrative catches time of opening scene. before can jump, clarence dives river before george does, causing george rescue clarence rather killing himself. george not believe clarence s subsequent claim guardian angel.

when george says wishes had never been born, clarence decides grant wish , show george alternate timeline in never existed. bedford falls named pottersville , less congenial place. mr. gower has been released prison manslaughter, because george not there stop him putting poison in pills. building , loan has closed down, george never took on after mr. bailey s passing.

george s mother not recognize him; reveals uncle billy institutionalized after collapse of building , loan. in cemetery bailey park have been, george discovers grave of brother. clarence tells him soldiers on transport died, harry never there save them, because george had never saved harry drowning. mary never married; when george says husband, screams police, causing george flee , local policeman give chase.

george, convinced clarence guardian angel, runs bridge , begs life back; alternate timeline changes original reality. george runs home await arrest. mary , uncle billy arrive, having rallied townspeople, donate more enough cover missing $8,000 , potter s warrant torn up. harry arrives , toasts george. bell on christmas tree rings, , daughter recalls story says sound means angel has earned wings, signifying clarence s promotion.