Reception It's a Wonderful Life

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it s wonderful life premiered @ globe theatre in new york on december 20, 1946, mixed reviews. while capra considered contemporary critical reviews either universally negative or @ best dismissive, time said, s wonderful life pretty wonderful movie. has 1 formidable rival (goldwyn s best years of our lives) hollywood s best picture of year. director capra s inventiveness, humor , affection human beings keep glowing life , excitement.

bosley crowther, writing new york times, complimented of actors, including stewart , reed, concluded weakness of picture, reviewer s point of view, sentimentality of it—its illusory concept of life. mr. capra s nice people charming, small town quite beguiling place , pattern solving problems optimistic , facile. somehow resemble theatrical attitudes rather average realities.

the film, went general release on january 7, 1947, placed 26th ($3.3 million) in box office revenues 1947 (out of more 400 features released), 1 place ahead of christmas film, miracle on 34th street. film supposed released in january 1947, moved december 1946 make eligible 1946 academy awards. move seen worse film, 1947 did not have quite stiff competition 1946. if had entered 1947 awards, biggest competition have been miracle on 34th street. number 1 grossing movie of 1947, best years of our lives, made $11.5 million.

the film recorded loss of $525,000 @ box office rko.

on may 26, 1947, fbi issued memo stating regard picture s wonderful life , [redacted] stated in substance film represented rather obvious attempts discredit bankers casting lionel barrymore scrooge-type hated man in picture. this, according these sources, common trick used communists. [in] addition, [redacted] stated that, in opinion, picture deliberately maligned upper class, attempting show people had money mean , despicable characters.

in interview michael parkinson in 1973, jimmy stewart declared out of movies had made, s wonderful life favorite.

mr. potter (lionel barrymore) placed in afi s 100 years...100 heroes & villains no. 6 of villains, while george bailey voted no. 9 of heroes.

in 1990, s wonderful life deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant united states library of congress , selected preservation in national film registry.

in 2002, britain s channel 4 ranked s wonderful life seventh greatest film ever made in poll 100 greatest films , in 2006, film reached no. 37 in same channel s 100 greatest family films .

in june 2008, afi revealed 10 top 10, best ten films in ten classic american film genres, after polling on 1,500 people creative community. s wonderful life acknowledged third-best film in fantasy genre.

somewhat more iconoclastic views of film , content expressed. in 1947, film critic manny farber wrote, make points [capra] takes easy, simple-minded path doesn t give credit intelligence of audience , , adds there few unsentimental moments here , there. wendell jamieson, in 2008 article new york times positive in analysis of film, noted far being sweet sentimental story, terrifying, asphyxiating story growing , relinquishing dreams, of seeing father driven grave before time, of living among bitter, small-minded people. story of being trapped, of compromising, of watching others move ahead , away, of becoming filled rage verbally abuse children, teacher , oppressively perfect wife.

in 2010 salon.com piece, richard cohen described s wonderful life terrifying hollywood film ever made . in pottersville sequence, wrote, george not seeing world exist had never been born , rather world exist, in time , in our own. 9 years earlier, salon writer, gary kamiya, had expressed opposing view pottersville rocks! , adding, gauzy, currier-and-ives veil capra drapes on bedford falls has prevented viewers grasping tiresome and, frankly, toxic environment is... live in pottersville now.

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the film s elevation status of beloved classic came decades after initial release, when became television staple during christmas season in late 1970s. came welcome surprise frank capra , others involved production. s damnedest thing ve ever seen, capra told wall street journal in 1984. film has life of own now, , can @ had nothing it. m parent kid grows president. m proud... s kid did work. didn t think of christmas story when first ran across it. liked idea. in 1946 interview, capra described film s theme individual s belief in himself , made combat modern trend toward atheism .

the film s positive reception has continued present, , review aggregator rotten tomatoes reports 94% certified fresh approval rating. website s critical consensus reads, holiday classic define holiday classics, s wonderful life 1 of handful of films worth annual viewing.

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